Ear Picks, Curettes, Q-Tips vs Ear Wiz

 

Don’t tell me that you have never been told by your family doctor, or a good friend that sticking anything larger than your elbow into your ear is a big NO NO!  Sarcasm aside, they do have a point, sticking objects into your ear canal is putting your hearing at risk for sure - This includes Q-tips, Ear Picks & Curettes.

Q-Tips will just push the wax deeper into the ear canal, at some point the wax will start to put pressure on the ear drum and this is painful, see your local ENT surgeon or Audiologist immediately.

Ear Picks should only be used by healthcare professionals who can clearly see into your ear and how far the pick is probing, never try to do this yourself or with a friend.

Curettes are similar to ear picks but have a scooped end, for digging out ear wax but still pose the same dangers as Ear Picks.

To my astonishment none of the products I have mentioned above seen have a safety stop to prevent over insertion; it would be a simple addition and prevent many injuries across the world.

Commonly the picks & curettes available are made from metal, so you also  need to be very careful about scratching the walls of the ear canal, these walls are lined with tiny hairs that are important for bacterial defence, probing and scratching the walls can damage not only the hairs but the skin that holds them in place, increasing the risk of infection and the further stimulation of more Cerumen.

Metal Ear picks should be avoided, instead opting for the softer plastic type with a softer tip.

Let’s take a look at the EarWiz, a simple tool that incorporates a safety stop, easy grip handle and has a soft tipped scoop on a curved arm that allows you to remove wax from the ear canal in a simple twist & scoop action.

At only £4.49 I believe this product is a far safer, more effective ear wax removal device than any other similar product currently available & is great for those who use hearing aids, earplugs or earphones on a regular basis as this product can help to keep the ear canal free from compressed wax aiding the natural flow of Cerumen and helping to prevent the need for syringing.