Removing the shielding wax from the ear also leaves the skin exposed to a variety of infections. The skin within the canal is delicate, which is one big reason why it’s a bad idea to run a rough cotton swab against it—the friction can cause small tears and leave the skin vulnerable to dust particles and bacteria. Plus, the lack of acidic wax means the pH levels in the canal are off-balance, and since bacteria prefer environments with low acidity levels, they thrive in wax-free ears. Bacteria also enjoy high-moisture areas, which is why swimmer’s ear, a painful infection in the outer ear, happens more frequently, too. The wax isn’t there to keep water, and all of its bacteria, moving out of the canal.
Ear infections are painful and annoying, but not nearly as much as rupturing an eardrum, which happens when people get too cotton swab-happy. A ruptured ear drum won’t necessarily kill you, but if left untreated, it can lead to deadly bacterial infections. In 2008, a man in Montreal died from an infection stemming from the eardrum he ruptured with a cotton swab a few days earlier. Earwax doesn’t occur near the eardrum, so there’s no reason to stick anything that far back. But since some people don’t know the facts, they try to get as deep into the canals as possible. Death from cotton swabs is extremely rare, but they do remind us about the fragility of our ears and how dangerous it is to put foreign objects in them.
Just a Dab Will Do
So if cotton swabs are out, what can we do to promote good ear hygiene? The best course of action is taking a washcloth soaked in warm water (this is important—cold or hot water entering the ear can make people feel dizzy) and gently wiping the outside of the ear. Since this is where dead skin, dirt, and extra wax end up, it’s an easy and safe way to clean house. Don’t stick anything inside your ear—not cotton swabs, not fingers, and especially not bobby pins, pencils, or whatever else is handy.
Knowing what I do about the dangers of cotton swabs, it was still difficult to avoid using them last night. Their connection with cleanliness will be hard to break. But it helps to remember that our ears can do a perfectly good job of cleaning themselves on their own. If you do feel that there’s wax buildup in your ears—common symptoms are earaches, hearing loss, itchiness, unusual smells or discharges, and a feeling of being plugged up—make a doctor’s appointment. They use special instruments to clear blockages without endangering the ear, so put down the cotton swabs and let someone else do the dirty work for you.
