Receiving Care

Are Q-Tips® Bad for Your Ears?

Understanding the Risks of Improper Ear Wax Removal

Last update on Jan, 29, 2024

Using Q-tips^® to clean the inside of your ears can be extremely dangerous. Yet despite clinical warnings against it, many Americans admit to using cotton swabs to clean their ears (and their children's ears) to remove ear wax.

The reality is Q-tips were never designed for this purpose. Nowhere on its packaging does it recommend using them for ear cleanings.

If you're using cotton swabs to remove ear wax, it's time to reconsider. In this article, we'll shed light on the potential risks of this method and highlight the benefits of scheduling a professional ear cleaning for clogged ears.

A Brief History of Q-Tips®

Q-tips cotton swabs were created by Leo Gerstenzang in 1923. The idea came to him after seeing his wife struggling to apply a wad of cotton to a toothpick during their daughter's daily bath routine. He then conceived the idea of manufacturing ready-to-use cotton swabs. Today, we know this as Q-tips.

Cotton swabs are generally safe for various purposes, such as arts and crafts, cosmetics, manicures/pedicures, or cleaning between tight spaces. Ear wax removal does not fall into any of these categories.

If you look at its packaging, you'll even notice a disclaimer from the company warning against inserting a swab into your ear canal as it can result in injury.

So, why do people use Q-tips to clean their ears?

Perhaps people used cotton swabs to clean behind or around the ears, eventually gravitating to using it inside the ears. If you saw your parents doing this when you were a child, you likely picked up the habit yourself, believing it is an effective way to remove ear wax.

Besides being an acquired bad habit, cleaning your ear with a Q-tip feels good because you are stimulating visceral nerves which promote a pleasure response similar to eating or tasting something good.

Unfortunately, this improper use of cotton swabs has led adults (and children) to harm their ears and hearing health.

What's the Risk?

Inserting cotton swabs into your ears, even when careful, can cause serious damage to your ear canal's delicate lining, leading to bleeding and other types of injury.

The cotton fibers from a Q-tip can also get stuck in the ear canal, causing further discomfort and blockage.

Understanding Your Ear Canal

The ear canal is a narrow, delicate passage that leads from the outer ear to the eardrum. It's lined with skin and tiny hairs that help protect the ear from foreign objects, such as dust, dirt, or insects.

The skin inside the ear canal is very thin, making it easy to damage or irritate. By inserting a cotton swab into the ear canal, you can develop several problems, including:

Ear Wax Impaction

Because the shape of the cotton swab is not designed to remove ear wax, you are pushing it further down the ear canal, making it more difficult to remove.

Over time, the buildup can lead to impaction, causing symptoms such as:

Ear pain
Ear fullness
Temporary hearing loss
Tinnitus

Ear Infection

Inserting a cotton swab can also push dirt and bacteria further into the canal, increasing the risk of an ear infection.

Bleeding Ear After Cleaning

Using cotton swabs to clean your ears can also cause small cuts or tears in the skin, leading to irritation, inflammation, and bleeding.

Experiencing blood on a Q-Tip after cleaning ears should be a wake-up call that this improper hygiene method is doing more harm than good.

Seeing blood on Q-tip after cleaning the ears but feeling no pain?

Even if you're careful, you may spot small traces of blood on a cotton swab. Whether or not this discovery is accompanied with pain, you must stop cleaning your ear before you cause injury to the ear canal.

Ruptured Eardrum

If a Q-tip is pushed too far into the ear canal, it can cause the eardrum to rupture.

A ruptured eardrum is a tear or hole in the thin tissue that separates your ear canal from your middle ear.

Aside from inserting objects into your ear (like cotton swabs), other factors, such as ear infections, loud noises, or air pressure changes can rupture your eardrum.

Symptoms may include:

Ear pain
Hearing loss
Ringing or buzzing in the ear (i.e., tinnitus)
Discharge from the ear
Dizziness or vertigo

It is important to seek medical attention immediately if you experience these symptoms, as it can lead to other serious complications.

My Ear Is Bleeding from a Q-Tip. What Do I Do?

Instead of using Q-tips, there are safer, more effective ways to clean your ears. We highly recommend checking out our previous article on ear wax removal, which provides alternative methods of cleaning your ears.

If you do notice your ear is bleeding from a Q-tip, it may indicate a more severe condition, such as a ruptured eardrum or an ear infection. Therefore, contacting a hearing care provider is your next step. Delaying can worsen the issue.

Consider Professional Ear Wax Removal

The best way to clean clogged ears is to work with a licensed hearing care provider. They have the expertise to accurately identify the underlying cause of the blockage and recommend appropriate treatment options, such as:

Ear wax removal
Ear irrigation
Referral to another medical specialist when necessary

A hearing care provider can also offer guidance on how to properly care for your ears to prevent future blockages from occurring.

Is Your Ear Bleeding from a Q-Tip?

It's time to meet with a hearing care provider to assess the damage and ensure the optimal health of your ear and hearing. To get started, we have a useful tool that can help you check your hearing benefits and find a qualified provider in your area. Don't let hearing problems go unaddressed. Take control of your hearing health today!

Check your benefits Find a provider