Can Cotton Swabs Cause Permanent Ear Damage?

Reaching for a cotton swab whenever your ears feel stuffed or clogged may cause more harm than good.

Like an errant hangnail or a song that’s stuck in your head, clogged ears are one of those little — and universal — annoyances in life.

While your first instinct may be to use a cotton swab to clear out whatever’s causing the blockage, it may not be the best course of action. In fact, it might even do more harm than good.

That’s because while earwax may seem a little gross, especially when there’s excess, it also has the important role of protecting, lubricating and keeping the ear canal clean. Additionally, earwax traps dirt and grime, and inhibits the growth of bacteria within your ear canal.

However, if you have a blockage, earwax can be both uncomfortable and annoying. That’s why you might reach for a cotton swab, which seems like it would come in handy for digging out any earwax. But due to its shape, a cotton swab can’t actually do much to remove earwax. Instead, sticking a cotton swab into your ear can actually push the hardened earwax farther into your ear canal, which could potentially damage your eardrum and cause hearing loss.

It’s recommended that you see a doctor to evaluate your ears and rule out other issues before using cotton swabs or other alternatives. Some treatment options involve actual removal of the earwax by softening and dissolving it.

Using an eyedropper, you can deposit a few drops of baby oil, mineral oil, glycerin or hydrogen peroxide into the ear canal, which will soften it. Then, after one or two days, squirt a small amount of warm water into your ear canal with a rubber-bulb syringe. Lean your head to the side and move your outer ear up and back to straighten your ear canal, and then tilt your head again to let the water (and dissolved ear wax) seep out. Then, pat your ear dry with a soft towel.

Repeat this a few times if you need to, and if that still doesn’t help, you may want to visit your doctor. They can assess your condition and recommend a treatment plan.

As for those cotton swabs, save them for cleaning your outer ears only. There are safer ways to remove excess earwax, and while using a cotton swab might seem convenient — it’s not worth risking long-term damage to the lining of your ear canal and inner ear.

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