Athlete's foot in the ears! It turns out to be caused by this activity that many people love...

Many people have seen ear cleaning videos online: under the visual lens, pieces of old dirt are dug out, which is as relaxing as it can be.

There are also many bloggers who will visit ear cleaning institutions. In the videos, various tools are used in turn for cleaning and decompression. Not only will the people in the videos fall asleep comfortably, but even the audience outside the videos will find it very helpful in sleeping, and even want to try it themselves.

On social media, posts related to ear cleaning have attracted a lot of attention丨Social media screenshot

However, can ear cleaning really clean the ears, relax and improve health as people say online? In fact, it may be more dangerous than you think.

Most people don't need to clean their ears frequently.

Most people have cotton swabs or ear picks at home, and they will pick their ears subconsciously whenever they feel their ears are blocked or itchy. In order to pick them out thoroughly, many people even buy various props such as spiral ear picks, spring ear sticks, and visual lenses.

But in fact, your ears may not need to be cleaned so delicately. Although earwax is called "shit", it is not ear excrement. It has a literary scientific name: cerumen.

The formation of earwax is actually very useful to people.

The structure of the human ear from the inside to the outside is the cochlea, tympanic cavity, external auditory canal and auricle. The outer third of the external auditory canal is cartilaginous, where the sebaceous glands and cerumen glands are responsible for secreting an antibacterial and waterproof waxy substance. This substance is mixed with the shed external auditory canal epidermis to form cerumen, which together establish a defense mechanism for the human ear.

Many people have seen ear cleaning videos online: under the visual lens, pieces of old dirt are dug out, which is as relaxing as it can be.

There are also many bloggers who will visit ear cleaning institutions. In the videos, various tools are used in turn for cleaning and decompression. Not only will the people in the videos fall asleep comfortably, but even the audience outside the videos will find it very helpful in sleeping, and even want to try it themselves.

On social media, posts related to ear cleaning have attracted a lot of attention丨Social media screenshot

However, can ear cleaning really clean the ears, relax and improve health as people say online? In fact, it may be more dangerous than you think.

Most people don't need to clean their ears frequently.

Most people have cotton swabs or ear picks at home, and they will pick their ears subconsciously whenever they feel their ears are blocked or itchy. In order to pick them out thoroughly, many people even buy various props such as spiral ear picks, spring ear sticks, and visual lenses.

But in fact, your ears may not need to be cleaned so delicately. Although earwax is called "shit", it is not ear excrement. It has a literary scientific name: cerumen.

The formation of earwax is actually very useful to people.

The structure of the human ear from the inside to the outside is the cochlea, tympanic cavity, external auditory canal and auricle. The outer third of the external auditory canal is cartilaginous, where the sebaceous glands and cerumen glands are responsible for secreting an antibacterial and waterproof waxy substance. This substance is mixed with the shed external auditory canal epidermis to form cerumen, which together establish a defense mechanism for the human ear.

Ear structure | Wikipedia

Although the ear hole is small, it is like a wide-open door for tiny dust and insects. The presence of earwax can prevent these foreign substances from entering the body.

At the same time, oily and acidic earwax can keep the ear canal dry and maintain the acid-base balance, so that our ear canal will not become a moist and alkaline natural culture dish.

Several studies between 1980 and 2011 have shown that earwax has a killing effect on a variety of bacteria and can effectively prevent the reproduction of fungi.

This shows that the word "shit" is a misunderstanding of it. In fact, small earwax is very useful. If it is cleaned out too cleanly, it will not be good for the ear canal.

Some people may worry that earwax will accumulate and eventually block the ear canal and cause hearing loss. This condition is called cerumen embolism, and it is true that some people may experience this condition, but most people don't need to worry about it.

There is a thin membrane as a barrier between the external auditory canal and the cochlea, and earwax cannot pass through it at all, so it mainly gathers on the outside of the external auditory canal.

Earwax will continue to move toward the opening of the external auditory canal (also known as the auricle), and it will be inadvertently discharged when we chew, swallow or exercise.

If you pick your ears too frequently, there are actually unexpected disadvantages.

For example, the American Academy of Otolaryngology has pointed out that people who frequently remove earwax will have more and more earwax. This is because the process of ear cleaning will stimulate the glands in the external auditory canal. Think about it: as the guards of the ear canal, when the glands find that the defense mechanism in the ear canal has been damaged, will they secrete more? The result can only be a vicious cycle.

