Many people regularly clean their ears at home, but did you know this can do more harm than good? Light E.N.T. is here to tell you the basic dos and don’ts of cleaning your ears at home to keep your ears safe and healthy. We’ll go over the standard DIY ear-cleaning techniques and explain what is best for your health. For more information on ear health, or to schedule an appointment with our ear, nose, and throat doctors, contact us today!
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Don’t Use Cotton Swabs
The most common way people clean their ears at home is with cotton swabs. We’re here to tell you that we don’t recommend this. Cotton swabs only push wax further into the ear canal and cause a blockage. This can result in ear pain, hearing loss, and trauma to the ear canal.
Do Allow Your Ears to Self Clean
Your ears are actually self-cleaning! Ear wax is essential in keeping your inner ear protected. If you feel like you do need to clean your ears, you can use a warm washcloth and gently wipe the outer ear. This will help remove excess wax or dirt without disrupting the self-cleaning process.
Don’t Use Ear-Cleaning Candles
Ear candling is an alternative therapy that involves inserting a hollow candle into the ear canal and lighting it. Our ENT doctors don’t recommend this practice, as there is no scientific evidence that it is effective and it can be dangerous.
Do See an ENT Specialist
If you feel like you need your ears cleaned beyond a gentle wipe down of the outer ear, the safest and best option is to consult an ear specialist. Light E.N.T. has years of experience diagnosing and treating various ear, nose, and throat conditions. We’re happy to provide more information on ear cleaning and how we can help with built-up ear wax or various ear problems.
It is important to remember that cleaning your ears at home can have dangerous consequences. If you are experiencing excessive wax buildup, it is best to seek the advice of an ENT specialist to have the wax removed safely. Light E.N.T. is happy to answer all of your ear, nose, and throat-related questions. Contact us today to schedule an appointment!
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