Why do doctors say not to pick your ears? Be careful of cancer!

Some people really like it

Try your best to pick your ears

Brainstorm

In the spring when flowers bloom

Drinking tea leisurely

Pick another ear

Bashi~

But is this really healthy?

👇👇👇

Ear canal ruptured after 16 years of ear digging

When 75-year-old Aunt Li was treated at the hospital's head and neck surgery department, she was shocked. Her left ear canal had split, the gap was 3.5 cm x 2 cm, the epidermis was ulcerated and even the cartilage was exposed.

It all started with her bad habit of picking her ears which she had been having for 16 years.

At first, Aunt Li had no problem with her ears, but she got used to picking her ears when she had nothing to do. The more she picked, the more itchy it became, which led to increased secretions, so she picked her ears more frequently. This long-term behavior irritated the epidermis of the external auditory canal, causing skin exudation, and the vicious cycle caused lesions in the ear canal.

Aunt Li didn't think of seeing a doctor until she started to lose her hearing a while ago. Unexpectedly, the initial biopsy results showed squamous cell carcinoma of the external auditory canal. Preoperative imaging examinations showed that the lesions had already involved the parotid gland and cervical lymph nodes and required surgical resection, otherwise the disease would progress and metastasize, endangering her life. However, the left ear needed to be removed during the operation.

In order to save her life, Aunt Li had to have her left ear removed.
Do you need to remove earwax?

Earwax is medically known as "cerumen", which is the natural secretion of the human ear canal and has a certain protective effect. Its main functions include cleaning the ear canal, protecting the ear canal, and preventing the invasion of external microorganisms.

In daily life, we don’t need to pick out earwax as the ears have self-cleaning functions. When we chew or sneeze, the earwax will come out automatically.

What are the possible dangers of frequent ear cleaning?

1. Ear canal infection: Frequent ear cleaning may damage the ear canal skin and lead to bacterial or fungal infection.

2. Earwax blockage: Picking your ears may push earwax deeper into the ear canal, causing blockage and affecting hearing.

3. Tympanic membrane perforation: Using improper tools or excessive force may puncture the eardrum and cause permanent hearing loss.

Will frequent ear cleaning cause cancer?

Although the risk of directly causing cancer or tumors from ear picking is low, as mentioned earlier, frequent ear picking may damage the ear canal and cause infection. Long-term chronic infection will increase the risk of cancer.

Doctor Yuanyuan reminds

It is not recommended to clean your ears by yourself.

I don't recommend going to an ear cleaning shop.

If you have any symptoms or discomfort in your ears

Must go to the hospital

You need a professional doctor to clean your ears