For years (actually ever since I was born) I always watched my mom used Qtips inside her ears. I guess I partook in the habit, and nowadays I am a chronic Qtip user. Strangely enough I have actually become addicted to the feeling of qtips, and the sensation it provides!
Now most of us all know that health care professionals always warn that qtips nor any foreign object should ever be stuck down the ear canal. Even the Qtip company states clearly on the box: "If used to clean ears, stroke gently around the outer surface of ears only"
In fact, if you look closely at the Qtip box, you should see something like this:
Nowhere on the box is there an illustration of an ear at all! And yet 85%* of people use Qtips solely for cleaning there ears! Now we know the Qtip company is smart, and is simply evading the possibility of being sued, but everybody knows that if it weren't for ears and that awesome magical feeling, Qtip would be out of business!
Doctors actually say that using Qtips presents great risk to your health. There is a large risk of rupturing your ear drum, and packing the ear wax deep into your ear, where it can cause earaches. It's well known that the normal lining of ear wax is actually supposed to protect your ear from bacteria and infections. But I don't care, I happily dig away with my Qtip everyday!
So my question to you TL... is how many of you use Qtips in your ear?
Poll: Do you stick it in the ear?
YES It feels so good! (200)
77%
No, I love the wax. (59)
23%
259 total votes
Your vote: Do you stick it in the ear?
(Vote): YES It feels so good! (Vote): No, I love the wax.
I realized like a year ago that they aren't actually supposed to be used for your ears and I freaked out a bit. I still do it though anyway because I mean how else are you supposed to clean your ears wtf. I'm more careful now though. ;(
On May 05 2010 17:54 Warrior Madness wrote: how the hell are you supposed to clean the inside of your ears then??
Doctors say your not supposed to. Instead, you can run warm water through it once in a while.
(This is what my doctor said to me when I was in for a regular checkup). I was really upset about her recommended treatment though. I mean, I use Qtips to take the water out after a shower too! What's the point of running water through it =/
On May 05 2010 17:54 Warrior Madness wrote: how the hell are you supposed to clean the inside of your ears then??
Doctors say your not supposed to. Instead, you can run warm water through it once in a while.
(This is what my doctor said to me when I was in for a regular checkup). I was really upset about her recommended treatment though. I mean, I use Qtips to take the water out after a shower too! What's the point of running water through it =/
That's gross =\ I googled it and there are like $6 ear cleaning kits available in pharmacies. I have tinnitus, and I wonder if it is related to the fact that I clean inside my ears everyday and have been for years.
Probably not the healthiest thing for your ears, however I have a strange feeling a large reason they strictly warn you on the box is fear of being sued by some idiot who is overly aggressive in there and fucks something up...
That being said I have done it and I'm sure I'll do it again, but honestly I rarely get the urge and haven't used one for my ears in almost a year.
On May 05 2010 17:54 Warrior Madness wrote: how the hell are you supposed to clean the inside of your ears then??
Doctors say your not supposed to. Instead, you can run warm water through it once in a while.
(This is what my doctor said to me when I was in for a regular checkup). I was really upset about her recommended treatment though. I mean, I use Qtips to take the water out after a shower too! What's the point of running water through it =/
That's gross =\ I googled it and there are like $6 ear cleaning kits available in pharmacies. I have tinnitus, and I wonder if it is related to the fact that I clean inside my ears everyday and have been for years.
using q-tips to clean your ear out can pack in the wax - which can cause ear infections - which tinnitus is a symptom of
On May 05 2010 17:54 Warrior Madness wrote: how the hell are you supposed to clean the inside of your ears then??
Doctors say your not supposed to. Instead, you can run warm water through it once in a while.
(This is what my doctor said to me when I was in for a regular checkup). I was really upset about her recommended treatment though. I mean, I use Qtips to take the water out after a shower too! What's the point of running water through it =/
That's gross =\ I googled it and there are like $6 ear cleaning kits available in pharmacies. I have tinnitus, and I wonder if it is related to the fact that I clean inside my ears everyday and have been for years.
using q-tips to clean your ear out can pack in the wax - which can cause ear infections - which tinnitus is a symptom of
Well, I went to an ear specialist and he said that he could find no physiological cause that might be causing the tinnitus so he reffered me to go see a neurologist. I'll probably buy some ear cleaning kit though. I just don't feel clean if I don't clean my ears after showers.
