It's sticky. It's shiny. But what is earwax, anyway — and where does it come from?

Earwax is made in the outer ear canal. This is the area between the fleshy part of the ear on the outside of your head (the part you can see) and the middle ear. The skin in the outer ear canal has special glands that produce earwax. The fancy name for this waxy stuff is cerumen (say: suh-ROO-mun).

After the wax is made, it slowly makes its way through the outer ear canal to the opening of the ear. Then it either falls out or is removed when you wash. In most people, the outer ear canal makes earwax all the time, so the canal always has enough wax in it.

So why do we need wax? Earwax has several important jobs. First, it protects and moisturizes the skin of ear canal, preventing dry, itchy ears. Second, it contains special chemicals that fight off infections that could hurt the skin inside the ear canal. Finally, it acts as a shield between the outside world and the eardrum. When dust, dirt, and other things enter your ear, the earwax traps them so they can't travel any further.

What can cause an earwax build-up?

Some people regularly get blocked ears because they naturally produce a lot of earwax.

Other factors that can increase the risk of too much earwax include:

• producing naturally hard or dry earwax

• having narrow or hairy ear canals (the tube between the opening of the ear and the eardrum)

• being elderly, as earwax becomes drier with age

• bony growths in the outer part of the ear canal

Earwax can also block your ear if you frequently insert objects into your ear canal, such as cotton buds, ear plugs or hearing aids.

Symptoms of earwax build-up

Symptoms of earwax build-up include:

• hearing loss

• earache or a feeling that your ears are blocked

• ringing or buzzing in your ears (tinnitus)

• vertigo (feeling dizzy and sick)

Earwax build-up

Earwax normally just falls out on its own. When it's blocking your ears, we can help.