Like countless people everywhere, I love to use Q-Tips (cotton swabs) in my ears.  When I hop out the shower and I feel a little water in my ears or when they just randomly feel a little itchy, I’m quickly running to the bathroom cupboard where I keep my Q-Tips front and center.  But today is the day of salvation!  It’s time to get the monkey off my back and I hear that the first step is to acknowledge my problem.  My name is Shari Grant and I’m addicted to Q-Tips.  Sigh.

I tend to be dramatic sometimes (perhaps you couldn’t tell), but really, we’ve got to kick the Q-Tip habit people. They really are not intended for our ears.  Can’t believe it, huh?  Well read the Q-Tip box that you probably have in your bathroom cupboard too.  Q-Tips aren’t intended for our ears and there are  quite a few reasons for that.  I had heard it said before, but didn’t pay much attention until I found myself in an urgent care one Saturday morning with excruciating pain in one of my ears. Here are three things you need to know about cleaning the ears.

1.       Ear Wax is Good for You

Believe it or not, this is true.  Cerumen, the medical term for ear wax, is secreted by our ears for their own protection.  Wax in the ear is helpful in staving off infection and keeping the ear free of dust and debris.  It also helps to keep the ears from becoming water-logged. So, essentially,  if you do get water in your ear, using a Q-Tip to remove the water, and wax, will probably make things worse and create an annoying and damaging cycle.

2.       Nothing Smaller Than Your Elbow

Okay, I’m not sure who said that first but it’s a great rule of thumb.  Don’t insert anything into your ear canal that is smaller than your elbow.  This goes for adults and little ones alike.  But, I’ve seen and heard of people using hair pins, paper clips, tweezers, toothpicks, and even pens to get rid their ears of wax.   This is definitely a no-no, just ask your doctor, especially since the ear is a self-cleaning organ.  Because Q-Tips are just about the same size as the ear canal, instead of pulling ear wax out, it can make things worse by pushing it farther in.  This impaction of ear wax or the Q-Tip itself can affect hearing and/or perforate the ear drum which, needless to say, is a painfully unpleasant experience.  Dr. Lorraine M. Smith, Director of Pediatric Otolaryngology at the Osborne Head and Neck Institute, claims that in her decade of experience as an Ear, Nose & Throat surgeon, she has seen far more problems associated with Q-Tip use than benefits. 

3.       Can You Clean Your Ears or Not?

You can clean the OUTER ear – no impeding disaster there.  It’s the inner ear that can cause a problem.  Dr. Jennifer Smullen, a Massachusetts Eye and Ear Neurotologist and Otologist, suggests wrapping a finger with tissue and using that to clean your ears instead.  Wherever your finger can get to, it’s pretty safe for it to go.  Dr. Smith also suggests the over-the-counter ear wax removal kits (you can find them for less than $20 at the drugstore). 

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, run it by your healthcare provider, and see what they s/he has to say. They are familiar with you and your medical history, and can provide great advice as to how to take the best possible care of your body.