Many people regularly clean their ears with the best
intentions of keeping them clean and healthy. However, ears are not designed for cleaning. In
fact, they have their own hygienic regime in place,
and by sticking objects into the ear, you are only
disrupting this natural process. Or worse, causing
an injury.

The American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head
and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNSF), warns against the
use of cotton-tipped applicators and the habit of
probing into your ears. On their official website,
they connect the over-zealous ear cleaning with
the risk of hearing loss.

Ear wax, medically known as cerumen, is a healthy
feature of your ears and acts as a self-cleaning
agent. It has protective, lubricating and anti-
bacterial characteristics. It migrates from the ear
drum to the ear opening, cleaning the ear canal,
and then drying and falling out. This is a self-
regulating process and in normal circumstances,
there is no need to interfere. If there is an absence
of ear wax, the ears become dry and itchy.
What happens when you use cotton
swabs to clean your ears?

When you use cotton swabs, you are actually
pushing the wax deeper into your ear, and into the
area where it shouldn’t be. It can get stuck and
blocked against the ear drum, which can cause all
sorts of complications.

Fungus, bacteria and viruses from the outer ear
get pushed into the ear and can cause infections,
which are extremely painful. Second, if the wax is
jammed deep inside the ear canal, it can cause
hearing loss. If it gets shoved even further, it can
damage the ear drum and result in a rupture.
Should the ears be cleaned at all?

Ideally, your ears should never be cleaned. By
cleaning the inside of the ear you are only creating
a vicious cycle. Dr. Douglas Backous, M.D., chair
of the AAO-HNSF and director of hearing and skull
base surgery at Swedish Neuroscience Institute in
Seattle, explains that when you constantly rub the
skin of your ears, a lot of histamine gets releases.
This makes the skin irritated and inflamed. And the
more you scratch, the more it itches.

The only time that ear wax should be cleaned is
when you’ve been assessed by a doctor, who has
noticed wax accumulation (cerumen impaction).
The condition presents with symptoms such as
earache, hearing loss, tinnitus, itching, odor and
discharge. The ear should then be cleaned by a
medical professional.

If you do want to continue cleaning your ears, do
not insert anything into the inner ear! Clean only
the external ear (which is also the
recommendation of cotton swabs manufacturers),
using a cloth.
You can also use gentle at-home irrigation if you
really have to or just cannot leave your ears alone.

Dr. Backous recommends a mixture of one part
white vinegar, one part rubbing alcohol and one
part tap water. Makes sure it’s at body
temperature and use a few drops in each ear.
But the bottom line is that you shouldn’t be putting
anything into your ear. Just let the body do its
magic!

And if you or your child suffers from ear infection,
you can also try this healing oil to treat ear
infection.

Resources:
http://www.fhfn.org/reading-this-will-make-you-
never-want-to-clean-your-ears-again-ever/
http://www.entnet.org/content/earwax-and-care
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/21/dont-
clean-ear-qtip_n_5600401.html

Dont clean ur ear and see the oil that will be coming out of ur ear "REDOIL"

Op yu must be a clown
Dont clean ur ear and see the oil that will be coming out of ur ear "REDOIL"

Wow! Thanks for the info.

Redoil:
Op yu must be a clown
Dont clean ur ear and see the oil that will be coming out of ur ear "REDOIL"

You are one huge clown yourself.

While I find it ridiculous too, but it may not be far from the truth.

True

Redoil:
Op yu must be a clown
Dont clean ur ear and see the oil that will be coming out of ur ear "REDOIL"

has this come to calling the Op a clown ?, last I checked op didn't say according to herself. Besides everything up there is true, so stop being a clown and learn.

Redoil:
Op yu must be a clown
Dont clean ur ear and see the oil that will be coming out of ur ear "REDOIL"

The op is kinda right, don't push any cotton inside your ears, clean only the outer ear where the red deposit are

All these endtime researches self, later they'd tell us not to blow out mucus from nose nd mouth but either sniff in or swallow ...
ayanma! gosh!

delightful1:

You are one huge clown yourself.

While I find it ridiculous too, but it may not be far from the truth.

it's not ridiculous at all, that's the way the ear functions.

AdeniyiA:
All these endtime researches self, later they'd tell us not to blow out mucus from nose nd mouth but either sniff in or swallow ...
ayanma! gosh!

Ayanma too. Endtime researches indeed, all these researchers sef.

Nicklaus:
it's not ridiculous at all, that's the way the ear functions.

I guess the body has lots of mysteries yet to be discovered, It's amazing how it works.

Imagine that the Vj too has the way of cleaning itself, na wa o.

delightful1:

I guess the body has lots of mysteries yet to be discovered, It's amazing how it works.

Imagine that the Vj too has the way of cleaning itself, na wa o.

really! L Ls tat I don't know of. Well good for you ladies.

You find it ridiculous and still went ahead to post it are you a card carrying member of APC? Hmm. Methink beautiful gurls are smart and wise i can now prove otherwise no insult intended just my observation.

delightful1:

You are one huge clown yourself.

While I find it ridiculous too, but it may not be far from the truth.

Nicklaus:
really! L Ls tat I don't know of. Well good for you ladies.

, is it? That doesn't stop us from cleaning/washing o, we only need to wash with water and mild soaps. No heavy washing or douching.

Redoil:
You find it ridiculous and still went ahead to post it are you a card carrying member of APC? Hmm. Methink beautiful gurls are smart and wise i can now prove otherwise no insult intended just my observation.

Keep having fun dear.
No insults taken.

delightful1:

, is it? That doesn't stop us from cleaning/washing o, we only need to wash with water and mild soaps. No heavy washing or douching.

sounds prim and proper. Good

delightful1:

Keep having fun dear.
No insults taken.

Maturely said.

Nicklaus:
Maturely said.

You never wanna be the one to spoil someone's fun, Lol.

research says any statement that begins with 'research says' tends to be believed by everyone

missdebs:
research says any statement that begins with 'research says' tends to be believed by everyone

. The research can be 'researched' to clear any doubts na, Lol.

Every single ENT surgeon I know both home and abroad will tell you the same thing, fortunately many people disregard the advise so when they have problems they provide chop money for some lucky doc.

Ask me I am a victim of cleaning ears. The pain I had once was horrible.
The advice from my ENT specialist is that I use olive oil at bedtime or twice a day when I think I have wax in there making me feel uncomfortable..
For years now I have not used cotton bud.. I don't even know where they sell it again.
I can be nice enough to use cotton wool to clean outside.

favoured234:
Ask me I am a victim of cleaning ears. The pain I had once was horrible.
The advice from my ENT specialist is that I use olive oil at bedtime or twice a day when I think I have wax in there making me feel uncomfortable..
For years now I have not used cotton bud.. I don't even know where they sell it again.
I can be nice enough to use cotton wool to clean outside.

Lmao. Sorry you had to learn the hard way.
I rarely clean my ears, it is always discomforting when I do.

CC: dominique, lalasticlala