Ear cleaning is better left in the hands of a specialist, but when it comes to a superficial and simple cleaning, we can do it ourselves at home, as long as the specialist has given the go-ahead, and nothing to use home remedies with concoctions taken from YouTube and the like, since the ear is a very sensitive organ that any slight change or damage has consequences. This is why we are going to explain how to clean the ears quickly and without adverse effects.
If we have a tendency to otitis, it is best to go to the otolaryngologist at least 2 times a year for check-ups, since the inner ear is designed in such a way that it cleans itself and expels the earwax. However, when that earwax is not expelled, but accumulates, or when we bathe, the ear itches or hurts, it can be an indication that something is not quite right in there.
Earwax is necessary for the ear, as it acts as a protective barrier, so we should not wash our ears very often. The presence of wax is very necessary, so much so that it is the result of the secretion of the sebaceous and sweat glands of the ear.
Better ways to wash your ears
To begin with, we must emphasize that nothing to introduce sharp objects, or pick with dirty hands and nothing to use cotton swabs, or cleaning sprays, or olive oil or baby oil, or candles , or anything like that. Throughout this section we are going to indicate a series of methods to clean our ears without putting our hearing health at risk, but as always, we recommend going to a specialist.
Water and only water
Yes, that simple. In the daily shower, and without soap or products of any kind, and after thorough hand washing, we introduce the moistened finger into the ear and in this way we can clean it both inside and out. If we notice any remaining wax, we can remove it to the outside.
It is very important to clean the outside, that is, the ear and also behind the ears, since in these areas grease, dead skin, dust, sand, remains of dirt, animal hair, etc. accumulate.
When we get out of the shower, we dry our ears, but nothing to use air or harsh materials. It is best to use sterile gauze. Although that is not an ecological method, we can also use the organic and reusable cotton gauze options that we can buy in different establishments, and also on Amazon.
Washing with saline solution
Either in spray or in single doses. We tilt the head, introduce the liquid, wait a few minutes and turn the head towards the other side to facilitate the exit of the liquid and the dirt. To perfect the cleaning we introduce a finger wrapped in gauze to thoroughly clean the walls of the ears.
Another option is to soak a gauze with physiological saline and insert it inside the ear canal, turn back and forth a few times and remove the gauze roll. In this way we will have cleaned the ears easily and safely in a few seconds.
Pharmacy spray as a last resort
Yes, we know that at the beginning of this section we have advised against it, but if we do not trust the two previous methods, we can go to a pharmacy and buy a cleaning spray adapted to our age and problem. The procedure is explained on the packaging, but as a general rule it is very similar to washing with physiological saline.
Cleaning sprays are not natural products , so they could cause irritation, allergic reactions and even aggravate the problem that a priori we only believed was a small plug or a slight dirt in the ear canal. The more natural the products and the less invasive the cleaning, the better for the ears.
How often do you have to wash your ears?
Cleaning the ears does not present any risk in itself, as long as dangerous products or sharp objects are not used without proper training, but there is a problem when cleaning is excessive and daily. It is a risk because instead of protecting the ear, we are unprotecting it by removing its layer of protection.
The ear is an extremely sensitive organ and reacts to any change. If we remove the natural protective barrier, we are exposing ourselves to bacteria that will lead to painful ear infections that could even decrease hearing quality.
With this clear, we already know that we should NOT wash our ears daily, apart from the fact that these organs have a very effective self-cleaning system. The correct thing is to clean the ears with a certain distance between cleaning and cleaning, such as, for example, 1 week or only when we notice itching or dirt. Apart from visiting the otolaryngologist at least once a year.
If we have doubts about the frequency of washing, it is best to consult with a specialist, in addition to telling him the method we have chosen, and if he gives the go-ahead, given the health of our ears and our specific case, since not all methods serve all ears.
How to prevent earwax plugs
There are a series of factors that lead to the appearance of earwax and the consequent accumulation, causing discomfort, itching, plugs, pain, otitis, etc. We are going to review the main causes of the appearance of plugs in the ears:
- Poor hygiene, both internal and external (auditory pinna). Anything outside the ear can go inside, hence the importance of weekly cleaning of the ear canal.
- Plug the ear hole for long periods of time and do not let the ear breathe.
- Finger poking regularly.
- Excessive use of headphones.
- Do not put objects into the ears.
- No using cotton buds.
- Do not immerse your ears in water, for this it is better to protect them with special plugs.
- We recommend not ignoring the itching, pain and suppuration.
