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FROM THE FIELD
Clinic Logo
Your Clinic’s Name
Street Address
City, State Zip
Phone 000-000-0000
Q-TIP OTITIS OR “WHAT HAVE I DONE TO MY EARS?”
by Your Name, Credentials
One of the common problems we see here in [Name of Clinic] is itching and pain in the ear. This is because almost all patients clean their ears with Q-Tips.
Q-Tips will remove cerumen (earwax) from the ear, but they also injure the very thin and tender skin of the external ear canal.
Earwax is nature’s protective coating for the ear canal. It stops the growth of bacteria and fungus, traps dust and small insects, and waterproofs the ear. When you remove this protection, you injure the tender ear canal skin. This causes bacterial and fungal growth, resulting in a condition called external otitis (ear canal infection).
When you use Q-Tips, you don’t actually remove earwax. Instead, you push earwax deeper into your ear. If the wax gets pushed against your eardrum, it will make it hard for you to hear. Or worse, pushing the Q-Tip too far into your ear can cause you to puncture your eardrum. This will cause a permanent ringing in your ear, dizziness, and deafness.
How should I clean my ears?
Your ears naturally push earwax to the outer part of your ears. To clean your ears, just put a washcloth over your finger and gently clean around the opening of the ears.
Remember; please don’t use Q-Tips, matches, bobby pins, or similar objects to clean your ears.
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