People Are Cleaning Their Ears Almost Every Day That They Need to Stop It

The best way to clean our ears is, on the contrary, not to clean it. Using cotton swabs can actually do more damage as it may cause impacted earwax.

Cleaning one’s ears have been a part of many people’s hygienic practices since many of us believe the accumulation of earwax is dirty. Seth Schwartz, an otolaryngologist who chaired the latest research, acknowledges people associate earwax with “uncleanliness.”

However, the earwax, or cerumen, is actually the ones keeping our ears clean and safe from unwelcome visitors.

Danger of Cotton Swab

Source: Giphy

An updated guideline released by the American Academy of Otolaryngology revealed more information about the treatment for cerumen impaction. The condition is identified by the blockage of our outer ear canal with earwax which is a painful build-up.

Around 12 million adults in the U.S. alone are affected with earwax impaction, as reported in the journal Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. Despite the belief that earwax as unclean, it really is a protection of our ears from possible bacterial and fungal infections.

There is no need to worry as these sticky traps flush them out along with the movement of our jaws.

Impacted Earwax Prevention

The main takeaway from the recent report is to let our ears do their thing unless there is really a need to clean them. For instance, those with hearing aids accumulate more earwax; thus cleaning the ears, only when done in the right way, is necessary.

It is worth remembering not to over-clean our ears as it may cause irritation on the ear canal, infection or clogging – especially when we clean too deep in our ears.

Moreover, ear candles should not be used. Not only are they not proven to work, they are dangerous too.At some cases, surgeries are needed to be done to remove the buildup caused by the wax.

At some cases, surgeries are needed to be done to remove the buildup caused by the wax. Also, to steer clear from impacted earwax, anything smaller than our elbow should never go in our ears.Hair pins, keys, toothpicks and cotton swabs should not be used as they may injure our ear and cause dizziness, ringing and worse, hearing loss.

Hair pins, keys, toothpicks and cotton swabs should not be used as they may injure our ear and cause dizziness, ringing and worse, hearing loss.

Photo source: Pixabay