Virtually all medical professionals will tell you that inserting cotton buds into your ears is not a positive move. It’s not just because of the very small risk of a brain infection, either. There are tons of other valid reasons that you shouldn’t do this. Here are some of them:
When you use cotton buds, you think you’re scooping dirt out – but all you’re really doing is pushing it back inside. Essentially, what you’re doing is forcing the wax deeper in and shoving it up against your eardrums.
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1. COTTON BUDS PUSH THE WAX FURTHER IN
This is pretty bad and can lead to the rupturing of your eardrum. It might even cause an impaction. These issues could all potentially point towards hearing loss.
Cotton buds may usually be quite soft, but that doesn’t mean they can’t harm you by accident. If you’re pushed while cleaning your ears or you happen to apply too much pressure, you can injure your eardrum.
2. YOU MAY HURT YOURSELF
In addition, the sticks of cotton buds are fine and sharp, so you may wind up accidentally scratching yourself, leaving you more prone to infections.
3. YOU COULD DRY OUT YOUR EAR
Earwax isn’t all bad. It’s full of antibacterial qualities that help to keep it safe
4. IT’LL CAUSE THE WAX TO BE HARDER TO GET RID OF
When you force all of your earwax back into your ear while using a cotton bud, you’re causing the wax to stick together. This means it is becoming compact, so it will be even harder to get rid of the wax. This wax can even impede your hearing by blocking up the eardrum.
5. EARWAX HAS LOTS OF USES
Aside from providing antibacterial benefits, earwax does a lot more than just appearing gross, so don’t underestimate its positive qualities! It is an insect repellent so you don’t end up with bugs in your ears. It keeps your canal lubricated against itchiness, and it keeps you free from infection.
Believe it or not, your ears are capable of self-cleaning. Yes, that’s right! Whenever you move your jaw, wax is typically pushed outwards towards the outer ear. Just eating, yawning, and even talking will get this done. You can just practice positive thinking and know that your wax will flush itself out.
6. IT WILL CLEAR ITSELF OUT
So, what do you have to do? Just shower well, and use a clean cloth to cleanse the outer ear area every now and then.
HOW TO CLEAN YOUR EARS THE RIGHT WAY
For the most part, ears are self-cleaning, but that doesn’t mean that you won’t want to give it a good clean every once in a while. But now that you know not to use cotton buds, what else can you do?
There’s a correct way to clean your ears in an easy and straightforward manner, and you don’t need a lot of materials – just things you probably already have at home. While it’s more time-consuming than cotton buds, it’s also safer, healthier, and more effective. Here’s how to clean your ears in the right way. You will need:
Clean water:
Syringe-like object (a medical syringe, a bulb syringe, or a bottle with a small hole)
• Bowl
• Towel (or another bowl)
• Alcohol
• Household-strength hydrogen peroxide (optional)
STEP 1:
Get some clean water at a lukewarm temperature and place it in a bowl. Be sure that it is neither too cold nor too hot; extreme temperatures can cause a reaction from the auditory nerve that leads to temporary dizziness and loss of balance.
STEP 2:
This step is optional, but, if you so desire, you can add a couple of drops of hydrogen peroxide (household-strength) to the water in the bowl.
STEP 3:
Set out another bowl, or a towel, underneath your face to catch discharge from your ear.
STEP 4:
Take a syringe-like object of your choice. Your best options are medical syringes (without any needle of course) or a bulb syringe. Barring that, you can use a bottle with a tiny pinhole prick in the base, or any other similar item. Fill this object with the water that you have ready in your bowl.
STEP 5:
Start with your right ear. Pull your right ear backwards and upwards with your right hand; don’t worry, you should be able to reach it.
STEP 6:
Raise the syringe above your ear and squeeze it so that the water within it enters your ear canal. Try to do so with steady and constant pressure.
STEP 7:
Wait for the wax to exit your ear. Once it does, you have completed your task. It should not take longer than 5 minutes.
STEP 8:
Switch over to your left ear now and do the same process again.
STEP 9:
Take some alcohol and place a few drops into your ear. This will help to dry the ear canal well. If you like, you can also add peroxide to this alcohol before using it.
Do note that if wax still has not come out of your ear after 5 minutes, you should stop for the time being. You should also stop if you begin to get dizzy, or if you start feeling any pain. You can always attempt the irrigation once more when a few hours have passed; by then, the initial water you used will have helped to soften any debris or wax for easier removal.
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