What you need to know about earwax   Of all the substances our bodies excrete, earwax has to be one of the most mysterious. What possible reason could our ears have for producing this waxy substance? Medical professionals may not yet completely understand all of its properties, but they are certain of its protective nature. To understand more, we've assembled some interesting facts about earwax -- and why you shouldn't be so hasty to remove it. Earwax: gross but healthy Earwax is a natural barrier which prevents dirt and bacteria from entering the innermost parts of your ears. Because it is sticky, it collects microscopic debris which finds its way into your ear canal, much like fly paper traps insects. Without this defensive barrier, your inner ear would be at risk. It acts as a moisturizer and protective coating for your ear canal. Without earwax, your outer ear might be itchy and flaky, which puts it at greater risk for becoming irritated and infected. It acts as an insect repellant. The smell of earwax keeps bugs away, while the stickiness traps those which accidentally venture inside. Your earwax says a lot about you Although most everyone's ears produce earwax, that's where the similarity ends. Its composition varies from person to person, depending on their ethnicity, environment, age and diet. There are two primary types of earwax -- wet and dry. Wet cerumen typically appears in Caucasians and Africans Dry cerumen is more common among Native Americans, Pacific Islanders and Asians Even the color of...

I can hear, just not clearly. Do I have hearing loss? What's the number one complaint hearing care professionals hear from their new patients with hearing loss? Ask them and they'll likely say it's, "I can hear but I can't understand." If this is what you're experiencing, you may wonder if you have a hearing loss. Don't miss another chance to connect with those you love! Hearing loss is complicated because it involves not only the ears, but also the brain where sound is translated into meaningful words. It can manifest in many different ways with symptoms that vary between individuals. Hearing loss comes in all degrees from mild to profound. When you think of hearing loss, severe hearing loss or deafness probably comes to mind. But mild, moderate and high frequency hearing losses are actually much more common. And, with these types of hearing losses, the only symptom may be difficulty with word understanding, especially in situations where there is competing noise. Hearing vs. understanding When your hearing is tested, the results are plotted on an audiogram. People with high frequency hearing losses are said to have a "sloping" hearing loss. If you have a sloping hearing loss, it means you are able to hear low-pitched sounds, those below 1000 Hz, very well, sometimes even as well as someone with normal hearing. But, the high-pitched sounds above 1000 Hz need to be much louder before you can hear them. While not always the case, high frequency hearing loss is often the...