Dos and Don’ts of Ear Cleaning

Ear cleaning is something that is done very frequently by large numbers of people all around the world. When it is done correctly, ear cleaning can be beneficial and help you to do things like remove excessive earwax. However, when it is done incorrectly, ear cleaning can be problematic and can even lead to health issues.

Here are some of the top dos and don’ts of ear cleaning.

Ear cleaning dos

While you don’t have to do much to keep your ears clean, there are some easy tips to follow to ensure your auditory system is in optimal shape, including:

Consult your audiologist on the best way to clean your ear

Ear cleaning is especially important for people who wear hearing aids. This is because long-term use of hearing aids can lead to wax buildups. Audiologists can provide recommendations on the best products to use for ear cleaning. These products can help soften wax and allow it to be moved out of the ear naturally.

Be very gentle

Your ears are sensitive, and if you are not gentle, then you could potentially cause an accidental injury. You do not want to do this. So instead, make sure that you pay attention and use the proper amount of care needed when you are cleaning your ears.

Ear cleaning don’ts

Your inner ear is part of a very delicate system, so it’s crucial to make sure you follow safe cleaning methods. Avoid the following when cleaning your ears:

Use ear candles

There are a number of problems with using ear candles. The first is that their validity and effectiveness is highly disputed. The second is that they can potentially cause hot wax to drip into your ear canal. Finally, they are also a fire hazard. This is especially true considering the fact that ear candles often have to be placed at an angle that is very uncomfortable for the user.

Use cotton swabs for your inner ear

Cotton swabs may be helpful on the external part of your ear. However, if you jam them into your ear canal, then this can just push the wax down further into the ear canal. This can cause it to build up on top of the ear drum, which is not good. This is because such a buildup can create an impaction which is even harder to remove. Also, it can cause slight hearing loss by blocking sound signals from reaching the ear drum.