A common discussion point with my patients is the issue of ear wax and ear wax removal. There seems to be a great deal of uncertainty as to what, if anything, needs to be done to keep ones ears clean.
The use of a wax removal implement, such as a ‘Q-tip’, is one of the major points of discussion that comes up. I can almost always tell when my patients’ have used ‘Q-Tips’ to clean their ears. Typically, I see wax pushed down in the canal and impacted, often appearing hard and dry. Ear wax, in dry form, is hard and can adhere to the canal wall. Certainly one may find some wax on the end of the tip but the majority is pushed further down and or caked against the side of the ear canal. I liken the use of a ‘Q-Tip’ to a rod used to load a musket; this doesn’t remove gunpowder but pushes it down and packs it into a solid wall barrier. Just like the musket rod the ‘Q-Tip’ pushes the ear wax down the canal and packs it into a solid barrier which can become an impediment to hearing - often causing discomfort as well as hearing loss.
The question that then arises is how do we keep our ears clean and prevent wax impaction? The truth is – for the most part – ears are self cleaning. A healthy ear canal is lined with tiny hair and hair cells that move debris out of the ear canal rather spontaneously. The use of a wax removal implement such as a ‘Q-Tip’ actually compromises the ears ability to remove ear wax.
For those that have difficulty with wax buildup it can often be due to the ear canal being too dry. A drop or two of mineral oil, applied once a week before bed, can help keep the wax soften, allowing the ear to self clean.
So, when it comes to keeping your ears clean perhaps the less you do the better.
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