Why cleaning your ears with Q-tips is causing you harm

Cotton buds and Q-tips can serve a number of purposes other than just ear care. Photo / 123rf

There's no denying it – whether it's an itch, build up of wax or perhaps the need to "clean", we're all guilty of sticking a Q-tip, also known as a cotton bud or swab, down our ear canal.

For many, incorrect Q-tip usage has become an addiction due to their convenience in what some believe "gets the job done".

And while we've been reminded for decades about the dangers of inserting the thin plastic or paper swab into unreachable places like the ear canal, there's no denying that many of us find pleasure in doing it.

So where did the urge to rebel against the purpose of a Q-tip come from?

Alarm bells went off in the 1970s

The Q-tip was invented in 1923 by Polish immigrant Leo Gerstenzang, based on his wife's cotton wrapped around a toothpick prototype which she used to clean their baby's eyes, ears and belly button, CNN reports.

Using the nifty tool to clean the ear soon became a marketing ploy, until advice emerged in the 1970s warning consumers about the dangers of the behaviour.

It was around this time that previous Q-tip owner Chesebrough-Pond's started issuing warning labels about the dangers of cotton bud usage for cleansing the ear, on the product's packaging.

"The company has no details on why they did this, and our search of the records turns up no publicised case of anyone with a swab in the brain," the Washington Post reported in 1990.

"Something must have happened, and Chesebrough-Pond's didn't want to be blamed."

Those shoving Q-tips in your ears, beware!

First up, according to the journal Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, you shouldn't be sticking anything "smaller than an elbow" into your ear.

For those sitting there trying to measure up similar-sized objects to a Q-tip, this includes hair pins, toothpicks and tweezers.

While Q-tips seem perfectly suited for the unappealing job, they can cause cuts to the ear canal, dislocate sensitive hearing bones and perforate the eardrums.

Not to mention the dangers associated with the unlikely possibility of a bit of cotton, plastic or paper breaking and being left behind, all of which are dire consequences that can be avoided with proper usage.

While there are hazards with using Q-tips to clean the ear canal, cotton buds don't have to be exiled from the hearing organ completely.

Audiologists recommend Q-tips for external ear care, whether that be for cleansing build-up around ear piercings or removing dried up earwax from the auricle or earlobe.

Ears are one of the body's self-cleansing organs which means all you have to do is let nature run its course.

While ear wax may be annoying, its job is to trap dirt and dust from entering the inner ear while keeping our ears lubricated.

For those worries about a build up of wax, the opening and closing motion of the jaw helps emit old wax to the outer ear, which is later washed off when we shower.

So what are Q-tips useful for?

Q-tips have a number of handy purposes, from removing make-up to applying antiseptic cream to a cut or scratch without infecting the area.

The rule of thumb is that Q-tips are for external use and only medical-grade swabs, like the ones used to conduct Covid-19 PCR and Rapid Antigen Tests (RAT), should be used for inner bodily areas such as the nose or mouth.

You can even use Q-tips for art projects, cleaning between the keys on your keyboard, jewellery cleaning and tidying up messy manicures.

If you believe you have a build up of wax, hearing loss, an itchy ear or are just concerned about your ear health, it's advised that you seek medical attention for assistance and resist the urge to use a Q-tip.