By Dr. Becca Rancourt
Waterville Audiology
Many of us have heard the saying, “Don’t put anything smaller than your elbow in your ear,” but the question is, how do we clean our ears then? Did you know that your ears actually clean themselves and typically don’t need any extra care?
Earwax is a natural substance that our body creates to clean and protect the ear canal and eardrum. Another word for earwax is cerumen, which is secreted by glands in the skin that line the outer portion of the ear canal. Our ear canals have tiny hairs, that help the cerumen trap dust and other foreign particles that could potentially damage deeper structures, such as the eardrum.
Now, some people produce more earwax than is needed. If this happens, it could create a blockage in your ear canal, resulting in temporary hearing loss. There are many ways that people clean their ears, but there are a few ways that it can be done to ensure that the ear is not damaged more.
Back to the saying, “Do not put anything smaller than your elbow in your ear.” It’s true, do not! Putting something such as a Q-tip into the ear canal can push wax deeper into the ear, making it much harder to get out. You may find that earwax comes out sometimes with a Q-tip, but there is a greater chance that you are pushing most of the wax further in. Also, if you push anything into your ear too far, you could cause harm to the eardrum and possibly even rupture it.
A safe way to clean your ears is to see a trained professional. Most doctors’ offices will clean ears by using water to flush the earwax out. Another way to have your ears cleaned is to see an ear, nose and throat doctor (ENT) or an audiologist to have them manually extract it using tools such as light and a microscope.
Some individuals should have their ears cleaned regularly to prevent the wax from building up too much. Waterville Audiology offers one-time or routine ear cleanings. A tip to keep in mind is if you are having your hearing tested, your ears should always be clear of excessive amounts of wax to ensure an accurate hearing test. Call today to schedule your appointment at 207-872-0320.
