Clean Ears

[Northland]

On a daily basis I wash the outer and inner parts as well as possible. Soap and water on the outer parts, and then for the best drying a soft piece of cloth and then the dipping-slowly inserting the cloth into the ear hole and blotting the outer moisture away. Then it's off to the cotton swabs and gently inserting, going very slowly so as not to go too deep and puncture anything (a friend of mine did that once-punctured the eardrum-and bled like a pig on Easter Sunday). Periodically throughout the day and evening I will again insert the cotton swab to tend to any built up gunk. Additionally, I have found inserting the finger and pressing inwards and then releasing the pressure, frees any hidden moisture which may be further down. After the pressing, I use the swab to swab away waxy moisture.

During the night, I often awaken as well, and have some swabs nearby to dry out the ear canal as moisture seems to accrue as my head lays tight against the pillow. My doctor advised me to take Sudafed to counteract that; but, I found the Sudafed made me queazy.

That is the most extraordinary ear cleaning regimen I've ever heard.

Well, a happy ear is a clean ear and a clean ear is a happy ear. Part of this compulsion goes back to childhood when I had numerous ear problems, ranging from simple aches to full infections of the inner ear. The eardrum at one point built to an extreme level of pressure and resulted in a gruesome discharge as well as partial hearing loss. Somewhere in my late teens, I started the current routine of cleaning and I have had no aches or infections since; so, it seems to be working.

We only get one set of ears, so it's best to treat them right. If one cleans their other body parts properly, why omit ear hygiene?

(Then again my cleaning habits could be a mild form of OCD as mentioned here- Grooming Routine ? And no, I do not place the ear cleaning as part of a grooming routine-it's much more a matter of its own importance.)

 

[Viking_UK]

There's having clean ears and there's risking perforated eardrums, dry skin and impacted wax. Doctors will tell you never to insert anything smaller than your elbow into your ear with good reason. It's fine to clean the outer ear, but leave your ear canal alone or go to the doctor to get it cleaned properly.

Don't be tempted to use any organic oils as softeners for wax because bacteria and yeasts love it when you do that and can cause some nasty infections.

 

[Jovial]

Q-tips are actually bad. They only get some of the wax off of the skin of the canal, and they push the earwax farther in. They can also irritate the ear canal if you rub too much with them and possible cause an infection.

Ear picks are better to use because they will scrap the earwax out better and not push it in farther. Does anyone use an ear pick?

I have a friend who's a chronic q-tip abuser...I've warned him against it, but he swears by them...

come to think of it, he never listens to any advice I give him!

I hate stubborn people like that!

 

[yhtang]

Wow ... people are waxing prolific on this topic ....

" 'Ear, 'Ear! " as they say in the East End of London...

 

[B_Think_Kink]

I've never seen an ear pick before, I'm going to look for one now. Wonder if walmart has them.

 

[B_Think_Kink]

And as if it was planned, I get a scab and dry spot in my ear... grrrreat! *laughs*