There are some people
that swear by sticking
a cotton swab (Q-Tip)
into their ears to
remove excess wax
and debris. Anyone in
the medical field can
tell you, they have seen
many catastrophes
resulting from using
cotton swabs. From
punctured eardrums to
super impacted wax,
there are many
negative consequences
associated with "do-it-
yourself" ear cleaning.
There are a number of
items that people use
to clean their ears.
Some of the most
interesting seen in the
doctor’s office:
Cotton swabs (Q-
Tips)
Hair pins
Tweezers
Pens and pencils
Straws
Paper clips
Toys
While this is only a
partial list, it's
important to realize
nothing should be
placed inside the ear to
remove dirt and debris.
This is dangerous and
could cause hearing
loss or a damaged ear
canal.
The ear canal has
specialized cells that
produce cerumen,
commonly known as
ear wax. For some
people, ear wax
accumulates much
faster than others. This
can lead to wax build-
up that causes
decreased ability to
hear and in some
instances, pain. As an
easy way to avoid
seeing a medical
professional, many
folks resort to using
swabs to remove the
excess wax. While this
may seem like an
excellent alternative to
spending countless
minutes waiting in a
doctor’s office waiting
room, using a cotton
swab may do more
harm than good.
The eardrum is easily
reached with a swab.
Because the eardrum is
so delicate, it can be
easily ruptured by
using even the gentlest
of pressure when
using a swab. Ask
anyone who has
experienced a
punctured eardrum - it
isn’t a pleasant
experience. The pain is
quite severe and the
ear may also leak a
clear fluid. While a
punctured eardrum
will heal, it typically
takes awhile and can
even lead to conductive
hearing loss.
So this leaves us with
the question, do we
really need to clean out
our ears? The answer
is a little confusing, as
both a “yes” and a
“no,” are appropriate.
The outer ear that can
be seen does need a
good cleaning every
now and then. This can
be accomplished with
a little soap, water and
a washcloth.
In most cases, the ear
canal does not need to
be cleaned. During hair
washing or showers,
enough water enters
into the ear canal to
loosen the wax that
has accumulated.
Additionally, the skin in
your ear canal naturally
grows in an outward,
spiral pattern. As it
sloughs off, ear wax
goes with it. Most of
the time the wax will
loosen and fall out on
its own while you are
asleep. The need for a
cotton swab isn’t really
necessary.
For those that have
heavy wax build-up, a
trip to the doctor may
be needed. Doctors can
easily remove ear wax
with a little peroxide
mixed with water and
injected into the ear.
The process is virtually
painless and is very
effective in removing
impacted wax. If this
frequently becomes a
problem, patients can
ask their physicians for
directions to do the
procedure at home.
If you are experiencing
wax or dirt build-up in
your ears, contact your
medical care
professional for
instructions on how to
safely clean your ears.
Never stick anything
into your ear canal,
including your own
fingers. This could
further impact the wax
or damage the
eardrum. As a good
rule of thumb, if you
aren’t sure if what you
are doing is safe,
contact a hearing
health professional or
a physician.

Excellent advice....and very true....although I often use cotton buds to clean my ears. Ingrained habit I suppose....but very bad for one's health.

It is or is it nigerians that gave Q-TIPs the purpose of wax removal?. I know It was never meant for it.

I don't think this alert can be accepted by some nigerians...going to the doctor to remove ear wax?..dt can be like every two weeks or monthly

Good advice even though its scary to me. I can't even use my fingers? Me that use anything except the cotton buds. I find cotton buds disgusting. Especially after they are used. I tell myself I am gentle when I use pen covers, safety pin, or any other blunt item that I come across.

I need to learn a new habit. I can't have ear problems o.