[vc_row no_margin=”true” padding_top=”0px” padding_bottom=”0px” border=”none”][vc_column width=”2/3″][text_output]Earwax is a fact of life – if you’ve got ears, you have earwax. Also known in the medical community as cerumen, earwax is a natural bodily function that is vital to healthy ears and hearing.
However, we all also know that having visible wax coming out of our ears may not look great or be a pleasant experience. This leads many people to attempt on removing earwax via Q-Tips or other personal hygiene instruments.
Many people might be surprised to learn that using Q-Tips is not medically recommended. In fact, most Dallas ENT doctors will advise you against using anything to attempt “cleaning” your ears and removing earwax. Why? Let’s explore some facts about earwax and what you can do to manage this important bodily function.
- Earwax protects your ears. You might not realize it, but earwax is not just a needless byproduct. Actually, earwax is very important to the protection of your ears, and especially your sensitive inner ears. Like eyelashes and nose hairs, earwax helps to keep dust, dirt, and bacteria out of our ears, to ensure your delicate hearing mechanisms can operate without disruption.
- You shouldn’t put anything inside your ears. Although Q-Tips might seem like mundane hygiene items, in fact they are poor for your ear’s health. Jamming small objects into your ears will actually interrupt the natural wax functions and can cause healthy earwax to become blocked inside your ears.
- Earwax problems can be treated by your local ENT doctor. If you’re having an issue with blocked wax, or if you wear a hearing aid that may be blocking your ears, your local Dallas ear doctor can help. Although there are some home remedies for earwax blockage, such as ear candling, they are generally not medically suggested and in fact can exacerbate your earwax problems. If you think you have a medical issue, you should visit an ENT doctor rather than trying to solve the problem on your own.
Hopefully these tips will help you understand and manage earwax effectively. Although it might seem trivial, earwax is an important part of having healthy ears, and outside interruption of earwax production can cause problems. If you have any issues with earwax or would like to speak with a doctor, the team at Central Park ENT can help. We have offices in Arlington, Fort Worth, and Dallas, Texas. Contact us today to learn more and book an appointment.[/text_output][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][image type=”none” float=”none” info=”none” info_place=”top” info_trigger=”hover” src=”472″][/vc_column][/vc_row]