As a human being, self-hygiene is perhaps one of the most important things in your life. If it’s not for you, it really should be.

Keeping your body parts squeaky clean helps prevent you from microscopic germs and diseases that stick to and fester on your body. It is certainly not unusual for you to seek the best way of cleaning your hair, your nose, or even scrubbing your face! But, have you ever thought of the ultimate form of maintaining your ear hygiene?

For most people, the will answer with a definite NO, unless you have been a victim of reduced hearing or ear infections, which must have obligated you to a visit to an ENT specialist who duly informed you of the number one rule for cleaning your ear efficiently:

Do not clean them at all because your ear canals can self- clean!

We know that sounds outrageous but, this piece of wisdom has been delivered by an otolaryngologist in Warrenton, Virginia, Christopher Chang.

A Quick Lesson on the Basic Anatomy of the Ear.

You may be quite familiar with the outer structure of the ear that includes the pinna or auricle. This is the area that you choose to pierce to keep your fashionista vibe alive. Then, you have the external auditory canal, the path that leads to the middle ear.

The middle ear consists of three primary bones which are responsible for sound transmission. Lastly, comes the most significant part of your ear, the inner ear, which is vital in helping you maintain balance and has canals and nerves to process sound waves.

The University of Rochester Medical Centre explains that between the middle ear and the external ear, there is a thin membrane called the tympanic membrane, popularly referred to as the eardrums.

Why You Shouldn’t Be Cleaning Out Your Ears.

Now that you’ve revisited your 6th-grade science lesson on the anatomy of the ear, let’s get down to understand why earbuds are the last things your ears need.

The earwax buildup, that is often misjudged as a sign of poor hygiene, is, in fact, a natural defense mechanism to safeguard your hearing organ. The cerumen (earwax) is a product of the secretory glands present in the outer half of the ear. It, along with tiny hairs in your ear, protect it from dust, dirt, and host elements.

More interestingly, your ear will automatically chuck off the old ear wax build-up as it produces new wax. Believe it or not, your normal functionalities of opening and closing your mouth for speaking or eating purposes, are efficient agents for dislodging the old dried up earwax. Yet, if you feel too keen to take your ear cleaning in your own hands, the Mayo Clinic suggests using a small washcloth to clean the pinna during baths, and that is it– the beginning and end of your role in your ear hygiene.

Bid goodbye to cotton buds!

If you are too big a fan then reserve them for makeup purposes only. In fact, this same advice is printed on your cotton buds packaging but, some people just need to hear it from the experts. Now, it’s time for you to take that caution seriously. Your ears will thank you for it.

In case you have an infection, or unremitting pain in your ear(s), please visit an ENT specialist because your ears are very sensitive and deserve the best care.