Hearing experts are warning people not to poke their ears clean with cotton buds, as the common beauty tool could damage the eardrum and even trigger hellish tinnitus. Those struggling to hear may believe a cotton bud may be the easiest way to shift wax build-up, but folk are being urged to stop for fear they could cause serious long-term damage.Instead of whipping away the offending substance, the ‘dangerous’ beauty tool could end up pushing the wax too far in, even damaging the eardrum and lead to tinnitus.
Tinnitus is a distressing condition, affecting up to 10 million people in the UK, where the person suffers from a range of symptoms including ringing, buzzing, whooshing and humming sounds. Around 500,000 people in the UK have a ‘debilitating’ version of the condition, according to tinnitus specialist Frank McGrath, which leaves them unable to work, sleep and even function daily.Tinnitus can be so severe that it can lead to depression, alcoholism, addiction and even suicide.
Frank, owner of Tinnitus Care Clinics, is raising awareness of the various common ways a person can inadvertently damage their hearing as part of Tinnitus Awareness Week (Feb 3 – Feb 9). Firstly using cotton buds to clear out your ear can damage the eardrum and trigger tinnitus if the wax is poked too far into the ear.He’s urging people to skip DIY methods to clean their ears and always go to a professional.
Thrillseekers are also at risk, with pressure from planes and watersports leaving people could damage a person’s hearing, and even burst their eardrum in severe cases. Frank advises flyers to try and induce yawning and swallowing to ‘pop’ their ears when they feel they are blocked during a flight.While people who enjoy sports such as diving and scuba-diving risk bursting their eardrum due to the water pressure.
Loud music at gigs is another culprit, with Frank urging music lovers to steer clear of speakers while enjoying their favourite band. Even when not attending gigs, he advises against using headphones to drown out environment noises, as music above recommended volume can harm the eardrum too.Frank said: “Q-tips are dangerous. They are made for one person to use on another person’s ear and that’s how they should be used.
“They’re not designed for a person to blindly poke their own ear when they can’t see where it’s going and how deep it’s going and could end up compacting wax and material that’s in there already. You might get some wax out but you’re pushing more into your ear drum.See a professional, whatever it costs, it is far less costly than suffering unnecessary damage to your ear or hearing.”
Frank also highlighted that some causes simply can’t be controlled, including perimenopause, which can cause hearing damage. Frank said: “If your audiologist says they can’t help you, try to find a tinnitus specialist who will help you. There are many out there.It sounds boastful but I am the best, but there are others out there who will be able to help.”
One of Frank’s patients Brendan Farrell, from Drogheda, Ireland, had chronic tinnitus that sounded like a very loud dog whistle. The condition impacted Brendan’s everyday hearing and resulted in bouts of depression, for which he was prescribed antidepressants and sleeping tablets.
Frank’s treatment for Brendan included a highly-acclaimed Widex Zen Tinnitus Programme from one of the UK and Ireland’s leading hearing aid providers. Brendan was treated with QNAS (Quietness via Neuro Auditory Stimulation), a ground-breaking approach to tinnitus relief, which has been proven to be highly effective in treating the most complex and severe cases of tinnitus.
It uses the highly-acclaimed Widex Zen tinnitus programme and involves an initial assessment before patients are empowered to manage symptoms confidently by educating them on how to manage tinnitus reduction first-hand. Finally, a customised treatment plan is implemented involving sound stimulation devices, including hearing aids and headsets, to reduce or even eliminate tinnitus symptoms.
Brendan’s treatment has transformed his life and he now feels ‘reconnected with life, friends and family’. Brendan said: “Being reconnected has made life so much easier. I can now hear and enjoy everyday sounds such as leaves rustling, the TV and incoming phone calls.The tinnitus is much more manageable now and my new-found feeling of connectivity has made a massive difference to my life.
“I’d recommend anyone who is suffering from tinnitus to seek the right help. In my case finding the solution has changed my life, probably even saved my life as I’d been in a very dark place, and I hope that other tinnitus sufferers can do the same.”
SIX COMMON CAUSES OF TINNITUS
- Cotton buds (Q tips)
- Gigs/loud music through headphones
- Industrial noise (work/public transport)
- Watersports
- Planes
- Stress
WAYS TO SOOTHE TINNITUS BEFORE SEEING A PROFESSIONAL
- Background noise
- Meditation
- White noise
- Relaxation
- Thinking of something different