Cleaning your ears with a stick can be dangerous to your health – warns the ENT specialist

Many people use cotton sticks to clean their ears. It has become the most effective method. However, not according to ENT specialists. By cleaning our ears in this way, we can hurt ourselves. – The most common consequence of cleaning the ears is inflammation, i.e. an infection that requires treatment – says Dr. Katarzyna Kasperek-Mosoń, ENT specialist from Wrocław Medical Center.

1. Cleaning the ears with a stick is a dangerous method – ENT specialists warn
2. As a result of such cleaning, we can move the earwax deeper, causing the ear to become clogged
3. We can also injure the skin of the external ear canal and the eardrum
4. So how do you safely clean your ear? Explains Dr. Katarzyna Kasperek-Mosoń, ENT specialist
5. More similar information can be found on the Onet homepage

Cleaning the ears with a stick – a very bad method

Despite the fact that a very large number of us do it, cleaning our ears with a stick has a very bad reputation. Why?

– Cleaning the ears with a stick is a very bad method, due to the fact that it can cause many different side effects – warns Dr. Katarzyna Kasperek-Mosoń, ENT specialist from Wrocław Medical Center.

One of them is that when cleaning the earwax, it can happen that we move it deeper, practically to the eardrum, which in turn can lead to ear clogging and, consequently, deterioration of hearing.

– If the earwax is not cleaned, because it is deep enough that the patient is not able to do it on his own, and at the same time it is not possible to visit an ENT specialist who could rinse out the remaining earwax, then it becomes inflamed, i.e. an infection, that requires treatment. This is the most common consequence of cleaning the ears with a stick that ENT specialists meet on a regular basis, explains Dr. Katarzyna Kasperek-Mosoń.

1. How do I clean my ears?

Another consequence is the injury to the skin of the external auditory canal and the eardrum.

– As for the external auditory canal, the wound of the skin of the external auditory canal – just like on the skin – will heal, usually leaving no consequences, but may also require treatment by an ENT specialist. If, however, the stick injures the eardrum, a hole is formed in it and communication between the middle ear and the external environment is established. Then, infection of the middle ear and permanent hearing loss can occur – if treatment is not implemented in a timely manner. The hearing loss will remain, and surgical intervention will most likely be necessary, says the ENT specialist.

However, if appropriate treatment is started quickly, the cavity may close on its own. In some cases, admission to hospital and surgery may be necessary. An emergency intervention by an ENT specialist is necessary here.

Cleaning the ears with a stick – what is the risk?

Another danger of cleaning your ears with sticks is that the cotton wool itself may just stay inside the ears.

– It is a foreign body in the ear, namely the external ear canal. It should also be removed in good time, because if it does not, it can lead to inflammation of both the outer ear and the middle ear. Then, if the treatment is not implemented in a timely manner, it may even result in permanent hearing loss – says Dr. Katarzyna Kasperek-Mosoń.

1. Otitis – symptoms, treatment

As she emphasizes, there are many risks associated with cleaning the ears with a stick, and ENT specialists deal with such patients on a daily basis.

Dr. Kasperek-Mosoń also lists the most common reasons why patients visit ENT specialists on a daily basis.

1. Most often they come with earwax deeper, which is relatively easy to remedy (by rinsing the ear).
2. The eardrum is definitely worse, though fortunately less common. In such cases, the matter is more difficult. It is necessary to supervise the patient, prescribe an antibiotic, and protect them with nasal preparations. Typically, scarring of the eardrum takes up to a month. If this does not happen, however, a myryngoplasty (plastic surgery of the tympanic membrane) must be performed, which is already scheduled.

How to properly clean your ears?

Since the possible consequences of cleaning your ears with a stick are so frequent and unpleasant, how then do you properly clean your ears?

– There are several ways to do this. There are, among others over-the-counter preparations, ear toilet sprays, which are best used once or twice a week, one spray into each ear. Such a preparation naturally cleans the ear canal. However, if it is too much occupied by earwax, then this spray is no longer enough. Special drops with a greasy consistency should be used, which dissolve the wax plug, and then the ear must be rinsed by an ENT specialist – says Dr. Katarzyna Kasperek-Mosoń.

However, if the ear is not clogged, then a spray is used that effectively cleans the ear.

—But it is worth remembering that earwax itself is also a protective, antibacterial and antifungal barrier, if, of course, its amount is not excessive. Repeated cleaning of the ear breaks down this barrier. Meanwhile, the ear has the function of self-cleaning of this earwax, and if all the mechanisms are functioning properly, then the ears are not clogged. However, if the self-cleaning process is disturbed or the composition of the earwax is disturbed, then the formation of a wax plug occurs – the ENT specialist points out.

1. Clogged ear – causes, foreign body in the ear. How to unclog your ear?

The earwax plug is all the secretions from the skin glands of the external auditory canal, sebum, exfoliated epidermis and all impurities that enter the ear. If the ear’s self-cleaning mechanisms fail, it becomes clogged. You can then use sprays that do not interfere with the protective function of earwax, simply cleaning its excess.

– You can use sticks for the toilet of the auricle and the mouth of the external auditory canal, but it is best to use cotton buds made for children, thanks to which we can only clean the mouth of the external auditory canal and the auricle – we cannot insert them deeper. They can also be successfully used by adults. In this way, we can be sure that we will not overwhelm the earwax, we will not cause injuries, trauma and all other unpleasant consequences mentioned earlier – emphasizes Dr. Kasperek-Mosoń.

Many people complain that without the stick they feel that there is water in the ear and that it is not dry enough. How to deal with this impression? There is nothing to worry about this feeling, because the water always evacuates by itself. What to do to make it happen faster?

1. Hygiene causes deafness

– Just lie on the stuffed side to let the water flow out by itself. You can also use the method often used in children, i.e. simply jump for a moment on one leg. However, we should never worry too much about it, because the water will always flow out of the ear by itself – says Dr. Katarzyna Kasperek-Mosoń.

We encourage you to listen to the latest episode of the RESET podcast. This time we devote it to the diet. Do you have to stick to it 100% to stay healthy and feel good? Do you really have to start every day with breakfast? What is it like with sipping meals and eating fruit? Listen: