Taking cotton swabs out of your ears can make you feel good, but like all good things – this behavior is bad for you. First of all, when you clean your ears, you can accidentally introduce all sorts of nasty bacteria into your ears. According to Dr. Adam Roberts, a senior lecturer in molecular microbiology at University College London, the ear has its own ecosystem and mix of flora, and disturbing it can lead to infection. When you stick something in your ear (a cotton swab or an ear scooper), you may be bringing new bacteria into the ear or causing injury to the inside of the ear, all of which can lead to infection. 2, cotton swabs and other things can lead to ear infections will cotton swabs and other things into the ear to “clean” is the fastest way. A study of 87 children with otitis externa found that 70 percent had used cotton swabs to clean their ears before infection, and one-third of them used them daily. Children aren’t the only ones affected; another study that surveyed Nigerian adults found that cleaning your ears on your own with any number of objects was the root cause of ear infections. 3, Some earwax is vital Your ears clean themselves like a super conveyor belt, and earwax like WD-40 oil is the lubricant for that conveyor belt. Not only will you not be able to get it out with cotton swabs, pencils and toothpicks, you may push it inside the ear canal. 4, Without earwax, your ears will dry out or even die Earwax is antibacterial and the equivalent of Vaseline for your body. It will moisturize your ear and keep it from drying out and filling up with poop. It’s so moisturizing that in Victorian times, earwax was recommended as an anti-chapped lip balm. 5: Cleaning your ears will make you fall over Okay, maybe not. But if you get in the way of your ears, then your balance does suffer. A German study that investigated 200 patients with traumatic tinnitus and loss of balance found that most severe ear perforations were caused by explosions and the use of cotton swabs to empty ears. 6, ear candles will burn and make you deaf Ear candles that a hollow candle inserted into the human ear lit, hot air rising to form a vacuum negative pressure, can suck out ear wax, and can even suck out the inner ear, sinuses and the brain in the harmful substances. This method sounds dangerous and ridiculous. Even the FDA is concerned that burning candles may ignite people’s upper body clothing. No scientific studies have confirmed the effectiveness of ear candling, but a number of people have suffered facial burns, perforated eardrums and deafness after doing it. 7, disrupting the excretion of earwax can lead to ear leakage Plugging things into the ear (cotton swabs, screwdrivers or headphones) can lead to earwax blockage. Earwax is supposed to drain naturally, but after you block its drainage, it begins to slowly build up like a wall. Every year in the United States, 12 million people are hospitalized for blocked earwax, and 8 million of them have to have it removed. Continued development can cause a variety of serious problems such as deafness, tinnitus, ear odor and ear leakage (from the external ear canal out of some non-purulent liquid). 8, Cotton on a swab can get stuck in your ear without you knowing it Cotton on a swab getting stuck in your ear is a very common thing. Sometimes people don’t even realize they have cotton in their ears. Imagine a cotton that’s been in your ear for weeks, causing your ear to become inflamed, being taken out. Seriously, it’s a nightmare. 9, There are also safe ways to clean your ears There are over-the-counter ear drops on the market that you can take to soften or expel excess earwax, and some experts even suggest that you can use olive oil (make sure you ask your doctor’s opinion before trying this yourself!) If you feel like you have a lot of stuff in your ears, see an ear, nose, and throat specialist to help you get the stuff out of your ears.