Myths Do not squeeze earwax Do not use cotton swabs

Clean ears with cotton swabs? Pummeling brings nothing
ENT doctors almost say it: "Please do not use cotton swabs to cleanse the ears." And yet, millions use the rods to remove the earwax. But that is exactly what is wrong and can even have serious consequences. We show the alternatives.
Earwax fulfills important functions
Earwax is a body-own secretion, which serves the body-own self-cleaning of the ears. It ensures that the skin in the ear canal remains supple and the acid mantle is maintained. So also fewer germs can penetrate. Earwax is a yellowish-brown color with a bitter taste and is produced in specialized sebaceous glands of the external auditory meatus.

Do not use cotton swabs to clean ears. Image: fpic - fotolia

Actually, the cleaning is done by itself, by excess earwax is transported by tiny hairs from the ear canal to the outer auricle. But many people try to help with cotton swabs. This is usually not a good idea.

Cotton swabs are not intended for ear cleaning
Although warnings such as "Not suitable for cleaning ears" are appropriate on the packs, many people continue to poke their way forward. This often leads to an appointment with the ear specialist. Karin Kippenhahn, resident ear, nose and throat doctor in Zehlendorf explained to the Berlin "Tagesspiegel": "I keep seeing patients with injuries of the ear canal or the eardrum with cotton swabs. They stick the stick in their ears, and if they get scared, for example, it has happened. "Ear cleaning with cotton swabs is an illusion anyway. As the newspaper writes, the physiognomy of the stick makes it impossible to effectively extract earwax from the ear canal.

Ear plug with consequences
Then why is the stick unpleasantly discolored when it is pulled out of the ear again? "Only the earwax, which sits at the front of the ear canal, sticks to the cotton ball," says Kippenhahn. But in the deeper regions, the rod causes just the opposite: Instead of removing the earwax, it is pushed deeper into the ear and pressed. This can sometimes form a plug in the ear, which can lead to hearing impairment, feelings of pressure, earache, itching, ear noise and dizziness.

Auditory canal cleans itself while eating
As a rule, the ear canal cleans itself by itself - while eating. As the "Tagesspiegel" writes, the earwax slides out during chewing movements to the outside, because the temporomandibular joint has contact with the external auditory canal. Therefore, there is no medical reason, except in special cases, to introduce an item into the ear for cleaning purposes. It is usually sufficient to remove the earwax that is visible in the outer ear every now and then with your finger and a damp washcloth or tissue. Or you can run some warm water into the ear when showering, without shampoo or soap, and then dry the earpieces well.

Sometimes a professional ear cleaning is useful
For some people who have a very narrow ear canal or earwax dries, the natural self-cleaning mechanism may not be adequate. In such cases, a professional ear cleaning at the ENT specialist can sometimes help. Patients should best discuss with their doctor how often such treatment should be given. Some people also use a therapy with ear candles to clean the ear canal. First and foremost, however, this serves for relaxation. (Ad)