I am a fetish for sticking things in my ear, but instead of a Qtip, i used a toothpick, or a pen cap. just to scoop out the wax. And i run shower water in my ear also.
Uhg, just the thought of cotton in my ears makes me shiver.
For some reason I've never liked the feel of cotton (especially cotton balls) so I have never got one anywhere near my ear.
When I wore glasses I would use the part that goes on your ear from time to time, but putting anything in your ear is really dangerous so I very rarely did that.
On May 05 2010 17:54 Warrior Madness wrote: how the hell are you supposed to clean the inside of your ears then??
I'm not sure but in Korea, there we have "ear cleaners", like a really small metal spoon, you can use to clean your ears. I've always grown up using it so its kind of normal but
it doesn't hurt as long as your gentle
but now that I think about it, not sure about the health implications...
On May 05 2010 17:54 Warrior Madness wrote: how the hell are you supposed to clean the inside of your ears then??
I'm not sure but in Korea, there we have "ear cleaners", like a really small metal spoon, you can use to clean your ears. I've always grown up using it so its kind of normal but
it doesn't hurt as long as your gentle
but now that I think about it, not sure about the health implications...
those are the things i was talking about. How do you stick that into your ear?
This was a bit of a shocker, i always thought the very thing was designed for 'inside the ear canal'-cleaning. O_O
We need study on the possible health implications (if there is any at all; properly used). Im sure the utmost highest precentile of Qtip users actually use them to clean the inside of their ears..
Doctors actually say that using heroin presents great risk to your health. There is a large risk of physical dependency, and decrease in kidney function. It's well known that the sharing needles can lead to bacterial or fungal endocarditis and possibly venous sclerosis. But I don't care, I happily dig away with my needle tip everyday!
I never use q-tips. They feel so gross. I actually had some ear infection when I was a kid so they doctors were consistantly sticking shit into my ear so I guess I've grown to hate it. I never have any wax problems but I do swim a lot so maybe that has something to do with it.
On May 05 2010 17:54 Warrior Madness wrote: how the hell are you supposed to clean the inside of your ears then??
I'm not sure but in Korea, there we have "ear cleaners", like a really small metal spoon, you can use to clean your ears. I've always grown up using it so its kind of normal but
it doesn't hurt as long as your gentle
but now that I think about it, not sure about the health implications...
those are the things i was talking about. How do you stick that into your ear?
You use it like an archeologist digging for ancient treasure.
With your self-awareness, hand-feel coordination, gently scrape the walls of your ear canal. Don't do it too hard, you can cause bleeding, which can lead to infection.
If you do it right, dead skin and ear-wax will all culminate inside the "spoon", while you're left with a tingling, warm feeling.
Do it in places where there aren't any people around, so that the danger of getting that thing rammed into your brain is close to 0%.
My ears got infested two times already, the first time I had to go to the hospital and the doctor simply told me to not use Q-tips anymore. But I still use it after a shower because it feels really good. But I think you should only use it on the outside of the ears and clean the inside with water.
Been using cotton tips (or qtips) to clean my ears (inside and the shell-thing) for as long as I can remember, always got warned that you can damage your hearing if you go to deep. The 'serious health risk' only happens if you are 'seriously stupid' imo.
*grabs box of cotton tips*..
The only thing it says on the front are (after translation by moi)
100% cotton tips Soft ca. 200 pieces Do not stick into ear canal
anybody remember the episode of friends where chandler told joey to "stop the qtip when there is resistance" after joey did/said something stupid? lol that was hilarious. that's what qtips remind me of.
holy fuck i hate the feeling of that cotton shit in my ears. I clean my ears with a piece of toilet paper after showering to get rid of any shampoo etc that may have gotten in there.
I use cotton buds 50% to clean 50% for that excellent feeling (it's like wiping your arse) that you dont get all the time.
I can only do it once every few months though because I think I get carried away and always end up with fucked ears for a few days after, like my head is underwater. I've always had bad ears though, infections from swimming etc
The few days bad feeling after is outweighed ten fold by the orgasmic feeling when poking around in your ear
It seriously feels so good to clean my ears with qtips. Next time I think I'll do it while I get head. If anyone has a stable girlfriend try this out and report.
