After observing his wife placing cotton swabs on a toothpick to clean their baby's ears , Leo Gerstenzang developed the first cotton swabs in 1923. They were initially called Baby Gays and were renamed Q-Tips Baby a few years later. Gays, which gave birth to the most popular brand of cotton swabs in North America, Q-Tips.
It would be another 50 years before manufacturers specifically warned the public not to remove earwax from the ear canal, since reports of medical problems first appeared in 1972 .
Today, the "Do not use in the ear canal" warning, or some version of it, appears on the labels of several brands of cotton swabs. However, they continue to find their way into millions of ear canals.
" The use of cotton swabs in the ears has been widely condemned by ENT doctors worldwide. This is due to well-documented complications, including trauma, affected earwax, infection, and cotton swabs being left behind. The most common form of accidental penetrating ear injury in children is a swab ," wrote a team of researchers, all ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialists, in a 2011 article for the British Journal of General Practice . .
They also surveyed patients at three primary care centers in south-east England and found that around 76% of them used cotton swabs to clean their ears at least once a week. Nothing in his diary was breaking news right now. Not the use of cotton swabs or the risks involved; B. Dirty earwax, which can be caused by unintentionally pushing earwax deeper into the ear, causing buildup and severely limiting the ear's ability to clean itself.
self-cleaning ears
The role of earwax in the ear canal, also known by the medical term cerumen, is also well documented in several scientific studies, such as this one from the Bhutan Health Journal : " [Cerumen] serves to protect, cleanse and lubricate the ear . Canal skin of the ear canal… So the ear has a self-cleaning mechanism… Cleaning the ear canal is not only unnecessary, but potentially dangerous. Ear injuries caused by the use of cotton swabs are common in ENT practice. Using cotton swabs can lead to dangerous complications. It is a useless and dangerous practice.
dr Robert H. Shmerling , Editor-in-Chief of Harvard Health Publishing at Harvard Medical School, explains : "Earwax is, among other things, a natural moisturizer that prevents the skin inside the ear from becoming too dry; catches dirt and dust before they can penetrate deep into the duct; absorbs dead skin cells and debris; prevents bacteria and other infectious organisms from reaching the inner ear.
That's not to say there aren't instances where earwax may need cleaning due to various medical conditions that affect a minority of people. But even in this case, the use of cotton swabs is not recommended.
According to Shmerling's advice, " [doctors] recommend over-the-counter ear drops, which soften earwax and make it easier for it to drain from the ear (with gentle rinsing, such as during a shower). OR see a doctor Your doctor can look inside your ear and use specially designed instruments to remove earwax.
Warnings on the headphone label
However, despite all the research, documented risks, and label warnings, cotton swabs are still used to clean the ear. A situation where the manufacturers' marketing messages didn't help. A particularly telling example of how some leading manufacturers have taken on the challenge of selling a product for a purpose it was not fit for is an advertisement for cotton swabs published a decade after the first investigation into the risks of using ear cleaning Cotton swabs appeared made of cotton. .
In the 30 Second commercial that aired in 1982, the late popular comedian Betty White used cotton swabs as a "safe swab." Slightly lopsided, White says, "They're nice and smooth and secure if you wear them on your eyes or on your nose," and while holding a cotton swab to his ear, he continues, "or on your ear. ." Just before he finishes his sentence, he drops the swab, flashes a knowing smile, and continues, "or even if you drop them on your foot". .
While today's manufacturers aren't exactly joking about the risks associated with inserting cotton swabs into your ears, it's possible that some of the warnings on their product labels are misunderstood, misunderstood, or completely ignored by consumers.
This author recently purchased a pack of "Paper Stem Buds" from a local retailer, Woolworths. The recommendation for use on one side of the container clearly identifies it as "ideal for removing make-up and make-up and for cleaning small areas". On the other side of the packaging is a warning: "Keep out of the reach of children. Clean ears or nose with gentle movements, being careful not to insert the swab too deeply as this can damage delicate tissue. Do not insert it into the ear canal.
That seems fine to me.
However, advising consumers not to insert headphones into the ear canal while advising them not to insert them too deeply when cleaning their ears arguably falls short of the conviction and clarity offered by the articles cited above and many others as to what is the safest thing to do to do is by keeping them away from your ears.
As Shmerling concludes in his Harvard Health Publishing article , " It can be too tempting or too satisfying. Maybe nobody reads the labels of the products you use. Or maybe the myths about earwax are too ingrained to be easily dispelled by the facts. Whatever the reasons, now you know to stop sticking cotton swabs in your ears. MD/ML
If you missed it, also read the link between hearing loss and dementia
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