NHS Choices Condition
Content supplied by NHS Choices
To reduce the risk of developing problems with your ears, avoid putting objects in your ears, such as cotton buds, matchsticks or hair pins.
Putting objects in your ears can:
- damage the wall of your ear canal, which increases your chances of developing otitis externa (inflammation of the ear canal),
- cause the wax to become impacted (firmly lodged in your ear canal) by pushing it further into the canal, and
- perforate (puncture) your eardrum.
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