Rhiwbina Living

How do you clean your ears?
In my years of being a Hearing
Audiologist, I have been told many
stories about what people clean
their ears with - from the everyday
cotton swabs to pens, paperclips,
hair grips, glasses arms, and car
keys. I’m sure nearly everyone is
guilty of sticking something in their
ears they are not supposed to so I’m
going to explain why the old wives
tale ‘nothing smaller than your
elbow’ is so true.
Our ears are designed by nature
to be both self-cleaning and selfprotecting
and that’s why by using
the wrong cleaning methods, you
risk causing injury to the ears,
damaging your hearing, or even
cause infections.
Earwax (also called cerumen) is
necessary for the ear’s self-cleaning
mechanism to work properly.
Earwax is manufactured by glands
in the skin of the outer ear canal, the
hole through which sound travels to
the eardrum. Earwax serves several
important functions. It coats the skin
of the ear canal, repelling water and
helping to protect it against injury
and infection. It also helps to keep
the skin inside the ears from getting
dry and itchy.
In addition, earwax traps dust and
germs, keeping them from reaching
the eardrum. Usually, you don’t
need to do anything to help this
natural cleaning process unless you
suffer from an impaction that may
have to be removed.
Trying to forcibly remove the ear’s
protective wax layer or stop an itch
can damage the delicate skin of the
ear canal or puncture (put a hole
in) the eardrum. This can increase
your risk of infection and lead to a
permanent hearing loss needing
either surgery or a hearing aid to
correct the impairment. So it is
best to leave the inside of your ear
alone and not disturb its natural
environment. This means no cotton
swabs, no fingers and certainly no
sharp objects!
The ear canal is narrow and
curved, consequently some
people are susceptible to getting
blockages of wax, skin, foreign
objects, debris from infection. If a
blockage is present, you may notice
your hearing seems, dull, there may
be a ringing sound in your ears,
your ears may feel full become
itchy or ache. If this is the case, you
will need to have it professionally
removed. Microsuction is renowned
as the most efficient and the safest
way to remove blockages.
It is highly recommended by GPs,
audiologists and ENT consultants.
Microsuction of an ear canal is
performed under direct vision
using a microscope. The ear canal
is cleared using gentle suction,
proving to be the most effective
way to clean the ears reducing all
risks of infection.
Micro-Suction and
Ear Health Check Day
Thursday 7th Sept
Normal cost £55
Call today as there are
limited spaces
... introducing Micro-Suction
The safest way to clean your ears
Viney Hearing Care hearing centre in
Whitchurch, Cardiff offers Micro­
Suction, the SAFEST way to remove
wax. No more ear syringing
necessary, as there is no
longer any need to pump water into
the ear to remove wax. It is performed
under direct vision using a microscope
using gentle suction and instruments to clean the ears. The ear
canal is narrow and curved and can become blocked with: wax, skin, debris from
infection and foreign objects. This can cause your hearing to become dull and the
quickest relief is microsuction. If you are having problems and dull hearing, itchy
ears, blocked feeling, it could be wax blocking your ear canals.
Come and have a FREE ear health check to determine if wax is the problem.
We will use a fibre optic camera to view and assess the condition of the
ear canal and ear drum. If we find that the ears are blocked
with wax, microsuction is the safest way to remove it.
iney Hearing Care 02920 250121
66 Merthyr Road, Whitchurch, Cardiff CF14 6DJ
www.vineyhearingcare.co.uk
This is a sponsored feature