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Earwax. How frequently do we pause to consider the substance that emerges from our ears? For many, it accumulates gradually, and we remove it without much reflection. Yet this material—sticky for some, dry and flaky for others—is both peculiar and intriguing. For instance, it can help gauge stress levels or provide insights into ancient Japanese societies.
There are also more unsettling stories involving earwax, such as the Florida man who had a cockroach crawl into his ear or the historical banquet attendees who intentionally induced vomiting. Below are ten quirky facts about this unusual bodily secretion.
10. Whale Stress Levels Surged During WWII
Humans weren’t the only ones affected by the horrors of World War II. Whales also endured significant stress during the early 1940s, according to researchers from Baylor University in Texas.
How do researchers uncover such details? By analyzing whale earwax, naturally. The team studied the waxy substance from fin, humpback, and blue whales in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, with records dating back to 1870.
During historically stressful times, whales produce higher levels of the hormone cortisol. The Baylor team discovered that cortisol peaks aligned with global conflicts. Significant stress was also observed in the 1920s, 1930s, and 1960s, coinciding with the peak of whaling. By the mid-1970s, whaling had nearly ceased in the Northern Hemisphere, resulting in minimal cortisol levels in earwax from that era. However, recent years have seen a resurgence in cortisol levels, likely linked to rising ocean temperatures.
9. The Cough Reflex Triggered by Ear Stimulation
Have you ever coughed while cleaning your ears? This unusual reaction is caused by the auricular branch of the vagus nerve, also referred to as Arnold’s or Alderman’s nerve. Historically, banquet attendees would overeat, then stimulate this nerve by scratching their ears to induce vomiting and continue feasting.
Research indicates that Arnold’s ear-cough reflex occurs in approximately 2% to 4% of the population. For some, this can lead to chronic coughing due to earwax accumulation or hearing aids irritating the nerve.
8. Earwax Buildup Can Lead to Hearing Double
Most of us are familiar with seeing double, but have you ever heard of hearing double? Diplacusis is an auditory condition where sounds are perceived differently in each ear. For instance, one ear might hear the correct pitch, while the other hears it as higher or lower. While this unsettling effect may fade for some, it can become a permanent issue for others.
Diplacusis occurs when hearing loss affects one ear more than the other or impacts both ears unevenly. This can result from various factors, such as ear infections or exposure to loud noises. However, double hearing can also be caused by blockages like sinus congestion or excessive earwax buildup. Fortunately, this type is easier to treat and often resolves once the blockage is removed. So, keep your ears clean to avoid the auditory imbalance of diplacusis.
7. Ancient Japanese People Likely Had Sticky, Orange Earwax
Little is known about Japan’s prehistoric inhabitants, but in 2019, DNA evidence provided new insights. A tooth discovered at the Funadomari site revealed details about the Jōmon people, including the surprising characteristics of their earwax.
Researchers uncovered a molar in a woman’s skull estimated to be from 3,500 to 3,800 years ago. From this single tooth, scientists in Tokyo extracted her complete genetic data, offering a glimpse into the characteristics of the Jōmon woman.
Unlike contemporary Japanese individuals, the Jōmon people likely had dark skin, brown eyes, and curly hair, resembling natives of Eastern Russia or the Korean Peninsula. This woman also exhibited a remarkable ability to digest fatty foods and a high alcohol tolerance.
However, the most surprising revelation came from her ears. The Tokyo team concluded that the Jōmon people likely had moist, orange earwax, a trait more common in individuals of African or European descent, unlike the dry, flaky earwax typical of East Asians.
6. Yucca Plants Are Leading to Severe Ear Injuries
While houseplants can beautify any home, the yucca plant’s sharp, sword-like leaves have been linked to a surge in serious ear injuries. This unusual issue has become so prevalent that it was highlighted in the journal Clinical Otolaryngology under the title “Garden Terror.”
Between 2012 and 2017, at least 28 individuals experienced ear canal injuries after being pierced by yucca leaves. While some escaped with minor scratches, most suffered from a ruptured eardrum, or tympanic membrane perforation (TMP). This painful injury often results in hearing loss, dizziness, and severe nausea. Out of the 25 documented cases, 21 recovered fully, but the remaining four faced permanent hearing impairment despite surgical intervention.
