@@PreservationEnthusiast when I did not clean them, I had severe infections. I am very careful and do not do it often. I get them checked every 6 months, and so far all is well.
Yes! Thank you so much for this, Conor. You're a brave man because I can imagine you're going to be on the receiving end of howls of protest from some quarters. People seem to imagine that whatever the body produces MUST be removed or perceived as "dirty" or unhygienic, rather than there for our protection. Bravo for such a clear & concise explanation.👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Absolutely Brilliant, Connor!! We So Need this, Especially cotton bud/Q Tip Use, Pencils, Pens etc, inserted to Scratch/Clean Our ears. I Used to Push a cotton bud All the way to the eardrum, Yikes! Thank Goodness for Audiologist's Videos, and Your's is Even More Detailed, Great Job, Much Appreciated!! Take Care.
Thank you so much. I know I shouldn't but learning why, illustrated so clearly, is very compelling. You're doing good work getting this information out there.
Thank you for explaining all this Conner! It was very enlighten. I've never used cotton swabs in my ears. My father was a nurse so I was always told it wasn't safe. I hope i get a chance to share what I learned today!
This is very interesting! It would be awesome if you could make a video on alternatives on how to clean the ear, if we have to of course. From now on I will wash only the outer part of the ear using my fingers and soap, and maybe gently swabbing with a ear swab without inserting it inside the ear
I am curious about how this applies to people like me, that don't make waxy cerumen (it's not any thicker than regular sweat) and have very enthusiastic sebaceous glands (oily ears). I pretty much just use cotton buds to absorb excess water from my ears after showers but I always wonder if that's okay. 😅
In a random morning of 2018 I woke up with a lot of pain inn my ear. I couldn't hear anything... Apparently the wax got to a "blocking" point. After using a drop for sometime it got better... Since then I never stopped hearing a noise in my right ear. I did some exams and etc but no one found out. Since then I'm extremely careful with loud noises. Im also really scared of water entering the ear in any occasion and I don't normally use the cotton swab. A doctor said my ear drum might've been affected, but never explained anymore than that.
SO...How should one clean the ear?? I use a towel around my finger aftershock shower. I that ok? I rarely use cotton buds unless I still feel water in my canal. Please elaborate. Thanks. Very interesting video and you are a great instructor! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
My ears bother me after my daily shower so I gently hold a soft tissue in the canal to absorb the water. Sometimes I use my pinky finger to hold it there for a few seconds. It works for me with no issues. TJ Maryland USA.
Any advice for someone who has been told by multiple doctors I have stupidly narrow ear canals? I have to go in every 3-6 months to have my ears cleaned by a doctor just due to my wax build up and that wax gets impacted. Every time I do get my ears cleaned one or both ears tend to develop and ear infection just days after [ normlay my left ear in particular] What can I do to limit this and better protect myself or am I just naturally prone to infection [ I was as a child had to have tubes in my ears when little due to chronic infections] currently with an infection after a cleaning the other day irrigation /cureting as I can find any Ear doctors in my area in WV that does micro suction
Thank you for this! Very informative. How would you deal with someone with dark wax clogging the ears? So like you can soften it but how do you get it to come out? Besides going to get them done professionally.... Thanks again! 😁
I would use alot of olive oil of several days, it will soften and encourage it come out forwards and out. Best see a doctor or nurse though so they can have a look before you start doing anything.
I have just found this after 2 months. And I definitely will not be using cotton buds for my ears again. My Dad always said “the only thing you should clean your ears with is your elbow!” A man of very few words, but when he passed on his wisdom 😊 One question for you Connor. My daughter, who is 12, has excess wax at the opening of her ear. And as it is very visible. How do I clean that area without pushing it back in? A very easy to follow & knowledgeable video. Thank you for making ears & skin etc interesting 😀🏴
Your Dad had sound advice! Regarding your daughter, perhaps just a moist flannel will do just fine around the edges, wax at the entrance is a good sign, her ear is protecting itself and the wax is migrating out normally.
@@DurhamHearingSpecialists thank you for your reply 😊 She isn’t keen to let me near her ears, so thankfully I have never used a cotton bud in her ears. But I admit I have 🙁 But now I know the problems they cause. My elbow will be the only thing going near my ear 😆🏴
I made the mistake of using my fingers and cotton swabs to clean out and itch my ears. That pushed the wax all the way back to the eardrum and getting stuck in that pit. My ears ended up being so clogged I couldnt hear very well anymore but I couldnt go to an ear specialist because my dad prevented me from going and its very expensive to get them cleaned out. So I had no choice but to clean them at home using an endoscope, and some earwax softener. I was only able to get some of the wax out of my right ear to expose the ear drum a bit and now I am able to hear so much more clearly. My ear does feel a bit sore around the walls and probably because the remaining earwax is still sitting near the drum too. I might put some more drops in the right ear to help clean it out. Its really scary to do this at home but I was lucky to not damage the eardrum. I wouldnt recommend doing it at all on your own and never to put your fingers in your ear to itch them. Also dont use earbuds because that will push the wax in too.
