A cultural history of the cotton swab

 

The q-tip is widely used product. At the same time it is the number reason for many infectious diseases in the world. How can it be, that a simple product has such a paradoxical effect?

Q tips are sold by the industry with the purpose to clean the ear. Sometimes they are used for cleaning mechanical machines but their main purpose is the application in the human ear. The interesting situation around the qtip is, that everybody knows that an ENT doctor doesn't recommend it and at the same time qtips are used frequently. The underlying problem has to do with missing education. There is not a certain instance in charge but it is cultural problem which affects all countries.

Let us analyze the situation from an ENT doctor perspective. The qtip is inserted into the ear, remove some of the cerumen while a small part gets compressed into the ear canals. If the qtip is used frequently the cerumen near the ear drum will become harder to remove And now something interesting happens. If the patient takes a bath and puts the head under water or if the person is diving in a lake water will run into the ear. The cerumen soak up the water and swells up. A compressed swollen cerumen makes it easy for bacteria to grow in the ear canal. This condition is called otitis media.

On the first look this sounds like a minor problem which effects nobody. But the raw numbers make clear that the problem is urgent. Around 700 million people are effected each year by otitis media worldwide. Ear wax removal and clogged ears are the most common reason why patients are visiting an ent doctor. Also a lot of antibiotics is prescribed each year because of this single problem.

Let us try to understand the opposite party. Why are the people using qtips to cleaning the ear. Because otherwise the amount of the cerumen in the ear is growing. The ear is producing ear wax in large quantities every day. The cerumen never runs out by it's own but it has to be removed. If no qtip is used the ear gets clogged and the person can't hear.

The good news is, that there is treatment available which negotiates between both sides (ent doctor and normal users as well). It is the water irrigation method for cleaning the ears. The idea is to replace cotton swab with a small water pump. Warm water is shot into the ear this removes the cerumen very effectively. Also it prevents that the cerumen gets compressed near the ear drum.

There is only a simple problem available. The method is unknown in the public. Only ENT doctors are using water irrigation systems and microsuction systems to remove the ear wax. Normal users at home are preferring qtips. And because of this mismatch many million people world wide are suffering from ear infection.