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Purpose of Earwax
The purpose of earwax is to keep your ear canal clean. While excess, hard, or obstructive earwax can be problematic, most earwax (cerumen) is much more beneficial. It is a normal, protective coating for the sensitive skin of the ear canal. A canal coated with ear wax will repel water and help prevent external ear infections. Not only does earwax help to keep dust and dirt away from the eardrum, but it also provides some antibacterial and lubricating perks.
For most people, the ears are self-cleaning. Once earwax dries, every motion of your jaw, whether chewing or talking, helps move the old wax out of your ear’s opening. When you dig it out with your cotton swab, you leave your ear very vulnerable.
The more you rub the skin of your ears, the more histamine you release, which in turn makes the skin irritated and inflamed, just like how that mosquito bite gets itchier the more you scratch it. Plus, because of the lubricating nature of earwax, removing it can simply make your ears drier, motivating you to keep sticking swabs in there in a mistaken attempt at relief.
Dangers of Using Cotton Swabs
Cotton swabs (commonly called “Q-tips”) are frequently the go-to choice used to clean the wax out of the ear canals of people, which initially seems like a good idea unless you understand the anatomy and physiology well.
Only the outer one-third to one-half of the ear canal makes cerumen (wax) which functions to moisturize the skin and help prevent foreign bodies from entering deeper into the ear canal. The body also has hairs and the natural growth of canal skin is from the inside out, so it is normal for cerumen to (very slowly) “flow” out of the ear.
When people use cotton swabs they frequently clean out some of the wax, but also push some of it back deeper into the medial canal which cannot remove it well. It can get pushed up against the tympanic membrane (eardrum) andcause impactionsthat can impair hearing, can lead toinfectionand can be painful/difficult to remove.
Think of a cotton swab like the plungers used to load cannons. They can pack softer wax deeply in the ear canal against the eardrum.
If you use a cotton swab and create a formidable plug, preventing the eardrum from moving normally, it is quite easy to cause some significant hearing loss. Water can also be trapped behind these self-created wax dams and you may hear the water moving around in the ear.
The eardrum is very delicate, so you canpuncture itwith a cotton swab. As if a punctured eardrum isn’t enough of a deterrent, if you touch the eardrum you may press on the little bones of hearing underneath—the hammer, the anvil, and the stirrup (incus, malleus, and stapes). They’re the tiniest bones in the body and they’re right under the eardrum, attached to it. And if you press on those, it sends vibrational waves into the inner ear (remember, the inner ear is responsible for hearing and balance). So, if you tap on the eardrum, you’re sending shock waves into the inner ear and can cause problems with your hearing and balance. Q-tips can even cause dislocation of one or more of theses three tiny bones.
How to Remove Excess Earwax at Home
If your eardrumdoesn’t contain a tube or has a hole in it, these home remedies are a much better option than cotton swabs:
You may need to repeat this wax-softening and irrigation procedure several times before the excess earwax falls out. However, the softening agents may only loosen the outer layer of the wax and cause it to lodge deeper in the ear canal or against the eardrum.
If your symptoms don’t improve after a few treatments, see your healthcare provider.
Earwax removal kits available in stores also can be effective at removing wax buildup. If you’re unsure which one is right for you, ask your audiologist or ear, nose, and throat specialist for advice on how to properly use other earwax-removal methods.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes and no. It is safe to clean the outer folds of your ears with a Q-tip, but you should not put the Q-tip inside of your ear canal. You can safely clean around the outside of the ear canal with a Q-tip, but it should not go inside the hole.Using a Q-tip inside your ear can cause problems. Instead of cleaning earwax from your ear canal, using a Q-tip can push the wax further in your ear, where it can put pressure on your eardrum. In addition, putting a Q-tip too far into your ear can damage the eardrum.
Yes and no. It is safe to clean the outer folds of your ears with a Q-tip, but you should not put the Q-tip inside of your ear canal. You can safely clean around the outside of the ear canal with a Q-tip, but it should not go inside the hole.
Using a Q-tip inside your ear can cause problems. Instead of cleaning earwax from your ear canal, using a Q-tip can push the wax further in your ear, where it can put pressure on your eardrum. In addition, putting a Q-tip too far into your ear can damage the eardrum.
Your ear canal is lined with nerve endings. Putting a cotton swab inside your ear canal can stimulate these nerve endings causing what is sometimes referred to as an eargasm.
Apply a few drops into the ear canal twice a day for up to five days. After a day or two, use the bulb syncing to gently squirt warm water into the ear. Tilt your head to the side, so the ear you are cleaning is facing up, and tug on your outer ear to straighten the ear canal. Then tilt your head in the other direction, so the ear is facing down, to let the water out. It may be helpful to hold a bowl or plastic container under your ear to catch the drips.
2 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Schwartz SR, Magit AE, Rosenfeld RM, et al.Clinical practice guideline (update): Earwax (cerumen impaction).Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery. 2017;156(1_suppl):S1-S29. doi:10.1177/0194599816671491Wright T.Ear wax.BMJ Clin Evid. 2015;2015:0504. Published 2015 Mar 4.Additional ReadingAAO-HNSF Clinical Practice Guideline:Earwax Removal(8/29/2008). American Academy of Otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery.Klein, Sarah. “This Will Make You Never, Ever Want To Clean Your Ears Again” (7/21/2014).The Huffington Post.
2 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Schwartz SR, Magit AE, Rosenfeld RM, et al.Clinical practice guideline (update): Earwax (cerumen impaction).Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery. 2017;156(1_suppl):S1-S29. doi:10.1177/0194599816671491Wright T.Ear wax.BMJ Clin Evid. 2015;2015:0504. Published 2015 Mar 4.Additional ReadingAAO-HNSF Clinical Practice Guideline:Earwax Removal(8/29/2008). American Academy of Otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery.Klein, Sarah. “This Will Make You Never, Ever Want To Clean Your Ears Again” (7/21/2014).The Huffington Post.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Schwartz SR, Magit AE, Rosenfeld RM, et al.Clinical practice guideline (update): Earwax (cerumen impaction).Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery. 2017;156(1_suppl):S1-S29. doi:10.1177/0194599816671491Wright T.Ear wax.BMJ Clin Evid. 2015;2015:0504. Published 2015 Mar 4.
Schwartz SR, Magit AE, Rosenfeld RM, et al.Clinical practice guideline (update): Earwax (cerumen impaction).Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery. 2017;156(1_suppl):S1-S29. doi:10.1177/0194599816671491
Wright T.Ear wax.BMJ Clin Evid. 2015;2015:0504. Published 2015 Mar 4.
AAO-HNSF Clinical Practice Guideline:Earwax Removal(8/29/2008). American Academy of Otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery.Klein, Sarah. “This Will Make You Never, Ever Want To Clean Your Ears Again” (7/21/2014).The Huffington Post.
AAO-HNSF Clinical Practice Guideline:Earwax Removal(8/29/2008). American Academy of Otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery.
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