Ear Care

The ears have three different components namely, the outer ear, the middle ear and the inner ear. The outer ear consists of the ear lobe or the pinna and the external canal. Both of these bring sound waves towards the inner ear. The outer ear also protects the eardrum and other internal parts,  by producing ear wax.

The middle ear is a space filled with air, that is found in the temporal bone of the skull. This part converts the sound waves into mechanical vibrations that will be processed by the inner ear. The inner ear takes charge of hearing and balance. The inner warren of tubes within this part of the skull contains fluid and connect to the innermost parts. The cochlea is responsible for hearing while the semicircular canals are responsible for the balance. They are both connected by the vestibule.

The cochlea sends the electrical impulses or the processed sound waves converted to mechanical vibrations than to electrical impulses by the other parts of the ear, to the brain. This makes it possible for us to understand the sounds around us. Meanwhile, the inner ear also sends information to the brain and spinal cord, to keep the body aware of its location in relation to gravity and the earth, to get a sense of balance.

There are different common ailments that can affect the function of our ears. Ear wax is known to be naturally produced by the ear for the protection of the eardrum, but sometimes excess earwax can accumulate and affect your hearing, making you feel blocked.

Ear infections are prevalent too. These mostly affect the middle part of the ear, however, infections of the outer ear can also be contracted such as  “swimmer’s ear”. It is called as such due to the increased risk with excessive exposure to water and trapped water in your ear.

Tinnitus or ringing in the ears can also happen as a symptom of damage, trauma, or muscle spasms in any part of the ear from the lobe to the inner tubes. Cauliflower ear is another common issue, especially in the field of wrestling, martial arts and boxing. This happens due to the damage on the outer ear by blunt trauma. The injury can force the ear to shrivel and fold in on itself as it heals, giving it the cauliflower appearance, hence the term cauliflower ears.

Luckily, your ears do not really require a lot of care compared to the teeth that need regular brushing or the nails that need clipping and filing. But take note that you shouldn’t neglect them and not do anything to cause harm to them.

Your ears get naturally cleaned as you shower. This will help wash away excess ear wax that has made its way out of the ear canal. Although many may think they are unpleasant, they play an important role and allow the ear to clean itself. So, it is not advised to overclean or use harsh medications to completely eradicate them. Practices like syringing the ears and inserting sharp objects lie hair grips, cotton buds and the fingers should be avoided. Syringing can remove too much wax and inserting something to the ear may cause irreversible damage to the eardrum when the earwax gets pushed further into the ear.

If you are suffering from blocked ears due to ear wax, choose a non-intrusive and gentle alternative like drops that you can purchase from True Medical. There are also products for protecting the ears during swimming to prevent swimmer’s ears. 

When taking care of your ears, do not forget your ear lobes. Apply sun protection when needed to prevent sun damage and also take care of ear piercings especially new ones.