For the vast majority, ear wax does not cause any problems and there’s no need to remove it—not only do cotton swabs not remove ear wax, but they can pose a risk of hearing loss.
It can be a common habit—after a shower or getting out of the pool, grabbing a cotton-tipped swab to clean out one’s ears to help get rid of excess water, or to remove what one thinks is earwax build-up.
And while the cotton swab is the most common instrument, surprisingly, people use other everyday items such as combs, hairpins, pens, pencils, straws and toothpicks, to do the job as well.
Not only do cotton swabs—and those other aforementioned instruments—not remove ear wax, but they can pose a risk of hearing loss. Using small items of any kind puts us at an increased risk of puncturing the ear drum, which can cause pain, infection and even long-term hearing loss.
“For a lot of people, the feeling of cleaning the ears can be reassuring or satisfying. Some may never experience any issues for years,” saysJason A. Brant,assistant professor of otorhinolaryngology: head and neck surgery in the Perelman School of Medicine. “There are also many people who feel that they need to clean their ears to be healthy and to stay clean, which is not the case.”
According to the American Academy of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery Foundation, as long as the ears are functioning properly, people should not be trying to remove ear wax, and should leave it alone.
For the vast majority, ear wax does not cause any problems and there isn’t a need to remove it. There are actually benefits to having ear wax including a self-cleaning mechanism and some antimicrobial properties.
“Having ear wax does not mean that the ears are ‘dirty,’ it is a normal part of how the ear canals function,” said Brant. While earwax may seem gross, a certain amount is helpful and can protect and prevent dust or other harmful objects from getting into the ear.
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