Earwax Test May Reveal Stress Level and Mental Health

According to a recent research study conducted on the earwax present inside the ear canal of the human head, the quality and the quality of the earwax could provide a review regarding the mental health of the person. A study that contained a sample size of 37 individuals revealed that doing a simple earwax test could show the build-up in the ear canal caused by the oily secretions could provide relevant data regarding the secretions of cortisol, the human stress hormone.

The lead author for the investigative study Dr. Andres Herane-Vives stated that this study could help in better diagnosis of patients with psychiatric medical conditions, including the onset and severity of depression.

Human earwax test

To gain better data without rupturing the eardrum inside the human ear canal, a new design of a cotton swab has been developed to be used during the earwax test. The cortisol hormone is also known as a fight or flight hormone secreted in the human body. This hormone sends direct signals to the central nervous system in response to the incoming stress signals from other parts of the body.

The cortisol hormone has the ability to influence most of the systems of working inside the body, including circulatory, respiratory, digestive, and sleep cycle.

The role of the cortisol hormone is yet to be completely understood by researchers and scientists in mental disorders like depression and anxiety. In order to check the mental health, the earwax test could help reveal the required information in diagnosis.

The lead author Dr. Herren-wives who are currently working as a psychiatrist at the University College London, initiated the research study in order to understand the reason and cause behind the fluctuating increase and decreasing cortisol levels in the human body indicates, which could be possibly revealed by doing a simple ear wax test.

The research is still undergoing but could eventually provide the required results, which would help in the establishment of an objective biological measure for multiple mental conditions.

Aim of earwax test in diagnosing mental issue

In theory, doing an earwax test for individuals that are possibly suffering from mental disorder symptoms could help in checking the levels of cortisol hormone tested, which could confirm the initial diagnosis made by the doctor.

At this current time, diagnosis of mental health is largely subjective, which could help the medical professionals with additional assistance in making the correct and accurate diagnosis.

The earwax test has the potential to help the concerned medical practitioner as to who might benefit from taking anti-depressant medication. The cortisol hormone could be measured by taking a blood sample, but it would only provide data at the time when the blood sample was taken. And since taking a blood test could possibly cause stress in certain individuals, the cortisol hormone level test could possibly give false-positive results.

The aim of the research study was to check the chronic stress level of the patient by conducting an earwax test, which could provide results of stress level experienced by the patient over a long duration.

An easy and pain-free way to check the excessive accumulation of cortisol levels is done with the earwax test. In previous studies to check the blood cortisol level, hair follicles were used, during which at least 3 cm of hair strand was required, and that was not accessible to every individual.

The cortisol level checked by an earwax test is a stable option and does not require expensive equipment to conduct. Like the honey bees who store their collected honey inside honeycombs, the process is similar inside the human body as overtime, hormones, and other substances from inside the body tend to accumulate inside the earwax.

The earwax test is beneficial as compared to hair follicles as more cortisol is found in earwax as compared to the hair strand.

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