Contents:
- Medical Video: 23 SMART LIFE HACKS FOR EVERY OCCASION
- Get to know the anatomy of the human ear
- Yellow liquid function (earwax) in the ear
- Errors that are often done when cleaning the ears
- 1. Using cotton bud or other tools
- 2. Using ear candle
- Then how to clean the right ear?
- 1. Use ear drops
- 2. Use olive oil orbaby oil
- 3. Perform routine ear examinations to the ENT doctor
- The important key is to maintain ear health
Medical Video: 23 SMART LIFE HACKS FOR EVERY OCCASION
Cleaning the ears should not be careless. Because the ear is one organ that is very important and sensitive. That is why, you must be careful when cleaning your ears. So, how do you clean your ears properly and safely? See the guide in this article.
Get to know the anatomy of the human ear
Before knowing how to clean the right ear, it's good to understand the anatomy of your own ear first. Broadly speaking, the human ear consists of three parts, namely:
- Outer ear (outer ear). This section serves to capture sound and localize sound.
- Middle ear (middle ear). This section serves to deliver sound that has been collected from the earlobe to the inner ear.
- Inner ear (inner ear). This part of the ear is called the labyrinth cavity which functions to help maintain the balance of the body and channel sound to the central nervous system.
The three parts of the ear become channels of sound from outside to enter and be translated in the brain. The brain then translates this signal as sound.
After knowing the ear anatomy, you must understand that the ear is not only a hearing instrument, but also maintains the balance of the body. Yes, ears help maintain balance so you can walk, jump and run without falling.
If you feel an ear problem, immediately check your health to the doctor to get the right diagnosis and treatment.
Yellow liquid function (earwax) in the ear
Many people think that the liquid is yellow (earwax) inside the ear is earwax. Even though it's not like that. The fact is that every human being will produce earwax, a substance that is somewhat sticky and yellow to prevent infection, moisturize the ear canal, to protect the eardrum. Everyone produces numbers and typesearwaxdifferent, depending on genetic factors and possibly the underlying health conditions.
The sticky structure makes foreign objects like pollutants, insects, dirt, which enters the ear trapped so that it does not interfere with the workings of the ears. The ears will automatically clean the dirt when we talk, chew, and move the jaw. Earwax will move toward the outside of the ear canal and usually dries out and will come out by itself from the ear hole.
Errors that are often done when cleaning the ears
Here are some mistakes that many people often make when cleaning ears:
1. Using cotton bud or other tools
There are several ways to clean the wrong ear, but many people still often do it. For example, use cotton bud, ear scrapers, even hair clips (bobby pins). In fact, this one method of cleaning the ears is considered dangerous.
Actually earwax has its own mechanism to get out of the ear without having to use the matches cooton bud,fingers, even hair narrowers. This earwax will come out by itself on the earlobe with dust thanks to the urge of the cheek muscle mechanism when you chew food.
So, you don't need to take the risk of rummaging through your ears to the middle or deepest parts of your ears. You only need to clean the earlobe or outer ear.
If you continue to scrape the earwax, then the dirt will actually be pushed into the inner ear. As a result, dirt can not come out and even settles in the ear. Well, this settling dirt will harden and help so that it will clog the circulation in the ear. This is what often becomes one of the causes of a decrease in the quality of one's hearing.
Not only that, aka earwaxearwax trapped in the ear can also cause infection. Because, you can earwax carrying bacteria that come from outside the ear. If your ear has an infection, it will cause pain which will ultimately affect your hearing.
Scouring the ears can also damage the ear canal, and even in more severe cases it can tear the eardrum and eventually the hearing ability disappears.
The eardrum is very fragile, so that the important organs in this ear will break easily even when receiving gentle pressure even from encouragement cotton bud. The pain is quite severe and your ears may emit a clear liquid from the inside.
Still want to apply the method of cleaning this one ear?
2. Using ear candle
The principle of how to clean the ears using therapyear candle is to use a candle to lift earwax and other impurities contained in the ear.
The therapist will put the tip of the candle into your ear and start the fire on the other end. By using a burning fire, this method of cleaning the ears is believed to be able to "suck" the dirt - the dirt that is in your ear.
Although this treatment is claimed to have many health benefits, unfortunately, until now there has been no research that states that this therapy is effective in cleaning earwax.
In fact, not a few cases of ear damage caused by ear candle. For example, melting wax that actually enters the ear canal even attaches to the eardrum or the part of the ear that has burns.
According to the American Academy of Audiology, there is no scientific evidence that ear candling able to pull out the dirt that is in the ear. This is based on measurements made in the ear canal before and after therapyear candle. The measurement results show that the dirt inside the ear is not reduced. The researchers actually found if there are debris ash that settles due to burning candles.
Not only that, some researchers even consider therapy ear candle this is just a myth. The dirt that the therapist shows after doing the therapy is actually the wax combustion, not dirt on your ear.
If left unchecked, the remaining combustion will mix with earwax which accumulates and becomes dry. Over time, this will disturb your hearing.
