Ear pick
Ear picks, also called ear scoops, or ear spoons, are a type of curette used to clean the ear canal of earwax (cerumen). These are traditionally made from bamboo or precious metals such as silver or gold, but more commonly from stainless steel or plastic.
Use of an ear pick is hazardous[1][2][3] and may be ineffective or counter-productive, acting instead to increase earwax production.[1]
Types
Other than the wide variety of materials used to make them, earpicks vary widely in their tips and embellishments. Disposable plastic ear picks with a cotton swab at one end are increasingly popular.
Tips
- Ladle: The traditional and most commonly seen type of tip for the ear pick. They consist of a tiny (2-5 mm) spoon or spatula that is used to scrape and scoop out ear wax.
- Wire loops: Tips made of multiple small and bent semi-nested loops of wire. The loops scrape and dislodge ear wax, which is then lodged in between the loops of wire. This tip does not function well in removing wet-type ear wax. A variation of this are wire loops twisted into a spiral, similar in shape to the tips of cotton swabs.
- Disks: Multiple circular disks, typically three, extend as hoops out from a thin cylindrical shaft.
Embellishments
- Down puff: A ball of goose down is located at the opposite end of the ear pick away from the tip. This is used to clean out tiny specks of flaky ear wax on the outer ear that may have broken off during the process of ear cleaning.
- Safety Stop: A means of preventing deep insertion into ear canal to prevent ear drum injury.
- Illumination: A light bulb or LED shines light through the clear plastic tip (usually a Ladle type) of the ear pick to illuminate the inside of the ear canal, which eases ear cleaning.
- Figurines: A plastic or wooden figure, such as a small Daruma or cartoon characters are placed at the opposite end of the tip. They exist mainly to enhance the aesthetics of the ear pick.
- Toothpick: Some earpicks end with a pointed tail, which is used as a toothpick. This design is common in Chinese and old European earpicks.
Culture
Ear picks are a commonly used item and preferred for ear wax removal in East Asia. The dry type of ear wax is found in persons of Asian descent.[4]
It can be used individually or by another person. The person having his/her ears cleaned lies down with his/her head in the lap of the person doing the cleaning. The cleaning of ears is often performed by a parent on a child or, among adults, by one's partner.[5] It may also be performed by professional (non-medical) ear cleaners on the streets of cities in countries such as China, Japan, Korea and other Asian countries.[5]
Ear-spoons have also been found in Scandinavian archeological Viking-age dig sites.[6]
Hazards
The practice of ear picking poses several serious health hazards to the human ear. The most obvious danger is that of accidentally puncturing the ear drum and/or breaking the auditory ossicles while ear picking.[2][3]
Apart from the danger of punctured ear drum, there is also the possibility of ear infection from the usage of unsterilized ear picks, especially when ear picks are shared among different individuals.
Ear picks may also be ineffective and dangerous when used by one with little experience or guidance. When done incorrectly, significant amounts of ear wax may be pushed deeper into the ear canal rather than removed. The lining of the ear is delicate and can be easily damaged. The ear is also self cleaning and earwax is needed to protect the ear from dirt and dust.[1]
Trying to clean your ears in this way can also increase the production of earwax.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d Looking after your ears Looking after your ears, Deafness Research UK, http://www.deafnessresearch.org.uk/?lid=1902 Looking after your ears
- ^ a b Cassells, James Patterson (1874). "Otological Memoranda, Being Clinical Observations Illustrative Of The Diseases And Injuries Of The Ear". The British Medical Journal 2 (730): 807–809.
- ^ a b "On the surgical treatment of deafness". Irish Journal of Medical Science (Springer London) 27: 263–273. 1952. doi:10.1007/BF02957032. ISSN (Print) 1863-4362 (Online) 0021-1265 (Print) 1863-4362 (Online).
- ^ Overfield, T. (1985). Biologic Variation in Health and Illness: Race, Age, and Sex Differences. Menlo Park, CA, USA: Addison-Wesley Publishing. ISBN 0-201-12810-1.
- ^ a b Fumiko Keehn, Laura, "The Art of Ear Picking", SWINDLE Magazine (10), http://swindlemagazine.com/issue10/the-art-of-ear-picking/
- ^ Kirsten Wolf (2004). Daily life of the Vikings. Greenwood. p. 76. ISBN 0313322694.
External links