Attention, cotton swab users! It can cause infection...

A critical warning has been issued regarding cotton swabs, which many of us use after showering. So, are cotton swabs harmful to health?

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hakkı Caner İnan, an Ear, Nose, and Throat specialist at Bursa Yüksek İhtisas Training and Research Hospital, recommended wiping the outer ear canal with a thin cloth after bathing instead of using cleaning swabs, which can cause ear infections.

In a statement provided by the Provincial Health Directorate regarding ear cleaning, Assoc. Prof. Dr. İnan noted that earwax is a secretion known as "cerumen" that is naturally present in the ear.

"ARE COTTON SWABS HARMFUL?"

Stating that cerumen has an acidic structure that protects the outer ear canal against bacteria, İnan said, "In some people, cerumen can accumulate for various reasons. This leads to what we call an earwax impaction. A healthy eardrum actually pushes earwax outward. We can see this inside our ear concha after every bath. We can wipe it with a thin towel or cloth."

Assoc. Prof. Dr. İnan pointed out that using cotton swabs to clean ears is incorrect.

INFECTION WARNING

Emphasizing that cleaning with a cotton-tipped swab causes earwax to be pushed uncontrollably further inside or even stick to the eardrum, İnan stated the following:

"The cotton swab is a tool we really do not want to be used. In some cases, if used carelessly, or if someone passes by and bumps your arm while you are cleaning, this cotton swab can exert uncontrolled pressure on your eardrum, which can even lead to perforations in the eardrum. The outer ear canal has a thin skin structure, and if small abrasions are caused in this skin while cleaning, it becomes easier for bacteria to settle. Subsequently, outer ear canal infections, which are a painful condition, can develop. This can be acute, or it can start with 2-3 days of severe pain. Sometimes it can lead to diseases that require longer treatments of 10 days, 15 days, or even a month, where we use various drops. Therefore, we recommend not using cotton swabs, and if you feel any blockage in your ear or think that dirt has accumulated, you should definitely be examined by an ear, nose, and throat specialist."

News Source: 12punto