On May 05 2010 19:24 vGl-CoW wrote: when i stick a qtip in my right ear i get a really strong impulse to cough
It's due to you stimulating the vagus nerve. The same stimulation can actually lead to people passing out... Which is why you shouldn't use cold water to clean your ears.
if i wait a few days between q tipping i feel like i'm getting blasted on some drug, it's such a great sensation *____*
but i can never wait a few days unless i'm like out
my mom used to q tip my ears when i was young (and use a metal spoon type thing but not quite like that, more of a hairpin) but eventually I learned how to do it myself and I eventually learned how to to spin the q tip right on the Q-spot as I call it, causing me to Q-gasm like mad.
I love the feeling I get when cleaning my ears with qtips. I use water mainly to clean my ears while showering then clean the leftovers/dry out my ears afterwards using qtips. The feeling of poking around in your ears is awesome although I'm careful not to get too deep
On May 05 2010 20:39 Gridlock wrote: I use cotton buds 50% to clean 50% for that excellent feeling (it's like wiping your arse) that you dont get all the time.
I can only do it once every few months though because I think I get carried away and always end up with fucked ears for a few days after, like my head is underwater. I've always had bad ears though, infections from swimming etc
The few days bad feeling after is outweighed ten fold by the orgasmic feeling when poking around in your ear
i dunno about everyone else but wiping my ass isnt an 'excellent feeling' for me
I run water in my ears every day in the shower and pick out the wax with my fingernails. That way I don't have to buy QTips... but I wonder how many gallons of water I've wasted in my entire life on that. It would probably fill a lake.
I can tell on the days when I forget or don't have time to clean my ears in the shower, because it itches.
On May 05 2010 21:38 Piy wrote: Apparantly you aren't meant to put anything wider than your elbow in your ear or something. But what do those "doctors" know about anything.
After 6 years of study I would like to believe a great deal...
On May 05 2010 17:54 Warrior Madness wrote: how the hell are you supposed to clean the inside of your ears then??
I'm not sure but in Korea, there we have "ear cleaners", like a really small metal spoon, you can use to clean your ears. I've always grown up using it so its kind of normal but
it doesn't hurt as long as your gentle
but now that I think about it, not sure about the health implications...
wtf... this 100% Korean girl I used to see... used Qtips she never used some metal ass spoon to clean her ears.
On May 05 2010 20:39 Gridlock wrote: I use cotton buds 50% to clean 50% for that excellent feeling (it's like wiping your arse) that you dont get all the time.
I can only do it once every few months though because I think I get carried away and always end up with fucked ears for a few days after, like my head is underwater. I've always had bad ears though, infections from swimming etc
The few days bad feeling after is outweighed ten fold by the orgasmic feeling when poking around in your ear
i dunno about everyone else but wiping my ass isnt an 'excellent feeling' for me
Yeah, I like cleaning my ears with qtips (we actually call them cotton swabs here since we don't have this "QTip" brand on sale), but I hate wiping my ass. :|
On May 05 2010 22:47 gogogadgetflow wrote: So.... you guys only use the qtip when its wet right, either use one when you get out of the shower or quickly splash the tip with running water?
My mom always used a dry qtip but the harsh sound/feeling didn't catch on with me.
Dry QTips are gross, but completely wet QTips also suck. Just barely wet is where it's at.
Seriously how high is the probability of rupturing your tympanic membrane using QTips? Most people here use them and I don't run into half-deaf people at every corner. Daily use of QTips has been working just fine for me for a quarter century, my ears feel clean and I hear well, why should I stop? :/
Btw anyone here not cleaning his ears and using in-ear earphones ? Must be fucking gross. :/
I use them like once a week to make sure that there are is no excess wax that can be seen by other people. However, I believe that it isn't a good idea to poke around deeply in your ear.
I used to use cotton swabs all the time, but recently I got an ear infection in both ears. It was really painful for like a week, and I haven't been using them since except to clean the outsides. Strangely enough, it seems like my ears have less wax in them anyways since I've stopped sticking cotton swabs in there, so there isn't really a need to do it anymore anyways.
I don't like the feeling of them, it gives me the shiver down my spine when I put one in my ear, but I use them of course. Not so much now, but when I was little I would get that same feeling when they took the razer thingy to my head during a haircut.
On May 05 2010 21:42 Ghostcom wrote: After 6 years of study I would like to believe a great deal...
College, med school, residency, fellowship = ~13 years
But yah the ear is self cleaning. It actualy "pushes" debris out through the ear canal.
