Many people decide against having their ears professionally cleaned. Instead, they use cotton swabs and other self-cleaning methods.

As a result of not having their ears cleaned by a hearing health professional, they risk damaging their ears through their own self-cleaning methods, and they fail to pick up on any long-term hearing-related problems. 

So, to avoid any potential issues with your ear health and hearing, consider ear cleaning from a hearing specialist. Let's take a closer look at why you should.

You won't damage your hearing

A professional will use the correct tools to clean your ears. And with years of training behind them, they will know how to clean your ears without causing any damage within. This is better than you going it alone at home, where you could perforate your eardrum with a cotton swab, or where you might damage the lining of your ear with a toothpick or similar. Such tools are incredibly harmful to your ear, and they could impact on your hearing. A hearing specialist, on the other hand, will know the proper way to clean your ears, without the risk of your hearing being affected. 

You won't experience impacted earwax

You can't see the inside of your ears, so it is difficult for you to clean them properly. If you were to use a cotton swab or similar, you might make matters worse, as you could cause the wax to lodge inside of your ear. Earwax will then build up, and you might start to experience such conditions as tinnitus and mild hearing loss, and you might develop an ear infection. This is why an audiologist needs to be your first port of call. They can see directly into your ear and have the tools available to remove every piece of wax in your ear. 

You will protect your long-term health

The older we get, the harder it is for our ears to expel excess earwax from our ears. For some of us, this will mean that our ears will get impacted on a regular basis, and if left untreated, could cause hearing loss, ear infections and balance issues. It's important to get your ears cleaned regularly then, especially if you are prone to impacted earwax. A hearing specialist will tell you how often you should book an appointment, will give your ears a thorough clean to ensure your ears stay healthy, and will give you advice on how to take care of your ears in the interim. 

It's important to know that a hearing specialist can diagnose certain other health problems that could be causing a build-up of wax within your ears. These issues could be directly linked to your hearing, or they could be symptomatic of other medical problems you might be having. By getting your ears professionally cleaned, you will be alerted to any potential health issues that you might otherwise have been missed if you decided to clean your ears at home. 

Try to not put off an appointment with a hearing professional if you know you need your ears cleaned. And don't use potentially unsafe methods to clean your ears yourself. For the short and long-term future of your ear health and hearing, get in touch with a hearing specialist in your area for qualified advice and cleaning treatments.