3 Ear-Cleaning Methods to Avoid

You may assume that cleaning your ears is a brilliant thing to do, but sometimes, the best intentions don’t always achieve the desired results. In some cases, cleaning methods can pose a risk to your ears. If you’re wondering how to keep your ears clean, here are three ear-cleaning methods to avoid.

Cotton swabs

Be honest. Have you ever inserted a cotton swab into your ear canal? If you answered yes to this question, you’re certainly not alone. Many of us do this on a regular basis without any knowledge of the potential risks. We presume that using cotton swabs is a safe and effective means of removing excess wax, but actually, this can be a very dangerous habit. If you have too much wax in your ears, using a cotton swab can push the wax deeper into the canal, increasing the risk of the wax hardening and becoming impacted. Placing any kind of object inside the ear canal can also damage your eardrums and the tiny, delicate bone structures within the ear canal.

Ear candling

Ear candling has become a popular trend in recent years. Those who offer this service claim to be able to use candles to safely draw out excessive wax and clean the ears. In reality, there’s very little evidence to suggest that ear candling works, and more importantly, this is a technique that can also damage the eardrums and even burn the ear canal. Ear candles can also affect hearing ability, and may contribute to hearing loss. If you have excess wax inside the ears, we strongly recommend contacting an audiologist and asking for advice, rather than turning to fad trends, which aren’t proven to work.

Over-the-counter kits

If you search for information about ear cleaning online, you may see adverts and links for over-the-counter (OTC) cleaning kits. These kits may look great, but there’s always a risk when it comes to DIY wax removal. If you’re thinking of buying products at a drugstore, contact your audiologist for professional advice first. They can recommend treatments that are proven to work.

How to clean your ears safely

Your body produces earwax to protect your ears, and often, it’s not necessary to clean the ears on a regular basis. Sometimes, however, too much earwax is created, and this can cause a buildup. If you’re worried about wax, the best thing to do is to arrange to see your audiologist. Your audiologist can examine your ears and suggest safe ways of removing excess wax if there is a collection that is causing trouble. They can also give you cleaning tips you can use at home to prevent further problems.

You may assume that you’re doing your ears a power of good by using cleaning techniques to get rid of excess wax, but this will depend heavily on which methods you choose. Using cotton swabs, ear candles and OTC cleaning kits can actually damage your ears. If you’d like advice about safe cleaning or you’re unsure which products or methods are effective, contact your audiologist.