When my sinuses and allergies act up, I feel a tickle in my ears and when I dab a tissue at my ear there is liquid that is yellow. What do you recommend as far as cleaning that? I normally just wipe at the edge with a tissue or swap just that entrance with a cotton bud.
using a qtip to scratch my ear canal is so satisfying and works so well, I'll never not use one. I've never had a problem and when warm water mixes with the wax I feel like it's effectively being removed
That was very informative video Conor, I told my mom that cleaning your ears isn't necessary but she keeps insisting that I should pour water and fill my ears with water while taking a shower. She says that my ear got clogged by excess earwax because I didn't do what she said. Does she have a point? Should I fill my ears with water when showering?
I don't think filling your ears with water will do a huge amount of good, it's not the worst thing in the world but your ears should be just fine without
@@Ebu26 I was told that you could get swimmers ear from getting water in your ears. Even the shower water could cause it. That is what they call certain type of ear infection in the states. I would also like to see a informational video on that too!
Kit Kat, Swimmer's Ear is Not an Infection, But if Somebody has that Condition, or Craters, in the ear canal, Water Can Pool in the ear, and Lead to Infection. Swimmer's Ear is Caused by Diving, or Swimming in Cold Water. It Causes Overgrowth of the Bones, where the water can stay in that area, So therefore the Bacteria in it Can Cause Infection.
Thanks, it's very helpful to understand why. So how can i clean my ears when they get sticky to the touch? How about wearing in-ear ear buds and the wax that comes out on the ear pieces?
Even if you do need your ears cleaned (say because you have one of those genes that causes wax overproduction) it doesn't make sense to clean them. You could buy the same tools as an ENT does and still mess it up. Why? The ENT and audiologist can see that they are doing when they try to clean your ears but you can't see what you're doing, so even the right tools won't work.
For whatever reason, if I don't clean my ears, wax builds up until I can't hear. It's awful! And I guess it's a coincidence, but my husband has always had the same problem. I have to clean my ears at least one a week. I clean them by letting a shower stream irrigate each ear for about 30 seconds. Afterwards I put a drop of isopropyl alcohol in each ear to dry up any water. I've been doing this for at least ten years and I never get ear wax build up anymore. I told my husband about it and now he does the same and he no longer has build up issues either. Before we started doing this, we would have clogged ears every few months that were itchy and made sound muffled.
What about a video concerning hearing protection devices? I personally prefer the "micky mouse" (over the ear) sort of hearing protection while many prefer the little squishi things you squish together and put into the ear canal which thenwiden again and close it up. And then there are the anatomically formed ones you put into the ear canal. Wouldn't the latter two also shove material that should come out inwards and thus not do a favor?
I often wake up with moist / humid moisture inside my ear inside the ear that was against my pillow. I message the cartilage of my ear to confirm sufficient moisture then clear it with a Q tip. Seems like an 💯approach as a binge watcher of your channel, but feel I may be missing an important safety aspect. I know Qtips aren’t supposed to be used inside ears, but otherwise follow basic safety measures. Primarily not sharing a tip from 1 ear to another
I've seen to many videos of ears going nuclear from people leaving wax to then having to go and having them cleaned, at the end with horrible results (not from the cleaning) from the infections. I have done mine and no problems.
my ears get a little itchy if I don't clean them and I find the build-up of wax and moisture in my ears to be rather uncomfortable. Why is this, and what can I do about it? For some reason it happens to my right ear and not so much my left and the only reason I could think why is that I sleep on my left side.
Awesome ❤ Thanks for the education. However, can you tell me what IS OK for me to do in the way of cleaning my ears? I have very oily ears, so much so that it leaves smears on my phone. 😱 Soap and water in shower doesn't really do it. I've been pouring a bit of alcohol in my ear and then letting it drain out. (I never use cotton buds) I will pat the outer ear with tissue but since alcohol is a drying agent it seems to help my oily ear canal. Is this practice bad?
The downside to putting alot of alcohol in is it might knock out of balance the natural flora of microorganisms in the canal and possibly pave the way for a fungal infection. Perhaps see a doctor to see if there's a build up of wax.
You should listen to the doctor, but I have been putting one drop of alcohol in each year after I shower for many years and never have any problem. I clean my ears in the shower with the shower stream and then use the alcohol to dry up any water let in my ears. Before I started doing that, my ears would get clogged with ear wax a lot. Even as a small child I always had earwax problems until I started cleaning them in the shower.
Since I watched your videos I stopped using cotton buds. Now I regularly feel that the stuff inside gets loose on its own, but it tickles horribly. I am assuming that this is the normal way for the ear to clean itself? Is this also the feeling when an audiologist takes out earwax? I am just curious 😊
Qtips help me to scratch my ears, I have eczema in both ears and often I cannot stand the itch, so I grab a Qtip but I make sure I don't go deep. I never get water in my ears, I am highly sensitive to sounds too. And I hate to put any drops in my ears. I think my ears' self cleaning system works well though. I don't know where I can find someone like you here in Belgium to have my hearing and ears checked. After 56 years, it might be necessary to have a look at my ears... Btw, I love watching your videos. They are very informative too. I love watching ear porn!!!!
