Mistakes when taking earwax

Earwax is a bad habit, losing the body's natural protective function, can damage the ear canal.

Dr. Vu Hai Bang, Head of the Medical Examination Department, Ho Chi Minh City's Ear Nose Throat Hospital said many people have a misconception that it is necessary to get earwax. In fact, earwax is born to protect the ear canal , lining the inside of the ear canal to help maintain moisture, preventing bacteria and fungal growth. If removed earwax will lose the protective barrier, scratching the ear canal, perforation of the eardrum, easy to cause bacteria and mold to invade causing ear canal.

"The characteristic of ear canal is itchy, the more the earwax feels, the more it feels itch so many people think this is a good thing," Dr. Bang shared. Scratching the ear canal, inflammation of the infection if treated properly at the beginning will not affect much. Conversely, if not treated early, it may cause damage to the middle ear, mastoid bone .

Many patients went to see the doctor because of pain, redness in the ears, and asked, a few days before, a haircut took place in the shop. According to doctors, the use of earwax outside the barbershop has many risks, which can cause injury, ear infection, viral hepatitis, HIV . Although many people carry their own earwax But if the left ear has a fungus, it will likely spread through the right ear.

Many patients went to see the doctor because of pain, redness in the ears, and asked, a few days before, a haircut took place in the shop.(Photo: Le Phuong).

Doctor Nguyen Tuan Nhu, Head of the Otolaryngology Department, Children's Hospital 1 (Ho Chi Minh City) said about 5 to 10 patients came to the hospital every day because of discomfort caused by earwax. In which there are about 2-3 cases to see a doctor because taking earwax causes tearing of the ear canal skin, fungus, infection, festering, tearing of the eardrum .

Doctor Nguyen Phan Nguyen, Department of Otolaryngology, Children's Hospital 1 said many mothers have a wrong habit that every day when taking baths, they will take cotton swab into their ears. This inadvertently pushes the earwax deep inside, causing the earwax plug to seal the young ear. Occasionally, a cotton swab can be used to gently clean outside, creating a clear door for the inner ear to push out. Only when earwax causes a medical condition, accumulating too much can block the ear canal to see a doctor.

Normally, earwax will have a mechanism of self-excretion without intervention, but for some children with ear canal defects such as the ear canal is too small, folded, too much ear canal, children wear hearing aids, wearing too many earphones . can accumulate more earwax, causing a complete blockage. Ear plugs often cause symptoms of ear canal inflammation, soreness, swelling, discharge of pus, if severe, can cause conduction deafness, hearing loss, dizziness, tinnitus . When you need to see a doctor, especially is an ENT specialist for appropriate examination, evaluation and treatment.

Dr. Nguyen noted, many people after swimming often use cotton swab to wipe their ears. This can cause scratches, damage to the surface of the ear canal mucosa, easy to cause germs to develop, causing ear canal inflammation, ear canal infection . If the ear gets wet, should tilt the ear, lift the ear lobe up and down to create gravity for the water to flow out. Soft cloth can be gently wiped outside, using a hair dryer turned on low mode to stay far away to help dry, not to scratch the ear.