Cleaning your ears may seem like a simple part of your hygiene routine, but it’s often unnecessary. In some cases, improper cleaning can cause more harm than good. Your ears are naturally designed to take care of themselves, and while professional cleaning might be needed occasionally, you’d be surprised at how effectively they maintain themselves.

The Purpose of Earwax

Have you ever wondered why your body produces earwax? It might not seem like much, but earwax plays an important role in keeping your ears healthy. It provides moisture and lubrication to protect the inner ear while also repelling water that could lead to infections or bacterial buildup. Even better, earwax naturally helps clean your ears.

As you talk or chew, earwax slowly moves through your ear canal. Along the way, it picks up dirt, dead skin cells and bacteria that could cause problems. Eventually, it carries these particles out of your ear, helping to keep your ears clean and healthy.

Impacted Earwax

Impacted earwax can be uncomfortable. It might cause mild discomfort, ringing in your ears, dizziness and temporary hearing loss. Some people produce too much earwax, so they are more prone to blocked ears. Earwax can also dry out too quickly, so it’s less mobile and gets clogged. Finally, inserting things in your ears can cause a blockage.

If you’re dealing with impacted earwax, it’s important to visit an audiologist for professional care. Audiologists have the tools and expertise to safely remove earwax without risking damage to your ear canal or eardrum. Trying to handle it yourself could make the problem worse, so it’s best to trust a professional to ensure your ears stay healthy.

Dangers of Ear Cleaning at Home

It can be tempting to clean your ears yourself, but it’s important to approach this with care. Cotton swabs, for example, are great for wiping away earwax from the outer ear, but they’re not meant to go inside the ear canal. Inserting any object, like a cotton swab, can harm the sensitive ear canal, disrupt the tiny hair cells that assist with hearing or even scratch the skin, which may lead to infection. Foreign bodies can even interfere with how wax leaves your ears, causing it to get blocked and build up.

Professional Ear Cleaning

If you need professional ear cleaning, it’s best to make an appointment with an audiologist. An audiologist is trained to remove excess earwax and clear any blockages. They can also test your hearing to make sure your hearing is completely restored. From then, your audiologist will give you advice to protect your ears and hopefully prevent any further issues from occurring. If you have too much wax, you may need multiple appointments.

If you want to learn more about how to clean your ears, or noticed you are producing too much earwax, schedule an appointment with an audiologist. They can professionally clean your ears, and check your hearing as well if you have been experiencing hearing loss.