Using Cotton Buds for Ear Cleaning: Self Care or Self Harm, A Cross-Sectional Study in a Tertiary Care Hospital, Abbottabad

Muhammad Imran Shah; Shakeel Ahmed; Tahira  Sajid; Mohsin  Raza; Sohail Ahmed  Malik; Tahir  Haroon

doi:10.37185/

Authors

Muhammad Imran Shah Ayub Medical College, Abbottabad, Pakistan
Shakeel Ahmed Combined Military Hospital (CMH), Abbottabad, Pakistan
Tahira Sajid Ayub Medical College, Abbottabad, Pakistan
Mohsin Raza Combined Military Hospital (CMH), Abbottabad, Pakistan
Sohail Ahmed Malik Ayub Medical College, Abbottabad, Pakistan
Tahir Haroon Ayub Medical College, Abbottabad, Pakistan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.37185/

Keywords:

Cotton Buds, Ear Hygiene, Otitis Externa, Self-Ear Cleaning, Wax Impaction

Abstract

Objective: To determine the common reasons and associated complications behind cotton bud usage for self-ear cleaning in patients presenting to a tertiary care hospital.
Study Design: Cross-sectional observational study.
Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted at the Department of ENT, Combined Military Hospital, Abbottabad, Pakistan, from 1^st April 2025 to 30^th September 2025.
Methods: A total of 300 patients with a history of cotton bud usage were included in the study. Among them, 245 had some cotton bud-related problems. Data were collected using a structured proforma including demographic details, presenting complaints, and reasons for using a cotton bud, followed by a complete ENT examination. Data analysis for the findings was done using SPSS version 27.
Results: 56.7% were male, and the most common age group was 31–40 years (37.6%). Most participants (67.3%) had only primary or secondary education. The main reasons for cotton bud use were maintaining hygiene (27.3%) and removing wax (25.3%). The remaining 47.4% of patients used the cotton bud for ear irritation, removing water after bathing, ear blockage, hearing loss, ear discharge, and foreign bodies from the ears. Common presenting symptoms included itching (35.9%) and otalgia (33.9%), respectively. Other less frequent complaints included obstruction and bleeding from the ear canal, ear discharge, hearing loss, and a cotton bud retained as a foreign body. All these symptoms constituted 30.8%. The most frequent complications were wax impaction (34.7%) and otitis externa (29%), with a small proportion presenting with retained cotton fragments and canal trauma.
Conclusion: Cotton buds are commonly used to maintain ear hygiene and to remove earwax, and they are frequently associated with complications such as wax impaction and otitis externa.

How to cite this: Shah MI, Ahmed S, Sajid T, Raza M, Malik SA, Haroon T. Using Cotton Buds for Ear Cleaning: Self Care or Self Harm, A Cross-Sectional Study in a Tertiary Care Hospital, Abbottabad. Life and Science. 2026; 7(3): 333-338. doi: http://doi.org/10.37185/LnS.1.1.1144