Actually, the ears can clean themselves. But if you feel like having to help, we explain here how to clean your ears properly.
Why does earwax actually form?
Earwax (“cerumen”) probably perceive most people as disgusting. It fulfills important functions: Earwax consists of hair, dust and dead skin cells. And these waste products of the body are transported through the earwax from the ear. In addition, it nourishes the ears and moistens the ear canal – its waxy consistency protects the sensitive ear from drying out and thus itching. Earwax is therefore a central part of the self-cleaning process of the ear.
Clean your ears: When should I do it myself?
Sometimes the body produces too much earwax – or the self-cleansing of the ear is disturbed by other causes. This can form a plug in the ear canal, which not only feels uncomfortable, but also ensures that you hear worse on the affected ear. By no means should you try to loosen the plug by poking yourself in the ear with narrow, pointed objects, for example. The risk that the sensitive skin in the ear canal or the eardrum is injured when cleaning, is far too large. Here only an ENT doctor should get ran.
Hands off cotton swabs!
A popular method for cleaning ears is the use of cotton swabs. On top of that you should do without: Even if the tip of the sticks is soft, it only pushes earwax deeper into the ear canal. In the worst case this can cause earache or a graft.
Clean ears: These methods help
Of course, you do not have to go to the ENT doctor every week if you feel that your earwax has accumulated too much and your hearing is impaired. There are gentle home remedies with which one can try to clean the ears. For example, if there is only some earwax on the ear, this can be dabbed with a damp cloth. If you want to try to remove the secretion from the ear yourself, you can test these possibilities:
- Warm water: The easiest way is to gently run some body-warm (not hot!) Water into your ear. This liquefies the cerumen, making it easier to dab it off.
- Chewing: Sounds strange, but chewing movements of the jaw automatically convey earwax towards the ear. It can therefore help to clean the ears, just to grind a little with the jaw and perform chewing movements, if you want to clean the ears.
What about ear candles?
A well-known alternative method for cleaning ears is the use of ear candles (also known as Hopi candles). However, hot wax can hurt sensitive skin in the ear canal – so keep your fingers away!