Some people may ask, wouldn’t it be better to find a professional ear cleaning institution instead of paying for it yourself?

The answer may disappoint you: going outside to have your ears cleaned is far more dangerous than you think.

Ear picking is more dangerous than you think

Compared with home, many ear cleaning institutions have a wider variety of props.

Goose feather sticks, peacock feathers, small tuning forks, horsetail sticks, they all have their own uses: first brushing the face, then stimulating the ear canal, and then there is ear massage. It is really the 18 martial arts of ear cleaning.

However, according to reports from multiple media outlets, these ear cleaning tools do not meet standards in terms of storage and disinfection.

Cases of infection caused by ear picking

For example, peacock feathers, which are like feathers, are often the opening of ear cleaning. They will rotate in the ear, but many ear cleaning institutions cannot replace them for each customer, but recycle them. When disinfecting, they are only wiped with alcohol, which has no sterilization effect at all. If there is fungus in the ear canal of the previous customer, it can easily be passed on to the next customer by the tool.

In addition, the ear cleaning process of ear cleaning institutions also has hidden dangers. For example, many people will use goose feather sticks to jump back and forth between the face and the ear canal. If there is a foreign object on the face, it is likely to be brought into the ear by these fluffs that easily absorb tiny particles. After the ear cleaning, your ears will not have the slightest defense.

The most important thing is that many ear cleaning institutions often provide other combined services, such as foot massage, massage, etc. Therefore, such places are often relatively humid. Even if the tools are cleaned properly, microorganisms will breed in such an environment.

Many doctors have stated in interviews with the media that all the cases of fungal infection in the ear canal they encountered involved visits to ear cleaning institutions.

Reports of infection from ear picking are not uncommon

But the danger of the tools is not the main issue. The "well-qualified" technicians on the business pages are actually mostly self-promoting. At present, the country has not yet certified the profession of "ear picker", and therefore there is no unified industry standard. Some media reported that many ear pickers may only be trained for one week before they start working.

Normal ear cleaning is just to clean the ear canal with tools, but the ear cleaning in the ear cleaning shop often uses various tools to stimulate the ear canal in the name of relaxation and comfort. If the force is too strong, it is likely to cause damage to the external ear canal, and in serious cases, even puncture the eardrum. This is not worth the loss.

Many of the popular ear cleaning shops on the market also claim to be able to treat otitis media, but unfortunately, this is more of a gimmick.

First of all, ear cleaning shops do not have the qualifications to engage in the medical industry. Secondly, otitis media occurs in the tympanic cavity of the ear. There is an eardrum as a boundary between the tympanic cavity and the external auditory canal. Picking the ears cannot cure otitis media at all.

If you really want to pick your ears

Please note these

For many people, picking ears is indeed a habit. In fact, as long as you master the correct posture, there is no harm in picking ears.

First of all, don't pick your ears too frequently, after all, earwax will be expelled during our normal chewing and exercise. We can simply pick our ears when we feel obvious blockage or itching.

Secondly, you must be careful when choosing tools. Many people are used to using cotton swabs, thinking that they can remove earwax, but this method is not recommended.

According to the survey, the dry and wet nature of earwax varies from person to person. Most Chinese people have dry earwax, and using a cotton swab will only push the earwax inside. In comparison, an ear pick is more suitable. However, when using an ear pick, do not dig too deep to avoid puncturing the eardrum, causing pain and hearing loss.

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Due to different physical conditions and environments, some people do need to clean their ears in time, otherwise there may be a risk of earwax accumulation.

For example, if you don't pay attention to protection when swimming or bathing, water may enter the external auditory canal; or some people have narrow external auditory canals, abnormal growth of epidermal cells, and poor earwax discharge. In this case, if you don't clean your ears in time, earwax will accumulate for a long time, which will cause hearing loss.

However, if you feel obvious ear canal blockage, hearing loss or dizziness, you must not dig it out yourself. It is best to go to the hospital to make an appointment and find out what is going on. If it is confirmed that it is earwax blockage, the doctor will usually use medicine to soften the earwax and then use professional tools to dig it out, which is safer.

In addition, children are developmentally immature and the ear canals of the elderly are loose, so earwax may not be discharged smoothly and naturally, and they also need to go to the hospital for treatment.

Author: Li Mi, popular science creator

Reviewer: Tang Qin, Director and Researcher of the Science Popularization Department of the Chinese Medical Association