A Professor of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology at Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, Ayodele Sogebi, has warned Nigerians against inserting cotton buds, sticks, and other objects into their ears, cautioning that the common practice causes severe infections, injuries, and hearing impairment.

Delivering OOU’s 131st Inaugural Lecture, titled "Having Ears, Why Then Do They Not Hear? The Causes and Effects of Hearing Impairment Among Nigerians," the ear, nose, and throat (ENT) surgeon explained that the ear possesses a natural self-cleaning mechanism that makes manual cleaning unnecessary and dangerous.

Professor Sogebi emphasized that earwax is a protective substance rather than dirt that needs to be regularly scooped out.

"Cleaning the ear is wrong. In fact, putting anything inside the ear, whether you are using it to clean or scratch it, should be discouraged.

"The earwax, produced by glands in the ear canal, has cleansing, antibacterial and antifungal properties that help protect the ear against infections. Attempts to remove the wax manually could disrupt the ear’s natural cleaning process, push wax deeper into the canal and cause impaction, which could affect hearing* Prof. Sogebi stated.

The don also raised alarm over excessive noise exposure, pointing out that listening to loud music through headphones and enduring daily environmental noise pollution—such as traffic, loudspeakers, and unmaintained vehicles—progressively destroys sensory hair cells in the inner ear.

Highlighting the scope of the public health challenge, Sogebi disclosed that an estimated 11.2 million Nigerians were living with hearing loss as of 2021.

He urged the government to enforce stricter noise control regulations while encouraging individuals to wear earplugs in noisy environments and seek professional medical help for ear discomfort.

ENT specialists global consensus maintains that the human ear canal cleans itself naturally as jaw movements (chewing and talking) push old earwax slowly toward the outer ear opening, where it dries and falls out naturally.

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