Ever hear of the saying, "Never put anything smaller than your elbow in your ear!"? Well, it's true. And it also goes for cotton swabs and paper clips.
The picture above demonstrates the anatomy of the outer ear with the pinna (27), which collects and directs sound to the ear canal (29), also know as the external auditory canal, towards the ear drum (31), also known as the tympanic membrane.
Ear wax, also known as cerumen, is made in the outer third of the ear canal. So your doctor can definitely tell whether or not you have been using cotton swabs to clean your ears. If he sees ear wax very near to the ear drum, that means something (like a cotton swab) pushed it there.
"SO, WHAT DO I DO ABOUT THE EAR WAX?"
Actually, the canal is self-cleaning. Based on how the lining of the ear canal grows and what happens mechanically during chewing, the ear wax is designed to go one way: out of the ear. Unless there is a blockage, it is best to leave ear wax alone.
"WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF I KEEP USING COTTON SWABS?"
There are several reasons why you should stop using cotton swabs:
1. If you push the ear wax back into the ear, it becomes more difficult for the ear wax to come out naturally.
2. You could potentially perforate the ear drum, which not only may be very painful, but also may increase your risk of middle ear infections.
3. The abscence of ear wax will lead to dry, itchy ears, making it more likely for you to want to stick something, like a cotton swab, in the ear canal, resulting in a "vicious cycle" of irritation and dryness.
"WHAT CAN I DO AT HOME TO HELP THE EAR WAX ALONG?"
1. If the wax is hard, soften it with five drops of mineral oil or baby oil and allow the oil to soften for one to two hours. There are a number of over-the-counter ear drops that you can use to help soften hard ear wax. Ask your doctor or pharmacist.
2. When soft, flush the ear with water that is at body temperature using a rubber ear syringe or a Water-Pik at its lowest setting until the water that comes out is clear.
3. Never put water in the ear if there is a chance that the ear drum is perforated or if the ear drum has ventilation tubes in place.
4. Once clean, never insert anything in the ear canal to try to hurry along the ear wax process. In general, leave it alone.
"WHEN SHOULD I SEE A DOCTOR?"
You should schedule an appoint with your doctor if one or more of the following occur:
1. Persistent itching or pain in the ear canal
2. Partial hearing loss or ringing or buzzing in the affected ear
3. Drainage of fluid or pus from the ear canal
4. If you think there may be entrance of a foreign body or insect
5. If you think you may have perforated the ear drum
