Do You Need to Clean Your Ears?

Your ears are an important part of your body. They assist in one of the most important senses that humans have; hearing. As with every other part of our body, it can eventually get dirty and we’ll need to do our part in cleaning our ears. Whether it’s dirt, grime or sweat, our ears can get rather nasty if they’re not taken care of properly.

However, most people simply stick a q-tip into their ear and move it around, hoping to clean their ears. This doesn’t work, and it’s absolutely not recommended by any ear cleaning specialist or audiologist. This is because using a q-tip can actually cause more damage than it does good since you’re essentially pushing the earwax back into your ear instead of cleaning it from your ears.

Most people don’t need to clean their ears

The truth is, most people don’t actually need to clean their ears. Our bodies are naturally adept at ejecting the earwax to the outer ear so that it falls out automatically. If your ear does get dirty, then the best way to clean it is to actually just get a damp cloth and wipe around the outer gear without trying to force yourself deeper into the ear.

As long as you’re more cautious about how to clean your ears, then it’s safe to say that giving them a wipe now and then when you’re in the shower or when you wake up is acceptable. However, there are also legitimate reasons to clean your ears, and we’ll be listing them below to help you decide if you need to clean your ears or not.

Earwax impaction

When pushed back into the ear too often, earwax can start to accumulate, making it harder for your ear to automatically eject it. This can cause temporary hearing loss or even mild pain and discomfort. Earwax impactions can even cause headaches, so it’s best to visit your audiologist to examine your ears and take care of the blockage. They’ll often do this by giving your ears a good clean and recommend any further treatments to help reduce the problem.

Hearing Aids

If you’ve been recommended hearing aids, then you might want to consider cleaning your ears more often. This is also true for people that often wear earphones and use them on a regular basis. You’re more prone to sweat clogging up your ears and it could create blockages that lead to impactions since the earwax cannot naturally fall out of your ears. Earwax can also get trapped in your hearing aids as well, meaning you’re more likely to need to clean them and your ears together.

If you’re a regular user of hearing aids or feel like your ear has become problematic due to earwax buildup, then it’s a great idea to seek professional assistance from your audiologist. They’ll help you professionally clean your ears and help you with any ear-related issues that you may be encountering as a result of earwax buildup.