DONT PUT SHIT IN YOUR EAR. IF YOU RUPTURE THE TYMPANIC MEMBRANE IT MAY NOT HEAL AND YOU WONT BE ABLE TO HEAR OUT OF THAT EAR ANYMORE.
When I was little I put popcorn kernals in my ears, pretending they were ear aids. I got one out, I don't know what happened to the other one. It still hasn't came out LOL
On May 06 2010 00:12 shape wrote: hydrogenperoxide
This, if you want to clear your ears use this. It's painless, easy, and will clean stuff that you can't reach with ordinary utensils. The ear cleaners they sell at the store is pretty much this plus other shit.
Dry QTips are gross, but completely wet QTips also suck. Just barely wet is where it's at.
Hell yeah.
When I was little I put popcorn kernals in my ears, pretending they were ear aids. I got one out, I don't know what happened to the other one. It still hasn't came out LOL
I think a doctor would tell you it probably came out in your sleep (since your ears are constantly "pushing" crap out. But I say fie on them - now you have a childhood memento to carry forever
My ex girlfriend used to lick the tip of the QTIP before she would put it in her ear. She would also only do this when taking a shit. It was reallllly weird but one of the cute things I miss about her, lol.
you should clean your ears with a soft stream of warm water mixed with a little hydrogen peroxide. q-tips irritate the ear and can cause damage pretty easily. irrigation is the proper cleaning method~~
This might be weird, but when i use these (i use them every day) i always feel an itch in my throat, it starts small then gradually gets more irritating before it tickles so much i have to pull it out of my ear and start over. I was telling this to my mom a few weeks back and she said she gets the same feeling in her throat... Anyone else get it? :O
On May 06 2010 00:35 LordWeird wrote: My ex girlfriend used to lick the tip of the QTIP before she would put it in her ear. She would also only do this when taking a shit. It was reallllly weird but one of the cute things I miss about her, lol.
Im curious to how you know this, did you stand over her while she was taking a shit?...
On May 06 2010 00:35 LordWeird wrote: My ex girlfriend used to lick the tip of the QTIP before she would put it in her ear. She would also only do this when taking a shit. It was reallllly weird but one of the cute things I miss about her, lol.
Im curious to how you know this, did you stand over her while she was taking a shit?...
When you live with someone and spend two years of your life waking up next to them you tend to learn some things.
You should not use q-tips. You should not put anything into your ear. Ear wax serves a protective function, its not just some disgusting byproduct of the ear. Of course if its oozing out, it looks gross, so yes wipe it off, but you should never stick things in your ear to try and clean it out.
When you stick things in your ear, you force the wax backwards, into the tympanic membrane. This can cause an infection of the membrane which is painful and will screw up your hearing. The tympanic membrane is also very fragile and attached to some very fragile bones. If you hit it, you can rupture the membrane, and possible displace the bones behind. This is something you reaaally dont want to do.
If you really want to clean your ears out, you can use warm water.
On May 06 2010 00:35 LordWeird wrote: My ex girlfriend used to lick the tip of the QTIP before she would put it in her ear. She would also only do this when taking a shit. It was reallllly weird but one of the cute things I miss about her, lol.
Im curious to how you know this, did you stand over her while she was taking a shit?...
When you live with someone and spend two years of your life waking up next to them you tend to learn some things.
Lol fair enough, sounds like a good enough explanation to me :p
On May 05 2010 21:42 Ghostcom wrote: After 6 years of study I would like to believe a great deal...
College, med school, residency, fellowship = ~13 years
But yah the ear is self cleaning. It actualy "pushes" debris out through the ear canal.
DONT PUT SHIT IN YOUR EAR. IF YOU RUPTURE THE TYMPANIC MEMBRANE IT MAY NOT HEAL AND YOU WONT BE ABLE TO HEAR OUT OF THAT EAR ANYMORE.
When I was little I put popcorn kernals in my ears, pretending they were ear aids. I got one out, I don't know what happened to the other one. It still hasn't came out LOL
On May 06 2010 00:12 shape wrote: hydrogenperoxide
This, if you want to clear your ears use this. It's painless, easy, and will clean stuff that you can't reach with ordinary utensils. The ear cleaners they sell at the store is pretty much this plus other shit.
The one and only time I used hydrogen peroxide to clean my ears, I got an ear infection.
