Consequences of the habit of picking your ears.

• September 13, 2011 15:20

Ear picking is a very common habit, from children to the elderly. People pick their ears whenever they itch, after showering, or occasionally, claiming it's to keep them clean. They often use cotton swabs or any other hard object to clean their ears. So, is frequent ear picking good for you? What are the consequences of frequent ear picking?

Ear picking is a very common habit, from children to the elderly. People pick their ears whenever they itch, even after showering, and occasionally, claiming it's to keep them clean. They usually use cotton swabs or any other hard object to clean their ears. So, is frequent ear picking good for you?

Consequences of excessive ear cleaning

Frequent ear cleaning can cause tears and abrasions in the protective skin lining the ear canal, allowing pathogenic bacteria to easily penetrate the connective tissue beneath the skin, causing ear canal inflammation – especially when swimming in dirty ponds or lakes. Furthermore, ear cleaning can push earwax (if present) deeper into the outer ear canal, even pressing against the eardrum and causing ear pain. Ear cleaning can also introduce bacteria and fungi from the external environment into the ear canal skin. Bleeding from a torn outer ear canal skin is one of the most common complications of ear cleaning. The Emergency Department of the National Ear, Nose, and Throat Hospital has received a case where a patient was cleaning their ear with a metal rod taken from a broken umbrella; while cleaning, the rod accidentally pierced the inner ear or brain, causing severe damage.

If ear cleaning causes infection of the outer ear canal, the ear will become painful, discharge pus, tinnitus, hearing loss, and in some cases, patients come for examination with inflammation of the outer ear canal spreading to half of the face, with bleeding and pus draining from the ear opening.

Illustrative image

Ear canal inflammation is a common consequence.

The initial symptoms of otitis externa are ear itching, which gradually increases, especially with frequent ear cleaning. Patients then experience a feeling of fullness or pressure in the ear canal, followed by ear pain that intensifies, becoming aching and radiating to the head. Many patients report a throbbing pain in one side of the head. The pain worsens when chewing or yawning. In severe cases, a fever of 38-39°C may occur, along with swelling of the face on the side of the affected ear, and even light touch to the ear can cause pain.

Examination reveals redness of the skin of the external auditory canal, accumulation of dirty fluid, and partial or complete narrowing of the external auditory canal depending on the degree of inflammation. If the bacterial toxins are too strong, the inflammation can spread, causing swelling of the external auditory canal and the angle of the jaw on the ear side, accompanied by pain and the appearance of small, mobile, tender lymph nodes on the same side. The eardrum remains normal.

How to properly manage some uncomfortable ear symptoms

When the ear itches, it means the outer ear canal is damaged. Scratching will only spread and worsen the damage. In this case, ear drops for the outer ear should be used for a week. The ear drops used for otitis externa are those used when the eardrum is not perforated, mainly medications to treat pathologies of the outer ear canal such as otitis externa, boils in the outer ear canal, and injuries to the skin of the ear canal, such as Polydexa, topical antiseptics like Betadine... Sometimes, they also have a pain-relieving effect on the eardrum when it is congested in the early stages of acute otitis media, such as Otipax.

If water accidentally enters the ear canal while showering or swimming, causing a feeling of fullness in the ears: gently insert a cotton swab into the ear canal and leave it there for 5 minutes. The water will be automatically absorbed by the dry cotton. Absolutely do not wipe or clean the ear canal excessively.

If ear pain and bleeding occur after cleaning the ear, treatment at an ENT clinic is necessary: Apply ear drops or ointment locally if the external ear canal inflammation is mild. If severe, systemic antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs should be used in combination with pain relief and topical ear medication.

External otitis is a very common condition that recurs if the habit of picking at the ear when it itches persists.

Each part of the outer ear has its own function.

The outer ear is part of the ear (the ear's structure includes the outer ear, middle ear, and inner ear). As its name suggests, the outer ear is the outermost of the three parts that make up the ear. The outer ear consists of the auricle and the ear canal, primarily composed of cartilage and bone, covered by a thin, loose layer of skin and subcutaneous connective tissue. Blood supply to this area is very poor. The main nerve innervating this area is a branch of cranial nerve IX, which provides sensation to both the ear and the throat. Therefore, a sore throat can cause ear pain, or ear infections can negatively affect chewing and swallowing. Furthermore, ear cleaning can cause throat irritation and coughing. The outer ear collects sound waves from the air and transmits them to the middle and inner ear. The outer ear canal contains glands that secrete a substance called earwax. Earwax can be dry or wet depending on the individual. Earwax also serves to protect the walls of the ear canal, as it contains antibiotic substances and has sticky properties to trap bacteria. Earwax forms a layer on the outer ear canal, preventing bacteria and fungi from attacking the tissues of the outer ear canal.

According to Health and Life