Cleaning

The hole in the ear , which has become scratched for some reason, people usually try to scratch with the thinnest finger , but in this way the finger can only enter a short distance inside the auricle , but not deep into the ear. For this reason, a special stick-like tool is used for scratching - a scrub.

Ordinary, traditional little hands, which, for example, are used in Japan , are mostly made of bamboo . And although there are portable options, its length is usually from 13 to 15 cm. The largest diameter of the stick is approximately 4 mm, and tapers at the ends. One end is slightly bent or cut out in the shape of a rounded spoon. The bend of the spoon is approximately 45 °, the thickness is 1 mm, the width is 4 mm.

On the opposite side of the scabbard there is an adornment in Japan called “ brahma ” made of bird fluff or in the shape of a small doll. Fluff of waterfowl is used , which is bound by a thread and attached to a stick. In the fluffy state, the diameter of the brahma reaches 35 mm. This device can gently wipe the ear. Its size usually does not allow reaching the depths of the ear, but there are exceptions. From ancient times, large and round objects were called brahma, and the name most likely comes from a special fringe attached to the monk's cassock.

The shape of the scabies is usually not very different, but the material from which they are made has a wide variety: in addition to bamboo, wood , plastic , silver , gold , ivory or tortoise , whalebone , horns of various animals, etc. are used. For painting, it is usually used varnish or urusi . For safety, the tool can be stored in a case or in a special case . There are little hands, in which the fluffy end can be replaced with a spoon.

Recently, more and more varieties of scabies have appeared. For example, a solid end may consist of several small disks attached like a nail head; either be in the form of a spiral, loop or other shape. There are also varieties made of transparent plastic for better visibility and highlighting; and even with a tube inside, working on the principle of a vacuum cleaner . In addition, some needle threaders have a spoon for ear scratching.

Possible substitutes for a toothpick are the thick side of a toothpick , a nail or screw head , a match , a paper clip , a hairpin , a pen , a pencil , etc. But since these items are mainly not intended for cleaning your ears, their use is quite dangerous and ineffective in getting an ear sulfur .

The very first mention of a scrubber left in the annals of Japanese history is related to the kanzashi hairpin, from which this instrument is believed to have originated. The appearance of a spatula-shaped bend at the end of the kanzashi can be considered the beginning of the story of the scrub.

In European countries, there are much fewer mentions of scabies. Around the 18th century there were cases of their production from silver as antiques. However, since most of them were most likely made of wood, almost no earlier specimens were found.

In Japan, professional ear scratching was performed at hairdressers. In the Edo period , there were even special establishments for this. Usually ear cleaning is provided as an additional service for hair cutting, or even as a separate procedure at the request of the visitor. After the passage of the law, in which ear scratching is recognized as a non-medical procedure (2005), special salons specializing in this service began to appear. Also, in some beauty salons and in special entertainment establishments, an additional service has appeared, according to which, for example, you can get ear cleaning, lying on the girl’s lap.

In Southeast Asia , you can also find specialized institutions for ear scratching, but there are often problems with hygiene, as the service is sometimes provided simply on the street or in the park using reusable tools.

Usually, a scab is used when the ears are scratched, but for many people this is a routine hygienic procedure to remove ear wax. But in the latter case, you must be careful not to allow inflammation in the external auditory canal . From the point of view of medicine, earwax has the property of protecting the skin by inhibiting the growth of microbes; therefore, there is a point of view that frequent removal of earwax adversely affects the skin.

In use, the scrub is held in the same way as a regular pencil. Earwax is obtained with a small spatula at the end; at this time, you must beware of accidentally pushing sulfur even further. If water gets into your ear, it is better to use a cotton swab or a paper towel. In addition, alcohol solutions and other methods can be used in addition to better clean the ear.

In otolaryngology, there is also a procedure to remove excess earwax. It is usually performed when the patient cannot solve the problem on his own. In this case, an endoscope , special tweezers, a device for washing the ear, etc. can be used. In addition to the presence of large plugs of earwax, the otolaryngologist is consulted in case of inflammation or damage to the inner part of the ear during the cleaning process.

In the world there are two types of earwax: dry and wet. Moreover, the presence of any of these species is transmitted only by inheritance . Thus, the ratio of the number of people with different types of earwax differs in different countries. Dry earwax is more common in the region of its origin - the eastern part of Asia. It is believed that cleaning the ears with a scrubber is more suitable for dry earwax, and cotton buds for wet ^[1] .

• Cotton bud
• Kanzashi
• Earwax
• Auricle
• Hearing hygiene
• Otorhinolaryngology