So we all have the good intentions to probe our ears and keep them clean by often resorting to using such things as cotton swabs like Q-tip, cotton-tipped applicators, bobby pins, or twisted napkin corners as our cleaning agent.
But hey, stop! Yes, just stop doing that as you are only just actually pushing earwax further into your ear canal, and up against the eardrum and may be risking the ability to hear. It could also damage your external ear canal or even rupture the fragile eardrum. Not inserting cotton-tipped swabs or other objects in the ear canal is strongly advised.
Few months ago, my son pushed a crystal bead into his ear, got my Roundnose beading machine and attempted to get the bead out thereby pushing it further in. This beading practical from this young talent ended up in our visiting an otolaryngologist (ear, nose, and throat specialist) to remove the crystal bead by a minor operation.
It was a traumatic experience for me, no doubt, but the lectures and cleaning tips I received about the delicate and intricate body part called the ear are worth sharing.
FACTS ABOUT EARWAX
Cerumen or earwax is healthy in normal amounts and serves as a self-cleaning agent with protective, lubricating, and antibacterial properties. The absence of earwax may result in dry, itchy ears.
Earwax is supposed to trap dust, skin cells and dirt particles to keep them from reaching the eardrum.
Earwax are produced by the special glands in the skin of the outer one-third of the ear canal, not in the deep of the ear canal near the eardrum.
WHY COTTON SWABS ARE A NO-NO FOR EAR-CLEANING
Cleaning the ear with cotton swabs could cause wax blockage which is one of the most common causes of hearing loss.
Even if you have water stuck in your ear, don't use a cotton swab to dry it out as this could push the wax deeper into the ear canal, causing a blockage.
WHEN THE EARS SHOULD BE CLEANED.
Under ideal circumstances, the ear canals should never have to be cleaned because, naturally, the ear canals are self-cleansing. That is, by a slow and orderly migration of old, accumulated earwax that comes tumbling down, carrying dirt, dust and skin cells with it from the eardrum/ ear canal to the ear opening, where it usually dries, flakes, and falls out, assisted by chewing and jaw motion. Or it may slowly migrate to the outside where it can be wiped off.
However, that isn’t always the case. The ears should therefore be cleaned when enough earwax accumulates to cause symptoms or when there is need for an assessment of the ear by your doctor.
RECOMMENDED METHODS OF EAR CLEANING.
Ears should be cleaned after one has taken a shower. It's much easier because the cerumen will be softer.
Wash the external ear with a cloth to clean the ear, but do not insert anything into the ear canal.
Even if you have water stuck in your ear simply encourage it to evaporate by blowing on it with a hair dryer set.
Most cases of ear wax blockage respond to home treatments used to soften wax. Patients can try placing a few drops of mineral oil, baby oil, glycerin, or commercial drops in the ear.
Detergent drops such as hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide may also aid in the removal of wax.
Irrigation or ear syringing is commonly used for cleaning and can be performed by a physician or at home using a commercially available irrigation kit.
Common solutions used for syringing include water and saline, which should be warmed to body temperature to prevent dizziness.
Ear syringing is most effective when water, saline, or wax dissolving drops are put in the ear canal 15 to 30 minutes before treatment.
Caution is advised to avoid having your ears irrigated if you have diabetes, a perforated eardrum, tube in the eardrum, or a weakened immune system.
Manual removal of earwax is also effective. This is most often performed by an otolaryngologist using suction, special miniature instruments, and a microscope to magnify the ear canal.
Manual removal is preferred if your ear canal is narrow, the eardrum has a perforation or tube, other methods have failed, or if you have diabetes or a weakened immune system.
Wow, I have been using cotton swabs all my life? Thanks for this post.
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