The Q Word
In the hearing field, there is one word all practitioners and staff dread hearing. It’s not some big fancy medical term to describe someone’s hearing loss or anything to do with paperwork… it’s a common household item. By now you may have guessed it; yep the dreaded Q word is Q-tips!
Q-tips tend to be the most common thing (including other unmentionables, in case we give you ideas!) people put in their ears to clean out the wax or just get that itch that’s too far for your finger. It seems pretty normal, right?
But to hearing professionals, this makes us cringe a little bit.
Did your grandma or mom ever tell you “never stick anything smaller than your elbow in your ear.” There is some truth to this.
The ear is a very delicate organ in the body and wax is an important part of that system.
Sure too much wax can be a little gross but stay with me on this one.
Wax is created by special cells in the outer ear. The wax keeps the ear canal healthy, the skin soft, and protects the middle ear from dirt and debris. Some people produce more wax than others.
Don’t we need to clean our ears?
Yes and No.
The very outer part of the ear, called the pinna, can be cleaned regularly with a washcloth or while you shower, but the ear canal is mostly self-cleaning. Enough water gets in there while in the shower to help loosen the wax and the ear naturally pushes the way out with its skin cycle.
This is why Q-tips aren’t necessary to clean your ears, and fun fact, Q-tips were never intended to be used in your ears! Look at the box with uses…
I know, I know, but it feels so good! Here is a little video that explains what happens when you try to remove the wax with Q-tips.
Here’s the thing, Q-tips can dry out your ear canals, making them more itchy! But more importantly, they can reach far enough in your ear to touch your eardrum. The eardrum is a very thin membrane… meaning if you push too far you can damage or even puncture it. That HURTS!
So as tempting as it may be, it really is best to keep small objects out of your ears… ‘nothing smaller than your elbow’
Tips to control your ear wax (without Q-tips)
If you find that you have an excess amount of wax building up, there are a few things you can do to get rid of the wax and keep your ears healthy at the same time.
- Use oil drops – a few drops of any natural oil (mineral, oil, coconut, etc.) regularly helps keep the wax soft and allows the body to push it out on its own. Oil drops are also great if you have itchy ears too.
- Wax drops – these drops also have natural oils with the addition of a diluted peroxide which ‘eats’ the wax. These can be purchased at most local drug stores or hearing clinics.
- See your doctor or hearing health professional for a professional wax removal – if the wax continues to build up, see your practitioner. They have special techniques and tools to take the earwax out.
If you feel that you have wax building up, call us today about our professional wax removal service.
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