Some individuals swear by their cotton swabs, while others recommend using ear candles. Perhaps you hold the opinion that cleaning your ears is a waste of time.
Putting something inside your ear is about the only thing on which physicians can agree. Your ears often take care of themselves well and don’t require any further maintenance. To soften or eliminate earwax from the exterior of your ear canals is the only reason you should clean them. And you’ll need to know how to do it wisely if you’re going to accomplish it.
Why Your Ears Make Wax
Cerumen, often known as earwax, is the material that makes us feel tempted to clean our ears. Its production by your body is natural and actually aids in lubricating and protecting your ears. It’s likely that your ears would be scratchy and dry if earwax weren’t there.
The fact that it even has antibacterial qualities makes your ears self-cleaning. A filter for your ears, earwax prevents dangerous substances like dirt and dust from entering by trapping them.
Old earwax is moved from the ear canal to the ear aperture when you eat and move your jaw. It typically dries up and falls out there. However, the outside portion of your ear canal is where earwax is created, not the deep region.
Thus, the only way you would have an earwax obstruction next to your eardrum is if you attempted to clean your ears with a cotton swab or similar object and forced the wax in farther.
Other severe issues that might arise from swabbing or inserting pointed things inside your ears include:
- Infection
- Rupture of the eardrum
- Significant hearing loss
Should You Clean Your Ears?
No, ideally; cleaning your ear canals shouldn’t be necessary. Cerumen impaction, on the other hand, is a condition that develops when too much earwax builds up and begins to create symptoms or prevents your doctor from doing a thorough ear check. This can occur in one or both ears and indicates that your ear canal is entirely filled with earwax.
The following are signs of cerumen impaction:
- Pain or a feeling of fullness in your ear
- Feeling like your ear is plugged
- Partial loss of hearing, which worsens over time
- Ringing in your ear, known as tinnitus
- Itching, discharge, or a smell coming from your ear
- Coughing
Although it is uncommon, earwax accumulation of this sort can occur. Don’t, however, presume that earwax is the cause of any of the symptoms if you are experiencing any of them. Phone your physician. Your ears can be examined to determine the issue.
Your doctor can use a specific tool to view your ear canal and use tiny tools, suction, or irrigation to remove any wax buildup.
How to Clean Your Ears, and How Not To
You can gently wipe the outside of your ears if your issue isn’t severe but you do feel like there is too much earwax accumulation. Use a washcloth only. In order to soften the wax, you may also try placing a few drops of baby oil, hydrogen peroxide, mineral oil, or glycerin in your ear. Alternately, you might buy a wax removal kit.
Avoid using ear candles, cotton swabs, or any other tiny or pointed things to clean your ears. Studies have shown that they are ineffective and even harmful. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has discovered that these hollow candles, which are meant to be placed into the ear canal and ignited at the exposed end, can instead penetrate the inner ear.