Is it really that bad to use Q-tips in your ears?
407261
Yes, it tends to compress the ear wax and turn it into a hard lump, which can then get pushed further down your ear canal by the Q-tip. Also, the sensation of the Q-tip rubbing on the skin of the ear can cause the ear to produce more wax. One way to get cleaner ears is actually to clean them LESS! \n\nAn Audiologist who lectured me at university said that the skin of your ears moves from the inside of the ear outwards as it grows so it naturally brings all the wax out with it, and using Q-tips etc to clean the ear worked contrary to this. He reckoned you just needed to wash the outside of the ear, and not put anything into the ear canal itself.\n\nIf you have REALLY waxy ears, you might need your doctor to syringe them, or get ear drops from a pharmacy that dissolve the stuff and let it drain out.
137873
Yes. Most drugstores sell a kit with a peroxide/glycerin solution and a bulb that you use over the course of a few days. Has been effective for me. Some people produce excessive ear wax that can be a problem if not removed. I know from experience that if it builds up to the point where a doctor has to remove it that the procedure can be painful.
414770
You could get ear infections. Wearing ear plugs constantly at night makes your ear canal warm and moist.Plus most people use the same ear plugs night after night. They just put them in their ears without washing their hands first.  Perfect breeding ground for bacteria and viruses due lack of washing hands, changing ear plugs and it becomes a warm moist environment. If you need to wear them every night. Change them frequently and remember to wash you hands before inserting them into your ear.
425119
This sounds wierd but scratch your inner ear with a q-tip (not all the way in just partially).  It works for me!
291389
I wouldn't.  Not only are they ineffective, they're dangerous.  Several cases of burnt inner ears from dripping wax are reported every month.  Most middle ear infections fix themselves, and even when you do need a bit of cleaning, warm water does the trick.  It does NOTHING at all to help your ears, and only poses a risk.  Don't use them, and don't provide them.  They are only a risk.  Several producers are now dealing with regulatory actions against, and some manufacturers in Canada have been banned from marketing them.  They can not be sold in Canada, but some people do still as "entertainment purposes" and the FDA warns they should not be used.
677566
well u can clean the outside part of your ear with ear-buds(q tips) but its wise not to probe further inside...it cleans by itself.. the dirt and all usually comes out while u are chewing or talking... but if you really can't resist the urge then,..... its your ears, do as u please. Ahem!, have u heard the song by lenny kravitz which goes like, "once u dig in, u find it comming thru the otherside..." lol
834404
this might sound pretty gross...how about when you have a bunged up ear and then a bit of excavating reveals a big glob of wax. that is pleasure...
272999
A doctor can fix it by flushing it(irrigation i think). Feels alot better the next day. Sometimes it is just caused from using qtips believe it or not you should never place them in the ear..go figure..hope this helps you out.
305866
Absolutly. But how they get into your ear/tooth/rectum is another story. I used to mess with my little brother all the time when we were kids. Playing what sounded like either computer sounds, or "alien" sounds  from a speak I had placed in the couch. Freaked him out. Of course I would pretend that I couldn't hear it. He eventually figured it out.
391110
Yeah it's weird that your aunt would subject you to that kind of torture.  You ask a doctor and they will tell you that you shouldn't put anything in your ear smaller than your elbow.  But as long as you don't expect your girlfriend to clean your ears out with a bobby pin then she shouldn't think it's too weird.  I think your relatives should have kept their fetishes to themselves.
735899
you can get deph and hearing loss. But make sure you only listen 2 through 4 hours a day. It can really hurt your hearing. If you listen 24 7 then that;s a problem but stilll it can hurt your hearing and you can't hear anymore! Sound will not be! So listen 2 or 4 hours a day. DON'T LISTEN TO IT TOOOOOOO MUCH! KAY?
1130433
check into getting your ears candled.  it is painless and you will be amazed at a) what comes outta there and b) how much better your hearing is.\n\ncandling is really a simple procedure, it is just a paper tube that is coated in a waxy material, it is placed into your ear canal and lit, as it burns down, it draws the ear wax up into the tube.  It is much more effective at getting your ears cleaned than a q-tip that actually will push some of the wax further down into your ear.
397044
It is not recommended to use a Q-tip (or anything else for that matter) to remove the wax from the ear canal because:\n\n1. There is a risk of damaging the skin of the ear canal, which in turn can predispose the ear canal to infections.\n\n2. The wax maintains an acidic pH and thereby prevents bacterial growth, besides also preventing the inner parts of the ear from bacteria/dust etc. due to its sticky nature.\n\n3. If one pokes the Q-tip too deep, there is always the chance of damaging the tympanic membrane (the ear drum).
829680
Put some peroxide on a Q-tip and put it in your ear and just kinda let it set there. That should do the trick and clean out any bacteria that may be in there.
73147
Q-tips are the best-known brand of cotton swabs in Canada and the United States. Q-tip brand cotton swabs are manufactured by Unilever. Most commonly they are used for cleaning ears (though entering the ear canal to remove earwax is not advised, as stated on the package) or applying medicine or makeup.\n\nIt was first produced in 1923 after Leo Gerstenzang, the original founder of the Q-tips Company, observed his wife adding cotton to toothpicks. It was originally called Baby Gays and in 1926 was changed to Q-tips Baby Gays. Later the name Baby Gays was dropped. The "Q" in the name stands for quality.
426261
It could be fluid from cold or allergies, an ear infection, or wax blockage. DON'T stick anything in your ear - you could damage your eardrum. See a doctor, who can look inside and determine what the problem is.
1171335
I burst my eardrum and even when i was told that it was healed, everytime i swam my ear started aching, rather not swim to prevent further damages! If you must then get ear plugs or something that will prevent water splashing into your ear, don't go underwater.