耳垢是我们身体中不太迷人的一部分，很多人都尽量避免去想它。虽然这不是个令人愉快的讨论话题，但这种自然产生的物质可以成为你耳朵健康和整体健康的重要指标。
Earwax, or cerumen, serves as a protector of your ear canal and eardrum. Earwax removes debris from your ear canal as well as prevents germs and foreign particles from getting deep into your ear (via Medical News Today). Plus, your ears are "self-regulating," per Medical News Today, as everyday activities like chewing and speaking cause earwax to move out of the ear.
耳垢，或耳屎，是耳道和耳膜的保护者。耳垢可以清除耳道内的杂物，也可以防止细菌和外来颗粒进入耳朵。此外，据《今日医学新闻》报道，耳朵是可以“自我调节的”，因为日常活动如咀嚼和说话会导致耳垢离开耳朵。
This important stuff can be a variety of colors that change due to infections, injury, or even genetics (via Livestrong). Nevertheless, white, yellow, or orange is considered normal. It's also typically waxy. If your earwax tends to be more of a yellow-to-orange milky texture, you may have an infection. This would likely be coupled with ear discomfort and redness.
这些重要的东西可以是由于感染、受伤甚至基因而改变的各种颜色。然而，正常颜色还是白色、黄色或橙色。质地通常也是蜡状的。如果你的耳垢倾向于黄色到橙色的乳白色质地，你可能已经感染了。伴随而来的是耳朵不适和红肿。
If your earwax is darker than normal, don't panic — it may just be older earwax that has picked up more debris, according to Medical News Today. But if your earwax is a red or black color, it could mean there is bleeding in the ear canal or an older blood clot. Any scrapes or injuries to the ear canal typically remedy themselves, but it is best to see a doctor if you have continual discomfort or wax issues.
据《今日医学新闻》报道，如果你的耳垢比正常情况下的颜色更深，不要惊慌——这可能只是年老的耳垢带走了更多的碎片。但如果你的耳垢是红色或黑色的，这可能意味着耳道有出血或有旧的血凝块。耳道上的任何擦伤或损伤通常可以自行修复，但如果你有持续的不适或耳垢问题，最好去看医生。
It's not just the color of your earwax that can help you gauge your health, however. Experts told Livestrong that if the amount of earwax increases or decreases, it could show a change in your overall health or in your ear canals. You may also have drier earwax due to skin conditions like eczema or psoriasis, or just genetics.
然而，不仅耳垢的颜色可以帮助你评估你的健康状况。专家告诉Livestrong，如果耳垢的数量增加或减少，它可能显示出你的整体健康或耳道的变化。你也可能因为皮肤状况如湿疹或牛皮癣，或仅仅是遗传而有较干燥的耳垢。
All this talk about earwax may have you wanting to do a deep cleaning — but put down the Q-Tips. Using any foreign object to clean your ears like a cotton swab or ear candle can cause more injuries like blockages and discomfort. Safe cleaning can be done by gently washing your outer ears with soap and water and rinse into the ear canal to clear away any wax (via Medical News Today). If you have too much earwax, you can use earwax thinning drops at home, or consult with your medical team about treatment options.
所有这些关于耳垢的讨论可能会让你想要做一次深度清洁——但是把棉签放下。使用任何异物来清洁你的耳朵，比如棉签或耳烛都会造成更多的伤害，如堵塞和不适。安全的清洁方法是，通过用肥皂和水轻轻清洗你的外耳，并冲洗耳道清除耳垢。如果你有太多的耳垢，你可以在家里使用耳垢稀释剂，或者咨询你的医生。
