Cotton bud: usage, presentation, complications, and management among otorhinolaryngology patients

Adegbiji, Waheed A and Aremu, Shuaib K (2018) Cotton bud: usage, presentation, complications, and management among otorhinolaryngology patients. MedLife Open Access, 1. pp. 1-5.

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Abstract

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: Cotton bud usage is a common bad health practice among many patients despite associated complications. This study aimed at determining the cotton bud: usage, presentation, complications, and management among otorhinolaryngology patients in developing country. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a prospective hospital-based study of cotton bud usage. The study was carried out over a period 6 months between June and November 2017. Verbal consent was obtained from consented patients. Interview-assisted questionnaire was administered to obtain data. Data obtained were collated and statistically analyzed by using SPSS version 16. RESULTS: Prevalence of cotton bud usage was 83.4%. There were 45.7% male respondents and male to female ratio of 1:1. Common reasons for cotton bud usage were personal hygiene in 25.5%, itching in 23.9%, water in ear in 11.7%, and dirty/earwax in 11.3%. Cotton bud usage for ear cleaning was by self in 54.6%, parent in 32.8%, friend in 6.7%, and spouse in 5.8%. Bilateral ears were most commonly cleaned by cotton bud in 57.1%. The right ear in 25.2% was more common than left ear in 17.8%. No complications were in 37.7%. There were 28.2% injury to external ear, 23.9% impacted cotton bud, and 10.1% traumatic perforated tympanic membrane. On patients’ understanding on danger of cotton bud usage, dangerous, not dangerous, and not sure were 28.5, 60.4, and 11.1%, respectively. Common clinical features were earache, itching, hearing loss, and dirty/earwax 33.7, 19.6, 19.0, and 18.7%, respectively. Long-time (chronic) cotton bud usage accounted for 63.8% while short-time (acute) ear cleaning accounted for 36.2%. Frequency of cotton bud usage in these patients was daily in 54.9%, weekly in 20.9%, monthly in 4.9%, and occasionally in 19.3%. The most common diagnosis of cotton bud usage was personal hygiene in 25.5%. Other diagnosis of cotton bud usage was allergy in 18.7%, otitis externa in 18.1%, earwax impaction in 13.2% foreign body impaction in 11.3%, and hearing impairment in 8.3%. No information, information from family, and information from neighborhood were 31.6, 43.6, and 24.8%, respectively. Treatments offered were health education in all the patients, conservative/medical treatment in 88.7%, and cotton bud removal in 11.3%.

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