Ear Care Tips (Cleveland Clinic)

Cleaning your ears

• Clean your ears with extra care. Wipe the outer ear with a washcloth or tissue. Do not put anything into your ear smaller than your elbow. Do not use Q-tips, bobby pins or sharp pointed objects to clean your ears. These objects may injure the ear canal or eardrum.
• Earwax is the ear's mechanism for self cleaning. If you have a build-up of wax that is blocking your hearing, see your ear physician to have it removed.
• If you experience itching or pain in your ears, consult with your ear physician to determine the appropriate treatment.
• If you have pierced ears, clean your earrings and earlobes regularly with rubbing alcohol.

Illness and Medications

• Reduce the risk of ear infections by treating upper respiratory infections promptly.
• Some illnesses and medical conditions can affect your hearing. If you experience sudden hearing loss or persistent noise in your ears or head, see an ear physician immediately.
• Drainage from the ear is not normal and should be evaluated promptly.
• Some medications can affect hearing. Take medications only as directed, and consult your physician if you experience unusual hearing, balance symptoms, or ringing in the ears.

Noise

• At home or work, wear hearing protection during exposure to loud levels of noise. This includes mowing the lawn, leaf blowing or using power tools. By law, a noisy work environment will require the use of hearing protection.
• When using stereos and home theater systems, avoid excessive volume. If you think it is too loud, it probably is.
• When using personal sound systems, the volume should be comfortable. If someone else can hear what you are listening to, the volume is too high. Remove the headphones from time to time to give your ears a rest.
• Wear earplugs at rock concerts, nightclubs and motor sporting events.
• Keep automobile sound systems at sensible volumes. This can help you avoid hearing damage and allow you to hear and yield to emergency vehicles.

Safety Issues

• Always wear a helmet when you bike, ski, and roller blade or in any other activity that puts you at risk for head and ear injuries.
• If you scuba dive, learn and practice proper underwater techniques to avoid potentially damaging changes in pressure inside your ears.
• When flying in an airplane, swallow and yawn frequently when the plane is ascending and descending to equalize pressure in your ears. If you have an upper respiratory problem such as a cold or sinus infection, take a decongestant a few hours before descending, or use a decongestant spray just prior to descent and on landing.
• Earplugs with special filters can be purchased to help equalize air pressure in ears during air travel.