Abstract

We studied parents' and patients' approach to earwax (cerumen) removal, patients' level of cerumen occlusion, and the association between the use of cotton-tipped swabs (CTS) and cerumen occlusion. Six hundred fifty-one consecutive patients from the general pediatric practice of the Cleveland Clinic aged 2 weeks to 20 years (57% males) answered a questionnaire with their parents' help. Of the 651, 401 (62%) had used CTS during the 2 months before the study. Examiners unaware of the questionnaire results found that 46 (7%) of both right and left ear canals were at least 75% occluded by cerumen. Cerumen occlusion of at least 75% was associated with CTS use on the left side (P = .02), but not on the right side (P = .27). We conclude that cotton-tipped swab use may be associated with cerumen accumulation.

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Authors

Macknin ML, Talo H, Medendrop SV

Institution

Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44195.

Source

Clinical pediatrics 33:1 1994 Jan pg 14-8

MeSH

Adolescent
Adult
Cerumen
Child
Child, Preschool
Ear Canal
Ear Diseases
Female
Gossypium
Humans
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Male
Questionnaires

Pub Type(s)

Journal Article

Language

eng

PubMed ID

8156721