This is my problem. After 2 days of not touching my ears, the itchiness drives me up the wall at that point. There's barely ever any wax, I don't get water in my ears (I don't swim, and do my hair with my head down), sound sensitive too. Never stuck drops in there, so I dunno what that's like but I imagine that's itchy and all. General flaky skin on my outer ear. Fecking itchiness man. It just drives me crazy. Like, keeping me up at night crazy.
Have you tried a few drops of extra virgin olive oil? Leave in for about 10 minutes and allow to gently drain out by lying on your side with a towel to catch excess oil. Be sure to do one ear at a time. Or, do both together and use a commercial kit with syringe from the pharmacy to GENTLY wash out the ear. Use body temperature distilled water, no soap or medicated liquid from the kit to wash out the ear. If it still itches, a small drop of white vinegar maybe added to the rinse. You should see bits of skin and maybe wax in the pan from your ears. If this doesn’t help, it’s time to consult your ENT doctor.
@@mariekatherine5238 Thanks so much for your advice. I'm not going to experiment with these things, but I'll make an appointment to see an ENT doctor. I already visited a dermatologist and she wanted to give me some drops to use, but I have excellent hearing, so I refused. This Summer I'm seeing an ENT because I do want to have my ears fully checked. Experiments with eye-drops or eardrops I always try to avoid. Thanks for your concern, I'm sure the ENT will have a solution because the itch in my ears is often quite annoying...
What about using earplugs for hearing protection? As a motorcyclist using earplugs to dampened wind noise, in particular, is very important for preventing hearing loss. No motorcycle helmet is quiet enough at any sort of speed. Earplugs that work well are quite long and fit a long way down the ear canal. I tend to use cotton buds to clean my ears because I can get gunk out that the earplugs may have pushed in a bit. The last ENT doctor I saw said my ears were VERY clean and asked if I used earbuds. While he wasn't real happy about that, he didn't see any earwax or skin pushed back into the canal.
I see motorcyclists once in a while that use the squishy foam plugs when riding, eventually you can get dead skin building up in the canal, it doesn't happen to everyone though. If motorcycles are your thing I would strongly advise getting some custom plugs made, they'll last you a few years and are much better than foam.
@@DurhamHearingSpecialists I have silicone custom earplugs, but they don't work as well as foam earplugs. The shape of my earl canal changes enough with jaw movements that the seal is broken with the custom plugs and then they move a bit and let a lot more noise in. I guess as long as my ears remain clean and I have no issues, I will just keep using the foam earplugs. Life is about risk management. :) Thanks for the reply.
I can’t stop using qtips!! I feel dirty and slimy if I don’t clean my ears. At the same time, seeing wax in someone’s ear is down right gross!!! Now I’m wondering if I have packed wax? 🤦♀️
Probably not. I’ve been using tips all my life. And had my ears checked 2 months ago just to check and my ears were clean. And no infections. I can’t stop using quips either.
My ears are itchy a lot...it's been like this since I was very little. Used to keep me up at night. I've seen doctors, and even an ENT and there's no real visible reason for the itching. When it's bothering me at night I can take Benadryl and that does help but not entirely. I use hydrocodone cream and apply it to my ear canal using a q tip. I try to apply it effectively without going beyond the first bit of qtip. I get true relief from this that lasts all night. And I just can't help absorbing the water immediately inside my ear after shower its so uncomfortable.
Try EarCalm Spray Instead of water. It has Filtered Olive Oil, So Is a Purer Product. EarCalm Will Also Calm any Itching. You Can get it from a Pharmacy, Or from Amazon.
@@viviennejordan215 no it's not ezcema I'm not sure exactly what it is that causes the itching. I've never seen inside my own ears but doctors have always told me the skin in my ears looks fine not red or inflamed and no ear wax. I have talked to my doctor about the hydrocortisone because I was concerned about using a steroid regularly and having it make things worse. She said the OTC strength I use is not really an issue. She doesn't condone my using q tips to apply it but I think she also knows she can't stop me. She prescribed steroid ear drops she said I could use if it gets really bad, but that the RX steroid drops I can only use for a couple days at a time for a flare up. But I found I didn't like using those drops anyway they were oily and made my ears feel congested and didn't address the itch as much as I wanted it to. Benadryl and ibuprofen do help a lot too especially when it's really deep itching.
As usual very important information. I don’t stick anything in my ears because I was taught not to. My mother was correct. I don’t have ear issues thank goodness.
I keep wondering about japanese family like mine that the mother used to remove earwax from their children while they are on their lap, actually there's a whole market to mimikaki there...
