Why cleaning ears feels good

So, why does cleaning your ears feel so good? And what is the safest and most effective way to clean your ears and feel the relief? One of the main myths about ear wax is that it needs to be removed regularly. In fact, earwax actually helps to clean your ears and keep them healthy by trapping dirt, dust and particles at the entrance to the ear which may otherwise harm our delicate ear canals.

Ear wax also has anti-bacterial properties which help to prevent ear infections and it has a bitter taste so insects are discouraged from entering our ear canals. So, over-cleaning our ears manually can actually do more harm than good.

The wax, which is produced in the outer third of the ear canal, is carried out of the ear thanks to a migrating skin layer which carries the wax out. This migration process is also aided by talking and chewing. When the wax reaches the end of your ear canal, jaw movement assists it to loosen, and it is then able to fall away unnoticed or can be gently wiped away.

There are of course, always exceptions, and for a small percentage of the population, this self-cleaning process does not work as well as it should.

This can be because wax has built-up over time and has become impacted. An ear canal blocked by earwax can cause mild hearing loss and leave the ear feeling stuffed or plugged up," explains Dr.

There are several reasons a person's earwax may not be successfully moving out of his or her ear naturally. Reasons earwax may build up include:. In addition, you may be wondering if wearing earbuds can cause earwax to build up — like it does in hearing aids. However, if you're wearing them for 10 to 12 hours every day, it may be time to alternate with headphones that sit over your ear rather than earbuds that sit inside them," recommends Dr.

If you do have earwax buildup, though, let's address why using a Q-Tip isn't only risky, but also not as effective as you may think it is. If you're here in search for answers about how to use a Q-Tip properly, Dr. Lin's advice is to just Like not at all. If you're here because you've had one of those moments and want to know if it's possible to damage your ear with a Q-Tip, here's Dr.

Lin again:. This means, if you insert it too far into your ear canal, there is a potential for you to inadvertently perforate your eardrum or damage the very delicate bones of hearing," warns Dr. While we're talking about the cons of using a Q-Tip, now seems like a good time to address another reason people may reach for one every day: To dry their ears after a shower.

If tilting your head side-to-side just isn't enough to help you feel like your ears are water-free, is a Q-Tip the only way to get it out of there?

Risks aside, using a Q-Tip to remove earwax just In fact, you could be making your earwax situation worse. This will work for the majority of people," explains Dr. In these cases, the person should see an ear, nose and throat ENT doctor or a primary care physician to help with earwax removal," says Dr. Although rare, there is a chance of certain side effects after your ear cleaning.

Apart from the irritation in their ear, some people also complain of slight dizziness after their cleaning. People have also complained of tinnitus, which is a ringing in the ears. In most cases, these side effects recede after a while. Taking a peek inside Before the process can begin, your doctor will take a quick peek inside your ear to see if there is an excessive buildup of earwax and debris inside your ears that can be removed with ear cleaning. Flushing it out Once the audiologist has located the accumulation, they will begin the ear cleaning.

Ear ointments When your ear irrigation is complete, your audiologist will help you clean up and dry your ear. Side effects Although rare, there is a chance of certain side effects after your ear cleaning.