Cleaning the ears using cotton buds is a routine practice for many individuals. It is commonly believed that cotton bud usage is beneficial, as it maintains ear hygiene, and that visible wax from the ear canal must be removed using cotton buds as it may be deemed as a cosmetic nuisance. However, cotton bud usage may adversely affect ear health in a variety of ways.
The Importance of Ear Wax
Ear wax is vital for protecting, cleansing, and lubricating the ear canal. Self-ear cleaning by means of cotton bud usage is a procedure that has the potential to cause infection, irritation, and injury to the ear, and may result in impaired functioning of the hearing mechanism. The earwax that many seek to extract contains substances which prevent bacterial growth and infection in the ear canal. Self-ear cleaning is unnecessary as the ear itself has a self- cleaning mechanism through which excess earwax migrates out of and exits the ear canal. This cleansing process is aided by jaw movements. Throughout this process, materials such as dust stick to the earwax, and are therefore prevented from entering the ear canal and causing damage. Attempting to remove wax by blindly inserting a cotton bud into the ear disrupts the natural cleaning process, and might cause earaches, bleeding, infection, and tearing of the ear drum.
Dangers associated with the use of Cotton Buds
Cotton bud use has been linked to the development of otitis externa: an infection of the outer part of the ear canal. The use of cotton swabs causes breakage to the skin within the outer ear canal, making it more susceptible to becoming an area for bacterial growth. This results in pain, swelling, and discomfort within the infected area. Hearing may also be negatively impacted by otitis externa.
Disruption of the natural ear cleaning procedure may result in cerumen (earwax) impaction, where earwax accumulates within the ear canal, resulting in itchiness, pain, feelings of fullness within the ear, and hearing loss. The individual with cerumen impaction may feel more inclined to self-clean using cotton buds and may consequently worsen symptoms. Cotton buds that are inserted too deeply into the ear canal may puncture the delicate ear drum, resulting in tympanic membrane (ear drum) perforation. Complications resulting from tympanic membrane perforation include conductive hearing loss, in which sound is blocked from entering the ear, infection, bleeding, and fluid leakage from the ear. In more severe cases, a perilymphatic fistula may result, causing sensorineural hearing loss, which is a more serious type of hearing loss, loss of balance, feelings of fullness and ringing in the ears.
Since self-ear cleaning using cotton buds may lead to a host of complications, cleaning should only occur when there is ear wax impaction, or when there is obstruction of tympanic membrane. It is recommended that in such cases, ear cleaning is performed on the patient by an experienced otorhinolaryngologist.
Written by: Bettina Zammit