Cotton buds are most commonly used to clean the ear canal by removing ear wax.
They are preferred because they are cheap and also soft to the touch making them comfortable when touching the sensitive part of the inner ear.
There are though some dangers that are associated with the wrong usage of cotton buds.
Kenyans.co.ke compiled effects of the wrong usage of cotton buds.
Pushing wax towards the eardrum
According to Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) clinic, cotton buds only manage to remove a small amount of ear wax.
“Pushing the wax all the way to the eardrum could result in a burst eardrum.
“It can also cause a blockage that hardens which can result in temporary hearing loss,” ENT warns.
Damage to the inner ear
Geetika Sachdev who is an ear specialist warns that although cotton buds can be soft to touch, if you push them too hard they can perforate the eardrum.
Sachdev warns that apart from being very painful, a perforated eardrum can lead to bleeding and internal ear injury.
Ear Wax has health benefits
Dr Luisa Dillner writing for The Guardian explains the importance of earwax.
“It provides a layer of protection between the ear canal and the bone below,” Dillner writes.
“It protects our ears from infection and damage, has antibacterial properties, and traps dust and dirt in the ear canal, thereby stopping it from reaching the more delicate eardrum,” she adds.
Infection risk
ENT further warns that apart from pushing wax towards the eardrum, it can also push in germs.
“Cotton buds push back a lot of the germs that have been trapped in the ear wax and when pushed in the middle ear this can lead to middle ear infections,” the clinic warns.