My mother in law did that with her kids too! When my husband and I were first dating, I went to his mom's house and his little brother was lying his head in his mom's lap as she cleaned his ears. She is half Japanese (Okinawan), so maybe that's why. I had never seen anyone do that before, lol.
i used to clean my ears with qtips, but when i was told that this was doing more harm than good, I stopped.. now all I do is wash the outside of ear with a little bit of soap in the shower to get rid of excess oil - I'm hoping this is ok lol... but I do have a bit of tinnitus, and my wife also complains I don't listen to her.. Maybe I should go to the doctor and see if I should get a referral to get my ears cleaned out lmao
Unless you have had pressure in your ears for a long time like me then it was time to buy one of those ear cleaner spoon things that have a camera on it so i can safely clean them and see how it all looks.
Would using olive oil be OK even if a doctor hasn't seen my ears? I feel they need a clean out, but doctors don't seem to be looking at minor stuff atm.
I didn’t let my ears dry out, rushed to put my headphones on after a post workout shower, got swimmers ear, scrapped the surface a little the next day trying to clean it, swelled shut the next day.
Ok but I suffer from what I’m calling “sweaty ear” where when I have my ear buds in, my ears get extra waxy and my earbuds fall out. I need to clean them to use my headphones
You better not clean those ears you better not clean those ears Me : I'm not gonna lie i just cleaned my ears lol Edit : you didn't touch on Q Grips I been seeing as Internet ads are they actually good ?
OMG I really went 39 years without learning this?!?!?! Holy cow I didn't realize the skin cells shed outward like that, never again will I jam shit in my ears, I'm sticking to shower water only and the Doctor!!!
I have recently attempted cleaning my ears with a q tip, but now I have a pin in one of my eyes. Do you have any tips to get rid of it during this lockdown?
Do I subscribe? What if Rhys Barber finds out? You have Cawthorne Hooks, he doesn't. He speaks Welsh, you don't. You have a nice cathedral. He eats Bara Brith. What to do......
Ill sit here, Ill listen through the whole video, I'll agree this is the healthier alternative but in the end I will refuse to change my behavior
Same here. Lol
@@ElizabethBSoCal Look forward to blocked ears, infection, and hearing loss then. Good luck with that!
@@PreservationEnthusiast when I did not clean them, I had severe infections. I am very careful and do not do it often. I get them checked every 6 months, and so far all is well.
Doesnt hurt to give the man some business so he can continue to give us this information. Video Title: "I told you so, episode 499"
This guy shows how to keep the behavior, but do it wisely
ruclips.net/video/MhvygmGJUWA/видео.htmlsi=yxrNpNM_KN8qoeJI
Yes! Thank you so much for this, Conor. You're a brave man because I can imagine you're going to be on the receiving end of howls of protest from some quarters. People seem to imagine that whatever the body produces MUST be removed or perceived as "dirty" or unhygienic, rather than there for our protection. Bravo for such a clear & concise explanation.👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it!
Absolutely Brilliant, Connor!! We So Need this, Especially cotton bud/Q Tip Use, Pencils, Pens etc, inserted to Scratch/Clean Our ears. I Used to Push a cotton bud All the way to the eardrum, Yikes! Thank Goodness for Audiologist's Videos, and Your's is Even More Detailed, Great Job, Much Appreciated!! Take Care.
Can we just take a second and appreciate how good of an artist he is?
I thought that, too!! I can't even draw decent stick people!!! 😅😂
Really?
this video may just be the push i need to leave my ears alone. Thanks, connor! I'll try to leave them alone :)
Thank you so much. I know I shouldn't but learning why, illustrated so clearly, is very compelling. You're doing good work getting this information out there.
I'm so rough on my ears. Watching this channel has helped me want to change that.
Thank you for explaining all this Conner! It was very enlighten. I've never used cotton swabs in my ears. My father was a nurse so I was always told it wasn't safe. I hope i get a chance to share what I learned today!
RUclips recommended this channel, your accent hooked me in, this is a really good educational video, should be played in schools.
Excellent Idea!!
Meanwhile they teach to hate whites and reject your gender…. So yeah, this would be a much better curriculum
This is very interesting! It would be awesome if you could make a video on alternatives on how to clean the ear, if we have to of course. From now on I will wash only the outer part of the ear using my fingers and soap, and maybe gently swabbing with a ear swab without inserting it inside the ear
I found myself playing all your vids. Your content is awesome ❤️ thank you.
Thank you for watching and supporting the channel
I am curious about how this applies to people like me, that don't make waxy cerumen (it's not any thicker than regular sweat) and have very enthusiastic sebaceous glands (oily ears). I pretty much just use cotton buds to absorb excess water from my ears after showers but I always wonder if that's okay. 😅
Excellent video. Thank you.
What about the itching inside my ear??
Itching can be caused by a few different things, will make a video on it
Great, Connor!
@@DurhamHearingSpecialists I'd love to see it.
Thank you for this brilliant video. I am constantly telling members of my family to leave their ears alone. I'm going to get them to watch this one.
Well Done, That Woman!
In a random morning of 2018 I woke up with a lot of pain inn my ear. I couldn't hear anything... Apparently the wax got to a "blocking" point. After using a drop for sometime it got better...
Since then I never stopped hearing a noise in my right ear. I did some exams and etc but no one found out. Since then I'm extremely careful with loud noises. Im also really scared of water entering the ear in any occasion and I don't normally use the cotton swab.
