Why Is Cerumen Impaction Red?
Disease description:
Using an ear pick inside the ear canal, I encountered relatively hard earwax but experienced pain during removal. After extraction, the material appeared red. I would like to consult: Why is impacted cerumen (cerumen impaction) sometimes red?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Xu Gang
Preliminary analysis suggests this symptom may be due to red dye or blood in the external auditory canal. Typically, small amounts of debris will naturally shed and be expelled spontaneously—especially during physical activity, as vibrations and jaw movement facilitate their removal. If the impacted cerumen is oriented vertically downward, it may first be softened using vertically downward-directed water or oxygenated (e.g., hydrogen peroxide) solutions before removal at a hospital. However, if large, hard, vertically oriented cerumen impactions are present, an otolaryngologist should remove them using specialized instruments; do not attempt self-removal.
