Most people use cotton earbuds, commonly known as Q-tips, to clean their ear dirt or wax. The use of these cotton buds to extract out or remove dirt from the ear is considered to be safer in comparison to any other item. However. the wrong approach to use it can also cause major damage to the eardrum. The ear canal’s skin secretes an oil, which gets mixed up with debris and forms wax. Ears produce earwax and it is a natural process. The earwax might look gross, but it is present in the human body for a purpose. This wax acts as a barrier to protect the ear canal from the bone below. It also prevents dirt, bacteria and germs from getting inside ears as well.
As a part of the hygiene process, we have now practised cleaning our ear canals, and to serve the purpose well, we have found cotton earbuds. But not a lot of people know that we need not pull the wax out; rather, with the help of activities such as chewing, wax usually comes out of the ear which can be cleaned gently with the hands.
The use of earbuds sometimes can lead to worse situations like the earwax going in, instead of coming out, causing ear pain, difficulty hearing and wax blockage as well. Let us know the possible damages that can be caused by earbuds.
Affects hearing ability
While removing wax with the help of a cotton earbud, the wax in the canal gets pushed in several times, which can reach the eardrum and can affect the ability to hear, creating blockage.
Rupture in eardrums
Although the cotton on the bud is very soft, there is a risk of tearing the eardrum with repeated and rough use. It can also damage the nerves as the skin on the ears is very delicate.
Fungal Infection
Cotton earbuds can leave cotton fibres inside the ear. These fibres can collect and form fungus, making it prone to fungal infections and severe pain.
How to Clean Ears and What to Avoid?
One can use soft cotton cloths to clean the wax that comes out of the ear naturally without putting anything inside the ear canal.
Dirt from children’s ears comes out automatically, so one should always avoid using earbuds in children’s ears, as they are far more delicate than that of grown-ups.
Ears have their natural way of cleaning. So one should always avoid inserting any object such as earbuds, or match sticks in the ear to clean.
If you want to get your ears cleaned urgently, you can use a wax removal solution only after consulting a doctor to remove dirt. The wax removal solution loosens the earwax and they come out on their own.
