An NHS doctor has shared the horror stories that can happen when cotton buds are used incorrectly – as well as the safer alternatives.
Dr Suraj Kukadia, who goes by Doctor Sooj online, regularly shares advice and stories from his time as a GP.
The 33-year-old, from Hertfordshire, said he’s “seen and heard of so many horror stories” from people trying to clean their ears with cotton buds.
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“I’ve seen lots of people who have used cotton buds to ‘clean’ their ears, but have unwittingly impacted the wax against their eardrum, which has led to reduced hearing, dizziness and tinnitus,” he told Whats The Jam.
“I’ve also seen someone who has done something similar and then a couple of days later developed otitis externa – an infection of their outer ear canal.
“They had pain and discharge from the canal.
“It can also cause someone to burst their eardrum, and I’ve heard about this happening, but I have never seen it myself.”
In a recent online post, the doctor shared advice for anyone struggling with earwax buildup at home.
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He warned against “digging” in your ear, as cotton buds, ear candles or metal tools can “make it worse by pushing wax deeper into the canal or by damaging the ear canal itself”.
Instead, Dr Kukadia recommends using olive oil or sodium bicarbonate ear drops twice a day for up to four weeks – but only if you’re sure you have excessive wax.
He said, “This will help to soften the wax, and then hopefully it will just naturally start to come out.
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“But if it’s still blocked, we can then remove it using gentle irrigation or microsuction.”
The GP issued a stark warning, adding: “Please don’t try a DIY extraction, because your eardrum is thinner than paper, and a small slip could damage your eardrum and cause pain, infection, and even hearing loss.
“And sometimes the damage can be permanent.”
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