A doctor said my ear drum might've been affected, but never explained anymore than that.
SO...How should one clean the ear?? I use a towel around my finger aftershock shower. I that ok? I rarely use cotton buds unless I still feel water in my canal. Please elaborate. Thanks. Very interesting video and you are a great instructor! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
I think a towel or tissue round the outside after a shower is harmless, I would just avoid inserting anything into the canal as the ear self cleans.
My ears bother me after my daily shower so I gently hold a soft tissue in the canal to absorb the water. Sometimes I use my pinky finger to hold it there for a few seconds. It works for me with no issues. TJ Maryland USA.
Excellent video. Very informative. Great videos.
Any advice for someone who has been told by multiple doctors I have stupidly narrow ear canals? I have to go in every 3-6 months to have my ears cleaned by a doctor just due to my wax build up and that wax gets impacted. Every time I do get my ears cleaned one or both ears tend to develop and ear infection just days after [ normlay my left ear in particular] What can I do to limit this and better protect myself or am I just naturally prone to infection [ I was as a child had to have tubes in my ears when little due to chronic infections] currently with an infection after a cleaning the other day irrigation /cureting as I can find any Ear doctors in my area in WV that does micro suction
Thank you for this! Very informative.
How would you deal with someone with dark wax clogging the ears? So like you can soften it but how do you get it to come out? Besides going to get them done professionally....
Thanks again! 😁
I would use alot of olive oil of several days, it will soften and encourage it come out forwards and out. Best see a doctor or nurse though so they can have a look before you start doing anything.
Thank you for the advice Connor. Love and prayers from Shillong Meghalaya India. God bless you
Very nice. I've heard the explanation of these mechanisms many times, but the visual really helped my understanding.
I have just found this after 2 months. And I definitely will not be using cotton buds for my ears again. My Dad always said “the only thing you should clean your ears with is your elbow!” A man of very few words, but when he passed on his wisdom 😊
One question for you Connor. My daughter, who is 12, has excess wax at the opening of her ear. And as it is very visible. How do I clean that area without pushing it back in?
A very easy to follow & knowledgeable video. Thank you for making ears & skin etc interesting 😀🏴
Your Dad had sound advice! Regarding your daughter, perhaps just a moist flannel will do just fine around the edges, wax at the entrance is a good sign, her ear is protecting itself and the wax is migrating out normally.
@@DurhamHearingSpecialists thank you for your reply 😊 She isn’t keen to let me near her ears, so thankfully I have never used a cotton bud in her ears. But I admit I have 🙁 But now I know the problems they cause. My elbow will be the only thing going near my ear 😆🏴
But man, does it feel good.:)
I made the mistake of using my fingers and cotton swabs to clean out and itch my ears. That pushed the wax all the way back to the eardrum and getting stuck in that pit. My ears ended up being so clogged I couldnt hear very well anymore but I couldnt go to an ear specialist because my dad prevented me from going and its very expensive to get them cleaned out. So I had no choice but to clean them at home using an endoscope, and some earwax softener. I was only able to get some of the wax out of my right ear to expose the ear drum a bit and now I am able to hear so much more clearly. My ear does feel a bit sore around the walls and probably because the remaining earwax is still sitting near the drum too. I might put some more drops in the right ear to help clean it out. Its really scary to do this at home but I was lucky to not damage the eardrum. I wouldnt recommend doing it at all on your own and never to put your fingers in your ear to itch them. Also dont use earbuds because that will push the wax in too.
When my sinuses and allergies act up, I feel a tickle in my ears and when I dab a tissue at my ear there is liquid that is yellow. What do you recommend as far as cleaning that? I normally just wipe at the edge with a tissue or swap just that entrance with a cotton bud.
Best stick to the periphery as you're doing with a tissue, if it's bothering you see your doctor
using a qtip to scratch my ear canal is so satisfying and works so well, I'll never not use one. I've never had a problem and when warm water mixes with the wax I feel like it's effectively being removed
That was very informative video Conor, I told my mom that cleaning your ears isn't necessary but she keeps insisting that I should pour water and fill my ears with water while taking a shower. She says that my ear got clogged by excess earwax because I didn't do what she said. Does she have a point? Should I fill my ears with water when showering?
I don't think filling your ears with water will do a huge amount of good, it's not the worst thing in the world but your ears should be just fine without
I would think putting water in the ears could cause swimmer's ear if it gets stuck.
@@KitKat-xn7bs Oh I would love to see Conor explain this *swimmer's ear* thing, is it the water that causes it?
@@Ebu26 I was told that you could get swimmers ear from getting water in your ears. Even the shower water could cause it. That is what they call certain type of ear infection in the states. I would also like to see a informational video on that too!
Kit Kat, Swimmer's Ear is Not an Infection, But if Somebody has that Condition, or Craters, in the ear canal, Water Can Pool in the ear, and Lead to Infection. Swimmer's Ear is Caused by Diving, or Swimming in Cold Water. It Causes Overgrowth of the Bones, where the water can stay in that area, So therefore the Bacteria in it Can Cause Infection.
