Doctors and researchers are recommending the public to let ear wax lie, because the danger associated with using cotton swabs is sending too many people to the hospital, according to a study published in The Journal of Pediatrics.
“This is not like brushing your teeth every day. Children and adults do not need to clean out the ear canal of wax as part of a routine hygiene practice,” Dr. Kris Jatana, assistant professor of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery at the Ohio State University and the lead author of the study, told CNN.
Researchers found that between 1990 and 2010, over 260,000 children visited the emergency department for cotton-tip applicator related ear-injuries — an average of about 34 injuries per day.
For injuries in children between 0 and 3, they were most commonly handling the cotton swabs themselves, with the most common complications being “foreign body sensation” — causing pain, coughing, bleeding or an infection — and a perforated eardrum.
The researchers did find that rates started to decrease between 2001 and 2010, but they recommend greater education for parents about the dangers of letting their children handle cotton swabs.
“These products may seem harmless, but this study shows how important it is that they not be used to clean ears,” Dr. Jatana said in a press release.
• Laura Kelly can be reached at lkelly@washingtontimes.com.
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