Is it OK to use Q-tips to clean your ear canals?
The answer is a resounding “No” according to Dr. Jacob Hunter, ear specialist at Jefferson University Hospital. For one thing, Q-tips only remove a small amount of ear wax that is near the opening but pushes most of the wax down the canal against the ear drum. In the end, the canal gets blocked with wax, which impairs hearing.
An additional concern with using a Q-tip in the ear is the risk of damaging the thin skin lining the canal. Infection may occur.
When I was a medical student I was told by an ear specialist that you should not put anything in your ear smaller than your elbow. It was his humorous way of warning against using Q-tips.
Generally, ear canals “clean themselves as long as they get water in there” (quote from Dr. Hunter). If you need to clean your ears, he recommends using peroxide. However, he says not to use it if your canal is dry and itchy because peroxide dries the canal.
Sometimes, peroxide is ineffective, and you may need to see your doctor. They can remove the dense wax by irrigation and/or scooping it out with a special tool.
Most of this information was published by Sara Berg for the AMA on October 20, 2023 in a publication for the general public entitled What Doctors Wish Patients Knew.
Peter M. Hartmann, MD
Family Medicine & Psychiatry