Thank you for this amazing video! What is your opinion on ear candles?
Your a cross between Sam claflin and Tom Hiddelston.
Thanks, it's very helpful to understand why. So how can i clean my ears when they get sticky to the touch? How about wearing in-ear ear buds and the wax that comes out on the ear pieces?
Even if you do need your ears cleaned (say because you have one of those genes that causes wax overproduction) it doesn't make sense to clean them. You could buy the same tools as an ENT does and still mess it up. Why? The ENT and audiologist can see that they are doing when they try to clean your ears but you can't see what you're doing, so even the right tools won't work.
And Could Seriously Damage the ear canal walls and eardrum!
For whatever reason, if I don't clean my ears, wax builds up until I can't hear. It's awful! And I guess it's a coincidence, but my husband has always had the same problem. I have to clean my ears at least one a week. I clean them by letting a shower stream irrigate each ear for about 30 seconds. Afterwards I put a drop of isopropyl alcohol in each ear to dry up any water. I've been doing this for at least ten years and I never get ear wax build up anymore. I told my husband about it and now he does the same and he no longer has build up issues either. Before we started doing this, we would have clogged ears every few months that were itchy and made sound muffled.
Good information Connor, thank you.
What about a video concerning hearing protection devices?
I personally prefer the "micky mouse" (over the ear) sort of hearing protection while many prefer the little squishi things you squish together and put into the ear canal which thenwiden again and close it up.
And then there are the anatomically formed ones you put into the ear canal.
Wouldn't the latter two also shove material that should come out inwards and thus not do a favor?
I’m thoroughly convinced. Thank you.
What does it mean when your ears get itchy sometimes? I can't help but put in my finger sometimes and try to scratch(?) it.
UGH! I have been using QTips. Should I get them professionally cleaned?
Thank you so much for this explanation. It was very helpful and easy to understand.
Very informational! Thank you
I often wake up with moist / humid moisture inside my ear inside the ear that was against my pillow. I message the cartilage of my ear to confirm sufficient moisture then clear it with a Q tip. Seems like an 💯approach as a binge watcher of your channel, but feel I may be missing an important safety aspect. I know Qtips aren’t supposed to be used inside ears, but otherwise follow basic safety measures. Primarily not sharing a tip from 1 ear to another
I've seen to many videos of ears going nuclear from people leaving wax to then having to go and having them cleaned, at the end with horrible results (not from the cleaning) from the infections. I have done mine and no problems.
Very informative, wearing ear plugs doesn't cause any problems like the reason #2?
The generic foam ones do alot of the time
Glad to see you and good information.
I wear ear plugs for 12 hours a day during my work shift,its a foam that expands in the ear..can this cause problems?.
It could, I would advise investing in a pair of custom made plugs, you can get them made for you by your local Audiologist
Thank you mr. Boland😁👍
my ears get a little itchy if I don't clean them and I find the build-up of wax and moisture in my ears to be rather uncomfortable. Why is this, and what can I do about it? For some reason it happens to my right ear and not so much my left and the only reason I could think why is that I sleep on my left side.
I have wet earwax that kind of keep hanging around the mouth of the ear canal what should I do because if i left it alone it is really itchy
Would be interested into knowing more about the impact of wisdom teeth on ears... that's a mystery to me.
Thank you for another awesome teaching video!
You're welcome!
Awesome ❤ Thanks for the education. However, can you tell me what IS OK for me to do in the way of cleaning my ears? I have very oily ears, so much so that it leaves smears on my phone. 😱
Soap and water in shower doesn't really do it. I've been pouring a bit of alcohol in my ear and then letting it drain out. (I never use cotton buds) I will pat the outer ear with tissue but since alcohol is a drying agent it seems to help my oily ear canal. Is this practice bad?
The downside to putting alot of alcohol in is it might knock out of balance the natural flora of microorganisms in the canal and possibly pave the way for a fungal infection. Perhaps see a doctor to see if there's a build up of wax.
You should listen to the doctor, but I have been putting one drop of alcohol in each year after I shower for many years and never have any problem. I clean my ears in the shower with the shower stream and then use the alcohol to dry up any water let in my ears. Before I started doing that, my ears would get clogged with ear wax a lot. Even as a small child I always had earwax problems until I started cleaning them in the shower.
@@mygirldarby that's exactly what I do too! I'm glad to know it works for someone else too. 👍🥰
Thank you for this perfect explanation of why we shouldn’t try to clean our ears with Q tips!
Very good video
Thankyou
So, can earwax be used as a topical antibiotic elsewhere on the body? Example, on an abrasion to prevent infection? What about internal use?
I wonder why it tastes so bad, maybe it's to keep insects from being attracted to the ear hole? Maybe it could be used as mosquito repellent
Since I watched your videos I stopped using cotton buds. Now I regularly feel that the stuff inside gets loose on its own, but it tickles horribly. I am assuming that this is the normal way for the ear to clean itself?
Is this also the feeling when an audiologist takes out earwax? I am just curious 😊
Thank you for the thorough information! Enjoyable and interesting as usual!!!
