Cerumen

Cerumen (also known as ear wax) is the "yellow or brown waxy secretions produced by vestigial apocrine sweat glands in the external ear canal."

Cerumen impaction

Impactions are more common with hearing aids. Impactions can be treat with either:

• cerumenolytic agents. These may be water-based (such as saline, acetic acid or hydrogen peroxide), oil-based (not true cerumenolytics), or other. No type is clearly superior.
• irrigation
• manual removal other than irrigation

"Ear candling" or "ear coning" is an approach advocated by some proponents of alternative medicine. It consists of inserting a special hollow candle into the ear canal while the patient is lying on his or her side and then lighting the candle. Proponents of this claim that it will both unblock cerumen buildups and also reduce pressure on the sinuses, cure earaches, tinnitus and generally improve mental and physical health and well-being. After use, the candle is typically split open by the proponent of the technique to show the removed wax. Skeptical investigators claim that the wax is not being removed from the ear but is rather a side effect of burning the candle. The use of ear candling is not recommended by doctors and the devices are not approved for any medical use by the United States Food and Drug Administration.