The ear canal, where earwax accumulates, is often linked to both perforated eardrums and wax-related problems. While yucca leaves are a common culprit, improper earwax removal can also lead to TMPs.
5. Cockroach Invades Ear in Search of Food
Cockroaches are known to consume a variety of unusual substances, including earwax. Rich in keratin, fatty acids, and dead skin cells, earwax is a tempting treat for these insects. Be cautious, as a cockroach might crawl into your ear while you sleep, searching for a meal.
This exact scenario occurred to a man in Tallahassee, Florida. In 2018, Blake Collins, who shared a cockroach-infested apartment with his husband, recounted how the pests were everywhere—in the mattress, sheets, and even on the light fixtures.
However, nothing could have prepared Mr. Collins for the moment a cockroach crawled into his ear. He described the sensation as feeling like “someone was pushing a Q-tip deep into my head, and I was powerless to stop it.”
Fortunately, doctors used lidocaine anesthetic to kill the cockroach. They also removed an egg sac it had laid inside Mr. Collins’s ear. He recalled, “I heard it die in my head.” The Florida resident shared that as the insect died, he felt it “move frantically, kicking and trying to escape.”
4. The Tinnitus Treatment That Stimulates Your Tongue
Tinnitus is a challenging condition to manage, affecting approximately 10% to 15% of people. It is often triggered by loud noise exposure, ear injuries, or earwax blockages.
In 2020, an Irish company introduced a groundbreaking treatment claiming to alleviate tinnitus for up to a year. Neuromod Devices developed Lenire, a device that uses gentle tongue stimulation to counteract the persistent ringing. During the treatment, patients listen to music through Bluetooth headphones while a mouthpiece delivers mild electrical pulses to the tongue’s trigeminal nerve. This bimodal neuromodulation technique helps retrain the brain to ignore the tinnitus noise.
Despite its unusual approach, the treatment has shown promising results. In a trial involving 326 participants, 86% reported reduced symptoms after 12 weeks. Even a year later, two-thirds continued to experience lasting benefits.
3. Earwax and Hair Jewelry
Amanda Cotton is far from a traditional artist. The British creator has crafted pieces using maggots and placenta, but one of her most notable works is an earwax necklace.
Indeed, the artwork is exactly as described. Over eight months, Ms. Cotton gathered her own earwax and transformed it into a somewhat unsettling pendant. She combined the compressed earwax with a chain made of braided hair. This surreal piece debuted in 2012 at a graduate exhibition in Brighton.
Ms. Cotton explained that she selected earwax for its resemblance to amber. She described the piece as “aesthetically intriguing, challenging viewers to reconsider their perception of this unique material.”
2. Device for Tracking Hormone Levels
While earwax has been used to assess whale stress, it can also measure human stress. Researchers at University College London developed a device that quickly analyzes earwax for cortisol levels, providing insights into an individual’s stress.
The team highlighted how tracking cortisol can aid in diagnosing medical conditions. For instance, Cushing’s syndrome results from excessive cortisol production, while Addison’s disease stems from insufficient levels. Elevated cortisol can also signal depression.
Dr. Andres Herane-Vives, the study’s lead, noted, “Cortisol sampling is challenging due to its fluctuating levels, making single samples unreliable. Traditional methods can also induce stress, skewing results. However, earwax cortisol levels remain stable, and our device allows for quick, affordable, and accurate testing.”
1. A Revolutionary Approach to Drug Testing
Could earwax revolutionize drug testing? Brazilian researchers believe this secretion might offer a more precise method for forensic analysis.
Traditionally, forensic experts rely on blood and urine samples for drug testing. However, some substances degrade too quickly in the bloodstream to be detected. Scientists suggest that since drugs like alcohol, cocaine, and amphetamines are often more concentrated in earwax, it may be time to reconsider forensic drug testing methods.
To explore this idea, researchers in South America tested 17 individuals using antiepileptic and antipsychotic medications. High concentrations of these drugs were found in their earwax. Remarkably, phenytoin was detected in one participant who had not used the drug for two months.
