Many years ago, the act of feathering was a demonstration of love. This was mostly seen in the villages where a partner would put his or her head on a partner’s lap whilst the partner does the feathering. My father also used to practice it when I was young. He would let us catch a hen and pluck one of its feathers for him.
He would later remove a few pieces of the feathers leaving some at the tip. Afterwards, he would put it his ear and rotate it a number of times. I noticed that the act gave him great pleasure because he would smile as a result of the sensation it produced. Due to the joy he gained from this act coupled with observing a number of people do it in my village, I also imitated it and must admit that it was nice too.However, I never knew that I endangered my ear health by putting things into it. I also did not know that the brownish substance in the middle of the ear was and is not dirt but a purposeful production in the ear.
Many people especially in the rural areas still practice feathering and removal of wax(which is normally mistaken as dirt)from the ears. I have also observed people (even educated ones) and those in the universities use pen covers and cotton swabs to remove wax from the ear.
Some mothers use these cotton swabs to remove the wax from the ears of their babies without realizing the harm rather than good they cause to their babies. When I was young, I suffered recurrent ear infections resulting in discharge from my ear because of this act. Whenever it happened, my grandmother would send me to a herbalist who would put concoctions in my ear. Sometimes it worked but at other times it got worse and kept recurring.
The external part of the ear is also known as external auditory canal. This part has hairs and is lined with ceruminous glands that produce cerumen (ear wax). This helps trap foreign bodies like dust, insects, etc. from reaching the ear drum and getting to the middle and inner ear to cause infections. The ear cleans itself naturally by removing excess wax. Although the ear is self-cleansing, sometimes cerumen can accumulate and narrow the ear canal (impacted ear wax). In 2004, Porth identified it as a common cause of irreversible hearing loss. He added that this condition usually produces no symptoms until the canal becomes completely blocked. The individual at this point experiences fullness in the ear, pain in the ear (otalgia), hearing loss and ringing sensations in the ear (tinnitus).
During a post clinical conference discussion with Valley View University Level 200 Nursing students, they were asked whether they remove wax from the ear and each student responded in affirmative with some admitting to doing so daily. Their reasons were it is ‘sweet’ (Akwetey); the ear is itchy and it helps relieves it (Koranteng); and finally, “Ema me ho ye me yii, na me ho mmoaasore, sore (Domaeko)” which could be translated ‘it gives me some unique sensation and helps me to be relieved afterwards”.
Now due to modernization, there is an introduction of the cotton buds to replace pen tops and other objects in removal of ear wax.
However, feathering, using pen top or any other object can push back the wax further into the ear thereby causing damage to the tympanic membrane, infections and hearing loss. Some of the objects can cause injury to the external ear resulting in otitis externa (external ear infections) which could lead to infection of the middle ear (otitis media and even hearing loss). “Pushing
wax in can induce hearing loss,” says Fitzgerald. “They can also be inserted too deeply and rupture the ear drum or damage the small middle ear bones” (2016).
A 2011 study by the Henry Ford Hospital found a direct association between the use of cotton swabs inside ears and ruptured ear drums. It also noted that “more than half of patients seen in otolaryngology (ear, nose and throat) clinics, regardless of their primary complaint, admit to using cotton swabs to clean their ears. The use of this is still a problem despite the researches and education to the extent that mothers even buy it to remove wax from the ears of their babies. At times the wax become impacted causing pain and itching. Individuals who experience these are advised to visit the hospital for examination and ear washing which can help reduce pain, itching and even hearing loss.
The common method used in the removal of wax in Ghana is the ear washing after softening with either the olive oil or hydrogen per oxide Individuals with this condition are therefore advised to visit the hospital for examination and ear washing which can help reduce pain, itchiness and even hearing Loss. Even though washing is commonly practiced, It has been identified that removal under direct vision by a doctor or other professional is the best method of getting wax out, but it requires a doctor’s visit and the doctor must have access to a microscope. (Clegg A.J,& Loveman E et al 2010). A physician can also remove wax using an endoscope instead of a microscope to visualize the ear canal (Pothier et al 2006). Earwax only needs removal if it is causing symptoms or interfering with a view of the eardrum or ear canal
By: Mr.Osei Appiah Evans, Mr.Oti-Boadi Ezekiel, Miss Anita Adom Boakye