Thank you, glad you found it interesting
@@DurhamHearingSpecialists you are welcome! 😊😊😊
Qtips help me to scratch my ears, I have eczema in both ears and often I cannot stand the itch, so I grab a Qtip but I make sure I don't go deep. I never get water in my ears, I am highly sensitive to sounds too. And I hate to put any drops in my ears. I think my ears' self cleaning system works well though. I don't know where I can find someone like you here in Belgium to have my hearing and ears checked. After 56 years, it might be necessary to have a look at my ears... Btw, I love watching your videos. They are very informative too. I love watching ear porn!!!!
I have Eczema in my ears and my ENT prescribed this and it really slows the shedding down.
FLUOCINOLONE
ACETONIDE Drops
This is my problem. After 2 days of not touching my ears, the itchiness drives me up the wall at that point.
There's barely ever any wax, I don't get water in my ears (I don't swim, and do my hair with my head down), sound sensitive too. Never stuck drops in there, so I dunno what that's like but I imagine that's itchy and all.
General flaky skin on my outer ear. Fecking itchiness man. It just drives me crazy. Like, keeping me up at night crazy.
Have you tried a few drops of extra virgin olive oil? Leave in for about 10 minutes and allow to gently drain out by lying on your side with a towel to catch excess oil. Be sure to do one ear at a time. Or, do both together and use a commercial kit with syringe from the pharmacy to GENTLY wash out the ear. Use body temperature distilled water, no soap or medicated liquid from the kit to wash out the ear. If it still itches, a small drop of white vinegar maybe added to the rinse. You should see bits of skin and maybe wax in the pan from your ears. If this doesn’t help, it’s time to consult your ENT doctor.
@@mariekatherine5238 Thanks so much for your advice. I'm not going to experiment with these things, but I'll make an appointment to see an ENT doctor. I already visited a dermatologist and she wanted to give me some drops to use, but I have excellent hearing, so I refused. This Summer I'm seeing an ENT because I do want to have my ears fully checked. Experiments with eye-drops or eardrops I always try to avoid. Thanks for your concern, I'm sure the ENT will have a solution because the itch in my ears is often quite annoying...
What about using earplugs for hearing protection?
As a motorcyclist using earplugs to dampened wind noise, in particular, is very important for preventing hearing loss. No motorcycle helmet is quiet enough at any sort of speed. Earplugs that work well are quite long and fit a long way down the ear canal. I tend to use cotton buds to clean my ears because I can get gunk out that the earplugs may have pushed in a bit.
The last ENT doctor I saw said my ears were VERY clean and asked if I used earbuds. While he wasn't real happy about that, he didn't see any earwax or skin pushed back into the canal.
I see motorcyclists once in a while that use the squishy foam plugs when riding, eventually you can get dead skin building up in the canal, it doesn't happen to everyone though. If motorcycles are your thing I would strongly advise getting some custom plugs made, they'll last you a few years and are much better than foam.
@@DurhamHearingSpecialists I have silicone custom earplugs, but they don't work as well as foam earplugs. The shape of my earl canal changes enough with jaw movements that the seal is broken with the custom plugs and then they move a bit and let a lot more noise in.
I guess as long as my ears remain clean and I have no issues, I will just keep using the foam earplugs. Life is about risk management. :)
Thanks for the reply.
how about using those spiral/screw shaped soft silicone ear cleaning tools? would those help remove the wax without pushing it further into the canal?
The wax is good for your ear. Unless there's too much, don't remove it artificially
What is your stance on using at home kits like Debrox???
Been using quips all my life and never got an infection. If I don’t clean them everyday wax starts building up and I hate it.
I think you are so cute!! Lol ... I adore you ... Thank you for your videos too! Much love coming from Connecticut USA 💞
I can’t stop using qtips!! I feel dirty and slimy if I don’t clean my ears.
At the same time, seeing wax in someone’s ear is down right gross!!!
Now I’m wondering if I have packed wax? 🤦♀️
If you don't have any symptoms don't worry too much, you can see a doctor or nurse if you want it checked
Probably not. I’ve been using tips all my life. And had my ears checked 2 months ago just to check and my ears were clean. And no infections. I can’t stop using quips either.
My ears are itchy a lot...it's been like this since I was very little. Used to keep me up at night. I've seen doctors, and even an ENT and there's no real visible reason for the itching. When it's bothering me at night I can take Benadryl and that does help but not entirely. I use hydrocodone cream and apply it to my ear canal using a q tip. I try to apply it effectively without going beyond the first bit of qtip. I get true relief from this that lasts all night.
And I just can't help absorbing the water immediately inside my ear after shower its so uncomfortable.
Try EarCalm Spray Instead of water. It has Filtered Olive Oil, So Is a Purer Product. EarCalm Will Also Calm any Itching. You Can get it from a Pharmacy, Or from Amazon.
I Would get Advice from the Chemist on the (Steroid?) Cream. Is it for Excema in the ears?