Because until now there is no scientific evidence, it can be said if the method of cleaning the ears using therapyear candle not recommended.
Then how to clean the right ear?
As explained earlier, basically your ears have a mechanism to clean themselves, so you don't need to clean the inside yourself. But if for one reason or another there is a buildup earwax annoying, you can try several ways to clean the following ears:
1. Use ear drops
Ear drops make it easyearwaxto come out by itself. Even so, how to use it is not just dripping. In order for the drug to work effectively to speed up your recovery, it is important to make sure the liquid medicine actually gets into the ear canal
Some types of ear drops include hydrogen peroxide or sodium bicarbonate. Usually these drugs are sold freely in pharmacies or drug stores. Make sure you always read the drug usage instructions printed on the packaging label. If you have sensitive skin and have a history of ear abnormalities, it's best to consult with your doctor first.
Here is a guide or how to clean your ears using ear drops:
- Wash hands with water and soap or use hand sanitizer if water and soap are not available
- First warm the ear drops by holding them for 1 to 2 minutes, because cold water can trigger dizziness spinning on the head when it is dropped into the ear.
- Open the medicine bottle cap and place the medicine bottle in a clean and dry place, avoid touching the mouthpiece of the bottle mouth or letting it touch any object
- If the medicine bottle uses a pipette, make sure that the pipette is clean and does not crack or break
- Tilt your head until your ears face up and pull the earlobe up and backwards. The same way is done for children.
- Take a medicine bottle and start dropping the medicine by gently massaging the bottle or pipette, dropping it according to the dosage of the medicine given by the doctor
- After dropping, gently pull the earlobe up and down to help keep the liquid from flowing into the ear canal
- Keep tilting your head or staying in a sleeping position for 2 to 5 minutes while pressing the front of your protruding ear to push the medicine in
- Then, clean the outer ear with a wet washcloth to help clean up the remaining dirt that might come out
- After that, wash your hands again
When you first drip ear drops, it is not uncommon for the ear canal to feel sore and hot. But if after giving the medicine your ear becomes itchy, swollen and painful, immediately consult a doctor.
2. Use olive oil orbaby oil
Stacking earwax can occur because the inside of the ear is too dry. If you experience this problem, you can moisturize the inside of the ear using olive oil or baby oil. Simply by dripping a few drops of oil into the problematic ear and wait for about five minutes.
The use of olive oil rarely causes allergies or irritation, but it takes a long time to earwax which hardens to soft and then comes out by itself. You may need to repeat this treatment several times on a regular basis to get maximum results.
3. Perform routine ear examinations to the ENT doctor
In addition to the several methods mentioned above, there is one more best solution for cleaning the ears. Yes, the best way to clean your ears is by visiting your ENT doctor to get professional ear cleaning. Or if you accidentally hurt your ear with cotton bud and feel pain in the inner ear, you should also immediately see a doctor.
In general, check your ear to the ENT doctor regularly at least once a month or according to the doctor's instructions. Checking with your doctor is important, especially when you age.
Because the hearing loss develops gradually, so you need to make sure your ears are healthy every time. You need to do an initial hearing test so that you can measure and take action whenever you have a hearing loss.
The important key is to maintain ear health
Besides knowing various ways to clean the ears, it is also important for you to understand how to maintain overall ear health.
The ear does function to hear. However, the ear has the capacity to hear sound. So, not all voices fall into the safe category for your ears to hear.
If you are often exposed to loud sounds to make your ears hurt, then this can gradually reduce your ability to hear. This loud sound source can vary, for example from your work environment, from the music you listen to, and so on.
To maintain ear health, you need to do the following:
1. Don't put the music volume too loud
If you like listening to music, make sure you adjust the volume of your music player not too hard and to a minimum. To determine whether the volume of your music player is in the normal range or not, you can think for yourself.
While if you listen to music throughheadphones and the sound is heard by someone near you or you can't hear other sounds, meaning the volume of your music is too loud. and you have to lower it.
2. Limit usage headset
Try not to listen to music too often headset.Give your ears time to rest. You can follow the 60/60 rules when listening to music throughheadset. This means that your music volume limit is no more than 60 percent and you use it no more than 60 minutes a day.
3. Use ear protectors if needed
If your work environment always creates loud sounds, such as when cutting grass, using electric tools that make sounds, etc., you should use ear protectors.
While if you like watching concerts, going to the movies, or going to a place that plays music loudly, you should use earplugs. This is done to reduce the high-volume sound effects.
4. Don't listen to two sources of loud noise at one time
This can actually damage your hearing. For example, when someone is cleaning the house withvacuum cleaner that makes noise, you don't increase the volume of the television or even listen to music loudly.
5. Make sure your ears are always dry
If you like swimming, it's a good idea to use earplugs for swimming to prevent water from entering the ear.
If you feel water coming into your ear, immediately tilt your head and pull your ear lobe to stimulate water out. Don't forget, to always dry your ears with a dry towel after each swim and also after each shower, this is important.
