He European Parliament agreed at the end of 2018 ban the manufacture and marketing of cotton swabs from 2021. The reason is that it is a disposable device with a significant plastic content. Besides, puts hearing health at risksince its use to clean the ears can cause infections and even eardrum perforation. For this reason, we explain in this post how to clean your ears without using cotton swabs.
Specialists always insist on remembering that the presence of wax in the ear is necessary. In fact, earwax, which is produced by the secretion of the sebaceous and sweat glands in the ear, acts as a defense mechanism for the ear. Besideslubricates the ear canal and transports dust, dirt and dead cells out of the ear. That said, sometimes excess wax can be produced, causing plugging of the ear. In these cases a cleaning process is required.
He simplest and easiest method to clean our ears is the water. The doctor Juan Royocommunity specialist Living the Soundpoints out that daily hygiene with water, washing our ears with the help of our own finger when showering or washing our face, is almost always enough to keep the ear canal free of excess wax. “What we should avoid is inserting any type of object into the ear, whether it be cotton swabs or any other element”.
Royo For example, it is not recommended to use cones or candles. to remove accumulated earwax, as it involves having fire very close to the ear and head. “Even more dangerous -points out this specialist- may result from the use of other devices that are also offered on the Internet. I mean the calls curettes either earpicks, made of stainless steel, which are used by inserting them “blindly” into the ear canal to extract the earwax. The introduction of these instruments can cause injuries to the skin of the ear canal or even the eardrum perforation“.
How to prevent ear wax?
- Never put anything in your ears. The lining of the ear is delicate and can be easily damaged.
- Do not use Cotton swabs to clean the ears. They can irritate the ear canal and push wax inward, making it difficult to remove.
- To maintain the clean ears, wash the visible part of the ear and behind the ear with a little soap. Then, wipe off the soap with rinsed fingers and dry with a thin towel.
- Do not immerse your ears in water from the bathroom, as bacteria from the body can enter the ear canal and cause an infection.
- Use ear plugs to protect your ears from dust and loud noise.
- Don’t ignore ear problems; They will not improve without proper treatment. The longer you leave an ear problem, the longer it will take to treat it.
If you think your hearing may be affected by noise at work, the best place to start is to tell your manager (who has a legal duty under EU regulation) to assess and control the risks. As a general guide, you should not have to work without ear protection, with noise levels at work that are louder than on a busy street.
How to clean your ears? Other measures to remove a wax plug.
If the aforementioned measure of washing your ears with water does not work to dilute excess ear wax, it is most advisable to turn to a specialist to avoid complications. It may be that the application of a few drops is sufficient for its dissolution. Other times, however, it is necessary to carry out a simple procedure using a otological syringe with warm water. This process consists of introducing the cannula through the pinna and injecting the water with energy to remove the wax plug. In any case, if you have the slightest doubt, your ENT doctor will be able to recommend the best solution.
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