This is my problem! Itchy ears 😭
@@viviennejordan215 no it's not ezcema I'm not sure exactly what it is that causes the itching. I've never seen inside my own ears but doctors have always told me the skin in my ears looks fine not red or inflamed and no ear wax.
I have talked to my doctor about the hydrocortisone because I was concerned about using a steroid regularly and having it make things worse. She said the OTC strength I use is not really an issue. She doesn't condone my using q tips to apply it but I think she also knows she can't stop me. She prescribed steroid ear drops she said I could use if it gets really bad, but that the RX steroid drops I can only use for a couple days at a time for a flare up. But I found I didn't like using those drops anyway they were oily and made my ears feel congested and didn't address the itch as much as I wanted it to.
Benadryl and ibuprofen do help a lot too especially when it's really deep itching.
I understand his point, but what I see in these videos omg. I need my ear clean
As usual very important information. I don’t stick anything in my ears because I was taught not to. My mother was correct. I don’t have ear issues thank goodness.
Great educational video.
Thanks
Thank you! I learned a lot!!!
so interesting. thank you.
I keep wondering about japanese family like mine that the mother used to remove earwax from their children while they are on their lap, actually there's a whole market to mimikaki there...
My mother in law did that with her kids too! When my husband and I were first dating, I went to his mom's house and his little brother was lying his head in his mom's lap as she cleaned his ears. She is half Japanese (Okinawan), so maybe that's why. I had never seen anyone do that before, lol.
Is it ok if you have an endoscope and proper tools?
i used to clean my ears with qtips, but when i was told that this was doing more harm than good, I stopped.. now all I do is wash the outside of ear with a little bit of soap in the shower to get rid of excess oil - I'm hoping this is ok lol... but I do have a bit of tinnitus, and my wife also complains I don't listen to her.. Maybe I should go to the doctor and see if I should get a referral to get my ears cleaned out lmao
great video!
Hi I had a question Will the ear drop pull the wax out of the pushed wax inside? Bcuz my right ear is blocked a bit
I seem to fill my Ear Canal with Hydrogen Peroxide multiple times a week. Is this a good way to clean my own ears?
Unless you have had pressure in your ears for a long time like me then it was time to buy one of those ear cleaner spoon things that have a camera on it so i can safely clean them and see how it all looks.
Are scabies (if one has the condition already) present in the descuamated skin cells? Also can scabies infest the ear canal?
So you shouldn’t clean them at all? X
Would using olive oil be OK even if a doctor hasn't seen my ears? I feel they need a clean out, but doctors don't seem to be looking at minor stuff atm.
Should be ok, see a pharmacist and explain the problem, they should be able to give you a bottle
The explanation that I needed. I apologize to my ears for all the unnecessary abuse. lol
I didn’t let my ears dry out, rushed to put my headphones on after a post workout shower, got swimmers ear, scrapped the surface a little the next day trying to clean it, swelled shut the next day.
I only ever cleaned the very outside of my ears, never in the canal itself.
No choice its nice to use it
Awesome
Haha q-tip go brrrrr
Very, very interesting!🙂👍🇺🇸🙏
I love your videos!
Thank you
How do you clean your ears?
3 good reasons Not to clean our ears!! Hopefully my daughter will listen this time. Thank you Dr. Connor.
Hope You are well!🙋🏼♀️👍🏻😊
Great work, but might I just point out how attractive you are, sir! It’s definitely a bonus to your videos ❤️
earpick is the key or maybe Lockpick
Ok but I suffer from what I’m calling “sweaty ear” where when I have my ear buds in, my ears get extra waxy and my earbuds fall out. I need to clean them to use my headphones
That’s my favorite time to clean. Just don’t cross contaminate from one ear to the other just in case
Just put some warm water to the ear fir 30 sek when you are showing, everything will go out. Afterwards you can oil your ears inside
That first drawing is major suspect
But it feel good when scratch
Aaargh... my ears are itching watching this vid haha...
You better not clean those ears you better not clean those ears
Me : I'm not gonna lie i just cleaned my ears lol
Edit : you didn't touch on Q Grips I been seeing as Internet ads are they actually good ?
I've actually just bought one of those, going to do a review video on it
OMG I really went 39 years without learning this?!?!?! Holy cow I didn't realize the skin cells shed outward like that, never again will I jam shit in my ears, I'm sticking to shower water only and the Doctor!!!
I have recently attempted cleaning my ears with a q tip, but now I have a pin in one of my eyes. Do you have any tips to get rid of it during this lockdown?
A pin? See a doctor I would advise
@@DurhamHearingSpecialists no a Q-tip
i dont really have this issue.
noooo i love to use cotton pad 🥺😔
Do I subscribe? What if Rhys Barber finds out?
You have Cawthorne Hooks, he doesn't. He speaks Welsh, you don't.
You have a nice cathedral. He eats Bara Brith.
What to do......
Haha, I know Rhys and we've given shout outs to each other on our videos. He's a nice guy and I enjoy his videos
Lol. Rhys Used the Infant Scoop, He knew that Connor had Used it. Great Collaboration Between 'Los Trios Audiologos,' Connor, Rhys and Neel!