Should You Clean Your Ears?

You may have heard about ear cleaning and about earwax build-ups in the past. You might have heard that if it’s not cleaned regularly, earwax buildup can cause issues with your hearing and could be dangerous if left untreated. But should you clean your ears and what is the best way to go about it? We’re going to take a look at the issue now.

The nature of earwax

Everyone has earwax. Occasionally finding some on the surface of the ear after a shower isn’t a cause for concern. Earwax lubricates and hydrates the ear, as well as trapping dust, debris and bacteria that could gather and become trapped deeper in. Unless you experience the symptoms of a serious build-up such as an impaction, earwax shouldn’t be a concern. If you find it on the surface of the ear after a shower, it’s only because heat causes it to break down and trickle out. In that case, you can simply wipe it away and move on.

Signs you need a cleaning

Some people produce more earwax than others, however. An accumulation of earwax can block the ear canal, impairing your hearing. The signs that you need a cleaning are usually easy to spot. If your hearing is becoming muffled in one ear or it starts to feel like your ears are clogged, that could be a sign of an impaction. Tinnitus, the experience of unexplained ringing sounds in the ears, could be another sign of earwax build-ups. If you get a particularly bad smell from earwax that has leaked out after a shower or onto your pillow, it may even be the sign of an infection that you should get checked out as soon as possible.

How to clean it

Most attempts to clean your own ears can be dangerous. One of the most common tools used, the cotton swab, can end up only pushing wax deeper into the ear and causing more serious impactions. You can use oil-based eardrops to help soften wax and cause it to leak out naturally over a few days. However, that won’t treat every impaction. An audiologist has experience with a range of tools, using irrigation, precise scooping tools, and micro-suction to clean all kinds of earwax build-ups safely. It is worth seeing an audiologist if you suspect an earwax buildup as opposed to trying to clean it yourself. Ear candles are worth avoiding at all costs, leading to issues like burns to the ear, bleeding and punctured eardrums amongst other issues.

What happens if you don’t clean your ears?

Again, in most cases, nothing bad is going to happen if you don’t clean your ears regularly. For most people, earwax takes care of itself. If you do experience any of the signs above, however, it can lead to an infection. So, making an appointment with your audiologist to get help is well worth doing.

To summarize: most people don’t need to worry about cleaning their ears besides wiping away surface wax after a shower. If you experience signs of build-ups and impactions, then it’s best to see an audiologist rather than trying to fix it yourself.