Earwax, also known by the medical term cerumen, is a yellowish waxy substance secreted in the ear canal of humans and other mammals. It protects the skin of the human ear canal, assists in cleaning and lubrication, and also provides some protection from bacteria, fungi, insects and water. Excess or impacted cerumen can press against the eardrum and/or occlude the external auditory canal and can impair hearing.
Read more about Earwax: Signs and Symptoms, Physiology, Treatment, History, In Other Animals