The Dangers of Using Q-Tips for Your Eardrum
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The ears are sensitive organs that require adequate care to prevent hearing loss and other related issues. As part of a preventive mechanism to trap dirt or bacteria entering the body, earwax is produced inside the ear. Most people use Q-tips or cotton swabs to clear earwax. Though this is considered a hygiene practice, few people know that it can potentially damage your ear. This article sheds light on this subject in brief.
What Are the Dangers of Using Q-Tips For Your Eardrum?
1. Cerumen Impaction
Although Q-tips are used to remove earwax from the ear, it is very likely that, in reality, it pushes the wax deeper into your ear. Now, the body has a natural self-cleaning process of clearing the earwax. However, when it is pushed deeper down the ear canal, this cleaning is hindered, causing the wax to remain inside for a long time. This is called cerumen impaction or earwax impaction and can lead to pain or troubled hearing.
2. Middle Ear Injury
When you insert the Q-tip deep into your ear, it could, at times, lead to injuries in the middle ear. Ruptures in the eardrum are very common with the use of cotton swabs. These can cause severe ear pain and uncomfortable sensations like a ringing sound in the ears, drainage and light headedness. If not treated, it can also lead to hearing loss.
3. Ear infection
When you insert the Q-tip deep into your ear, it could cause injury to the ear canal wall. This causes the bacteria or fungus to enter the wound and cause infection of the skin of the ear canal causing severe pain and swelling.
In short, using Q-tips can bring more harm than good to your ears. However, suppose you experience any ear-related issue caused by the risks above. In that case, you can always consult the experts at The Tarabichi-Stammberger Ear and Sinus Institute in Dubai for the best results.
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