Ear Wax Removal

The best way to clean your ears is with a damp washcloth - but you can also apply a few drops of olive oil or sodium bicarbonate drops into your ear to soften the wax and allow it to fall out on its own.

 

Cotton swabs are fine to clean your outer ear, but you shouldn’t use them to clean the inside of your ear as they can cause injury and force the wax further down the ear canal.

Cotton swabs are fine to clean the outer ear, but they should never be used to clean the inside of your ear, no matter how tempting it may seem.

 

A cotton swab behaves like a plunger, pushing the ear wax further down the ear canal.

 

Not only does this have to be removed by a professional because of the depth of the ear wax, but it can also lead to complications like a punctured eardrum and hearing loss.

Using an ear candle to remove wax isn’t a very effective method.

 

Studies don’t suggest any proof that the heat from the candle sucks ear wax out of your ear, especially because your internal body temperature is higher than the heat of the candle.

 

Therefore the candle wouldn’t provide enough heat to melt the wax to remove it.

 

Additionally, ear candling isn’t considered safe and some studies suggest that it can lead to injuries such as burning, punctures in your eardrum, leaving a residue of wax in the ear canal, and pushing wax further down the ear which can cause complications.

Caring for your ears, with precautions like regular cleaning and earplug use, is important to ensure they’re always working as they should.

 

You can clean your ears by wiping the outer ear with a damp cloth and placing drops into the ear to loosen the wax - don’t use cotton swabs, as they can push the wax further down your ear and cause damage.

 

If you ever think there’s a problem with your ears, don’t ignore it - make sure you make an appointment with your GP if you need to.