There seems to be two schools of thought in the general population when it comes to earwax. One group buys Q-tips like mad—and in bulk. After all, when you use one every time you step out of the shower, they don’t last long. The other group only adds them to the shopping list every couple of years. On the off chance that you should need one, it’s nice to have a box of Q-tips in the hall closet. So is there a right and a wrong here? Turns out there is…
But first, what is earwax anyway? Does it serve any purpose, or is it just as pointless as these things? According to the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS), the world’s largest organization representing ear, nose, and throat specialists, earwax is a grandiose substance that our ears produce automatically—and we’d suffer without it.
The production of earwax, which has the fancy technical name of cerumen, is our body’s way of keeping our auditory mechanisms clean and functional. The AAO-HNS states that “earwax is not really a ‘wax’ but a water-soluble mixture of secretions, plus hair and dead skin.” Whether that grosses you out or not, it’s the truth, and it’s quite ingenious really. Earwax is another example of how incredibly intuitive our bodies are. Since our ears are open to the world (think dust), and our body rejuvenates itself constantly (think dead skin cells), there’s bound to be some buildup in places like our ears. Right? Earwax helps rid our body of this accumulation. It also lubricates our ears and has antibacterial properties.
What’s the best way to clean your ears? Should you join the Q-tip school of thought or stick with the nonbelievers? As our boys’ pediatrician always told them, “Never stick anything smaller than your elbow in your ear.” Given that Q-tips are indeed smaller than our elbows, the nonbelievers are the winners in this round.
Our ears are self-cleaning units, and earwax is the key player. It moves out of your ears when you chew or move your jaws. Once it reaches the outer limits of your ear, it typically just flakes and falls out on its own—at least when it’s functioning at its peak. Of course, anything can encounter a stumbling block along the way.
While your ears tend to clean themselves, for various reasons sometimes too much earwax can build and clog up the works. Using a Q-tip is one of these reasons. As it turns out, a Q-tip can compact wax in the ear canal rather than clean it as you intended—something to think about for the Q-tip junkies out there. No matter what the cause of an earwax impaction, be careful how you deal with it.
Should the need arise, the AAO-HNS suggests the following safe ways to clean your ears:
- Use a washcloth to clean just the outer ear. Remember, never put anything smaller than your elbow into your ear.
- Soften earwax buildup with a couple drops of mineral oil or hydrogen peroxide.
- When in doubt, see a professional to make sure your hearing stays in tip-top shape. These folks are trained to remove an earwax blockage without causing any inadvertent damage.
There you have it: the lofty purpose of earwax, and why you should seek help if you can’t break your Q-tip addiction on your own. Cross that off of your self-health education “to do” list.
Interested in learning more about how to keep each system of your body at its best? Check out Health Is Simple, Disease Is Complicated: A Systems Approach to Vibrant Health, by James Forleo, DC. From your head to your toes (and everything in-between), Dr. Forleo discusses how your body functions and what it needs to simply stay healthy.
Paula Widish, author of Trophia: Simple Steps to Everyday Self-Health, is a freelance writer and self-healther. She loves nothing more than sharing tidbits of information she discovers with others. (Actually, she loves her family more than that—and probably bacon too.) Paula has a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Public Relations and is a Certified Professional Life Coach through International Coach Academy.
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Another great article, Paula! So, I have really waxy ears. I don’t know if it’s good practice or not, but I bought one of those ear flushing kits, which I use when I have a lot of buildup.
Thank you, Sam! :) My sister has mentioned having the same issue. I’m not familiar with those flushing kits but I know my sis mentioned that about once a year she goes in and has her’s cleaned at her doctor’s office. It might not be a bad idea to mention the kit you use to your doctor the next time you are in to see what he/she thinks of them.
Yeah, I’ve done the same thing at my doc’s office in the past. A recent new doc I went to see told me to get the kit to use at home when I had an ear issue.
Something missing here. Good or bad for water to enter ear when showering?
Hi Karen, Sorry for the delayed response. I know that our general practitioner has told me that simply turning my ears toward the water in the shower is a simple and safe way to help keep them clean. I’ve never specifically asked an Ear Nose Throat practitioner though. If you find out, please come back here and let us know. :) Thank you for taking the time to read this post and comment on it.