How to Clean Your Ears Properly The Importance of Ear Health

Do your ears itch or feel a bit stuffy? 

This can be an indicator that your ears need a little extra attention. Generally speaking, your ears pretty much take care of themselves, using earwax, also known as cerumen, to remove dirt and debris.  

Earwax helps lubricate the ear canal and has antimicrobial properties that help prevent bacteria and fungus growth. Too much earwax blocks the ear canal and causes stuffiness, while too little may cause dryness and irritation. 

Cleaning your ears properly helps you avoid both extremes by keeping the amount of earwax in your ear canals in balance so they stay healthy and function properly. Sometimes this can be accomplished at home using the right technique, but in some cases, you might need professional assistance. 

As a part of our ongoing support for the patients and the communities we serve, All About Hearing has put together a few tips on how to clean your ears properly. 

Tip 1: Don’t Use Q-Tips 

They look like they were perfectly made to fit inside your outer ear, but Q-tips or cotton swabs are among the worst items for cleaning your ears. Here are three reasons you shouldn’t use them: 

• You could damage your eardrum; studies have directly linked eardrum perforation to the use of cotton swabs. 
• You will probably impact the earwax into a tight ball, plugging up your ear. 
• You might cause dryness and irritation. 

While we’re on the subject of putting things in your ears, let’s just say that most objects that look like they should fit into your ear definitely shouldn’t go anywhere near them (we dread to think what those could be). 

Tip 2: Safe At-Home Cleaning 

You can deal with small amounts of wax by using over-the-counter ear drops to loosen and soften the earwax so it will work its way out of your ear canal.   

Here are the basic steps: 

There is a drawback to using this method. If the earwax is impacted, the ear drops are apt to make things worse. In most cases, your best option for earwax removal is to allow a professional to take care of it for you. 

Tip 3: Professional Earwax Removal 

There are cases when at-home earwax removal solutions simply don’t work. These cases typically involve experiencing the following symptoms: 

• Dizziness or balance issues
• Headaches 
• Ear pain or discomfort 
• Sudden hearing loss 
• Ear infections or recurring wax buildup 

These symptoms are common indicators of impacted earwax or other ear health issues that require professional assistance. In addition to providing the relief you need, our professionals will also be able to recommend additional treatment options if necessary. 

Professional Earwax Removal at All About Hearing 

Our trained experts have the equipment and expertise to provide safe and effective earwax removal.