What’s with the wet, sticky stuff in the ear canal?

Wet and sticky ear canals can be seen in oily ear, otitis externa, suppurative otitis media and other diseases, which often require otoscopic examination to clarify the condition. 1. Greasy ear: cerumen is a substance secreted by cerumen glands in the skin of the external auditory canal, some of which are brownish-yellow cerumen with the appearance of jujube mud, which can cause moist and sticky feeling, and can seriously block the ear canal and cause tinnitus and stuffiness in the ear. 2. Otitis externa: the skin of the external ear canal is invaded by viruses, bacteria, fungi and other pathogens, resulting in infection, leading to dampness, pus, itching, tinnitus, ear stuffiness, hearing loss, ear canal pain and other symptoms. 3. Suppurative otitis media: it is an infectious disease that occurs when the mucous membrane inside the middle ear drum is invaded by viruses or bacteria, and when the drum is perforated with inflammation, there can be hearing loss, pus in the ear canal, and other symptoms, and the phenomenon of wet and sticky ear canals can also occur. The wet and sticky ear canal may also be the result of water in the ear canal, cerumen impregnation, etc. It is necessary to consult an otorhinolaryngologist to determine the cause of the problem and follow the doctor’s instructions.