Q-tips should never go in your ear!

[tiggerlover]

So how are you to get the dirt out then? Honestly asking.

Would honestly like to know, too.

 

[momof2inPA]

Someone should post a poll.

I confess. I, too, am a Q-tip user.

 

[LindsayDunn228]

I know that your are not supposed to but I just can't help myself. It is part of my daily routine and it is almost a compulsion. I feel like I am not ready for the day unless I have washed my hair, brushed my teeth and cleaned my ears with a q-tip.

Once I get a towel around me, this is the first thing I do!!! I feel like I have water all in my ears for the rest of the day if I don't Q-tip them a little bit!

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

I truly appreciate the OP's PSA. A little professional advice is nice. But having said that, I will always and forever use Q-tips in my ears. I am fully prepared for whatever consequences may come, and whatever trauma may come will be no one's fault but my own. Yes, I am an unabashed Q-tipper

 

[chibichibirei]

Hi, My name is Lisa and I'm a chronic Q-Tip user

I know Im not supposed to but I just cant help myself!

 

[Marseeya]

Oops, I'm a Q-tip ear cleaner too, I confess. I know it's wrong, but there are times when my ear is so itchy from the wax, I just can't resist.

At least I'm not as bad as my DH, though. He takes the cotton fluff OFF the Q-tip before using it in his ear! You'd be horrified to know everything he puts in his ear -- a straightened paper clip, pencil tip, utility knife, a pen cap. He's got seborrheic dermatitis and the itching drives him insane.

 

[declansdad]

I think that there is a difference between shoving in your ear canal and cleaning your ears. Just don't shove it into the ear canal.

 

[disneysteve]

OP here. I'm surprised by all the responses (and confessions). A few comments...

It is fine to use a Q-tip to clean around the outer ear and the opening to the canal. You just shouldn't enter the canal.

It just isn't possible to enter the canal carefully because you can't see where you are going. And, as disykat mentioned, sometimes stuff happens. One of the punctured drums I saw recently happened that way. Mom was cleaning her ears and her DS bumped into her arm.

So how do you clean your ear canals? The basic answer is you don't. Clean the outer part with a washcloth or a Q-tip. If you build up an exceptional amount of wax inside, use some wax removal drops like Debrox. If that doesn't work, go to the doctor and have him/her remove it. We have instruments specifically designed for that purpose, plus we can do it with well-lit magnification so we can see what we are doing.

 

[Viking]

Or do it like GWB: He simply lets Laura blow into one of his ears and all the residual wax flies out the other one

 

[MorganLeFey]

Or do it like GWB: He simply lets Laura blow into one of his ears and all the residual wax flies out the other one

 

[Poohbear123]

I'm overweight, I talk to strangers, and I stick Q-tips in my ear....I'm a total loss.

Me too!

 

[Stacerita]

I can't help it. LIke others have said, its part of my daily routine. I dont stick it far into the canal. Just mainly on the outside and the entrance which can be seen. Im scared to put it in to far so I dont. But I have to clean my ears daily or I feel icky. Also, I like to get the water out after I shower.

The sweetpea never complains about her ears feeling icky so I only clean hers out occasionaly when I know something must be in there (like we went to the beach or have been camping). But once again, I dont stick it in the canal.

My father made the mistake of sticking the q-tip in to far and the cotton part came off in his ear. He ended up having to have it removed in teh ER. He called the company to let them know that the cotton tip came off, and he told them he was aware that he wasn't supposed to put it in his ear, but wanted to make sure they knew the tip slid off. They ended up sending him a bunch of products they made. He called them back becasue he felt bad, he just wanted to let them know what happened, not get more q-tips.

It does say right on the box not to use in you ear. But what can I say, I walk on the wild side.

 

[luvdzne]

O.k, inquiring minds want to know, why do we get all that nasty wax anyway? What makes one person make more wax that another?

With that said, I am a serious q-tip adict. If I don't use a q-tip to clean out my ears everyday they drive me crazy. My ears are forever itchy. But I must say that my ears are never dirty, the q-tip is always clean

On another note, I cannot stand to see a person with wax pouring out of their ears, especially kids double It makes me want to run and get them a q-tip

 

[cdrn1]

My doc told me never to stick anything smaller than my elbow into my ear canal.

That being said, if I didn't pop that Q-tip in first thing after my shower, the icky water-in-the-ear feeling would drive me nuts.

 

[HomeSweetDisney]

I love q-tips. I'm an addict or something. I HAVE to have q-tips. When I first moved to Florida for the college program I didn't have time to get to the store to buy some for like, 4 days. It was terrible. I felt like I was walking around with nasty ears I just have to use q-tips. Plus, the inside of my ears get really itchy sometimes and a q-tip is just the thing to help relieve that

 

[Free4Life11]

I always use Q-tips in my ears. When I was a kid the doctor pulled out a big nasty glop of wax and since then my parents made us do it every day as kids. I feel gross if I don't do it. As long as you don't push it in too far I don't see the big deal.

 

[mckryan]

So how are you to get the dirt out then? Honestly asking.

Especially with one DD who has gobs of dirt each bath day (every 2-3 days). I think I do a good job with q-tips but even the Ped. mentions how dirty hers are and had dug out a tons of black hard stuff with what looks like a chopstick.

When you stick a q-tip in a young child's ear, you are just forcing the wax further in. Over time, it just packs together, and the doctor has to flush out the ears, and then you see the "wax tube" that was in your child's ear. That should be enough to tell you not to use q-tips *inside* the ear. Use them on the outside all you want, but never put them in the ear canal.

 

[UnderTheMistletoe]

How do you get the water out of your ears? I seem to get ear aches if they stay wet at all.. and after a few days ear infections. I have one now becuase we ran out at Disney last week.

 

[Nancy]

I'm overweight, I talk to strangers, and I stick Q-tips in my ear....I'm a total loss.

LOL! Me too!

 

[Marseeya]

How do you get the water out of your ears? I seem to get ear aches if they stay wet at all.. and after a few days ear infections. I have one now becuase we ran out at Disney last week.

From what I understand, and Dr. Steve can correct me if I'm wrong, leaving the wax in your ear is what protects it from the water.

There are ear drops for water on the ear, called Swimmer's Ear or something to that effect. DH has had to use it in the past and it's worked really well for him.