What Is Earwax? | COLOSSAL QUESTIONS

[music playing] Each and every one of us has two ears coated in wax. That's weird. But have you ever stopped and wondered what earwax actually is, and, more importantly, why do we have it? Let's find out on today's episode of Colossal Questions. The stuff we call earwax has a more scientific name, cerumen. It's made by glands deep in the ear canal and slowly oozes its way towards the opening of the ear. As icky as it might seem, earwax is actually good for you. The sticky cerumen acts like a protective barrier for the super sensitive skin inside your ear. The earwax does a lot to protect the delicate parts of your inner ear. It traps dirt and germs, it keeps water out, and it collects bacteria and other dusty allergens and irritants. Usually, earwax naturally disappears over time, eventually moving from deep in the ear all the way out to the opening, where it falls, flakes, or washes away. Then, fresh, new earwax is created, and the cycle starts again. Sometimes wax can build up over time if your glands are producing too much of the stuff. When that happens, the extra wax can dry up and harden, causing a blockage that can hurt or make it hard to hear. Even though they seem like the perfect tool for the job, you really shouldn't use cotton swabs to try and get rid of excess earwax. Usually, it just pushes the extra wax deeper and packs it down, making the problem worse. The inside of the ear is very sensitive. So if you're walking around with way too much earwax, you're better off going to the doctor rather than trying to scoop it out yourself. So why do we have earwax? To help keep our ears healthy, even if sometimes it can get a little bit gross. [music playing]

Channel: Colossal Cranium

Views: 8,809,474

Keywords: Colossal Cranium, Colossal Questions, Peacock Kids, DreamWorksTV, DreamWorks Animation, DreamWorks, Something New, Family Entertainment, YouTube Kids, colossal questions, 5 facts, big questions, what would happen, what if, questions about, facts about, interesting facts, colossal facts, colossal answers, q & a, questions, fun facts

Id: 14fmvap3m-Q

Length: 12min 45sec (765 seconds)

Published: Fri Dec 10 2021