No one can deny that your ears provide an essential function, allowing you to hear the world around you. The system within the ear also helps us to keep our balance and is equipped with its own defense against foreign bodies, like dirt, dust, and small insects, which we have come to know as earwax. Unfortunately, this substance can make people feel like they constantly need to clean out their ears, grabbing the extra gunk out themselves most commonly with Q-Tips. However, even the packaging on these cotton swabs says, “Do not insert swab into ear canal.” So, how do you clean out your ears?

The accepted rule by medical professionals is to not stick anything smaller than your elbow into your ear. Inserting small items into your ear to clean them can end up causing more issues than some extra earwax. It puts you in danger of irritating, damaging or scratching the ear canal or eardrum, may introduce illness-causing bacteria, or push the earwax further back, packing it in even deeper. The truth of the matter is that your ears are capable of cleaning themselves without the aid of cotton swabs or other means. As you move your jaw throughout the day, talking and chewing, it naturally works the wax out, eventually falling out, or washing away as you shower.

While this self-cleaning generally works well on its own, there are times that earwax can create excess buildup, hindering your ability to hear clearly. In these instances, a medical professional can clean out your ears for you with much less risk. At Midwest Express Clinic, we offer ear irrigation, which is a much safer and more thorough cleaning than what you get if trying to use a swab at home. The provider will be able to look in your ear, ensuring all of the sensitive structures are safe as well as checking for any underlying issues that may be causing more wax, such as an ear infection. If you are frustrated with your earwax or just feel like you need a good ear cleaning, visit us today!