I've read that it can leave your ears too dry, which can lead to infection.
Nowadays I just rinse my ears out with water in the shower. It feels good to feel the water draining out from deep inside my ear, I have to admit.
On May 06 2010 00:12 shape wrote: hydrogenperoxide
This, if you want to clear your ears use this. It's painless, easy, and will clean stuff that you can't reach with ordinary utensils. The ear cleaners they sell at the store is pretty much this plus other shit.
The one and only time I used hydrogen peroxide to clean my ears, I got an ear infection.
I've read that it can leave your ears too dry, which can lead to infection.
Nowadays I just rinse my ears out with water in the shower. It feels good to feel the water draining out from deep inside my ear, I have to admit.
You messed up the mixture and "dosage" then It's suppose to be like 10% HP iirc.
Water alone runs the risk of loose wax being pushed onto the membrane, which is fucking painful to remove with any method. Like someone is pulling out a hair in your ear, slowly.
On May 06 2010 00:35 LordWeird wrote: My ex girlfriend used to lick the tip of the QTIP before she would put it in her ear. She would also only do this when taking a shit. It was reallllly weird but one of the cute things I miss about her, lol.
On May 05 2010 17:54 Warrior Madness wrote: how the hell are you supposed to clean the inside of your ears then??
Doctors say your not supposed to. Instead, you can run warm water through it once in a while.
(This is what my doctor said to me when I was in for a regular checkup). I was really upset about her recommended treatment though. I mean, I use Qtips to take the water out after a shower too! What's the point of running water through it =/
That's gross =\ I googled it and there are like $6 ear cleaning kits available in pharmacies. I have tinnitus, and I wonder if it is related to the fact that I clean inside my ears everyday and have been for years.
using q-tips to clean your ear out can pack in the wax - which can cause ear infections - which tinnitus is a symptom of
So if i already have tinnitus then i have nothing to lose right? Yes, i use Q-Tips.
qtips in your ear feel great!. As long as you dont jam it down too deep I dont see how it could be harmful. But some have brought up a good point of pushing wax in. I've heard people have differing qualities of ear wax, b/c i dont feel that is happening, or could happen non trivially with my ear wax, but yeah im not a doctor.
On a related note, how about them wooden ear pickers! Dont know the proper name, but its like a rounded flathead screw driver curved up at the end(probably a bad description lol). Thats not gonna push anything in! I love those too.
On May 05 2010 17:54 Warrior Madness wrote: how the hell are you supposed to clean the inside of your ears then??
Doctors say your not supposed to. Instead, you can run warm water through it once in a while.
(This is what my doctor said to me when I was in for a regular checkup). I was really upset about her recommended treatment though. I mean, I use Qtips to take the water out after a shower too! What's the point of running water through it =/
That's gross =\ I googled it and there are like $6 ear cleaning kits available in pharmacies. I have tinnitus, and I wonder if it is related to the fact that I clean inside my ears everyday and have been for years.
using q-tips to clean your ear out can pack in the wax - which can cause ear infections - which tinnitus is a symptom of
So if i already have tinnitus then i have nothing to lose right? Yes, i use Q-Tips.
Also, what is the actual use for them?
You do have something to lose as you could in fact go deaf from it... And an infection in the ear isn't something to ignore really, though they aren't all that lethal
On May 05 2010 17:54 Warrior Madness wrote: how the hell are you supposed to clean the inside of your ears then??
Doctors say your not supposed to. Instead, you can run warm water through it once in a while.
(This is what my doctor said to me when I was in for a regular checkup). I was really upset about her recommended treatment though. I mean, I use Qtips to take the water out after a shower too! What's the point of running water through it =/
That's gross =\ I googled it and there are like $6 ear cleaning kits available in pharmacies. I have tinnitus, and I wonder if it is related to the fact that I clean inside my ears everyday and have been for years.
using q-tips to clean your ear out can pack in the wax - which can cause ear infections - which tinnitus is a symptom of
So if i already have tinnitus then i have nothing to lose right? Yes, i use Q-Tips.
On May 06 2010 00:12 shape wrote: hydrogenperoxide
This, if you want to clear your ears use this. It's painless, easy, and will clean stuff that you can't reach with ordinary utensils. The ear cleaners they sell at the store is pretty much this plus other shit.
The one and only time I used hydrogen peroxide to clean my ears, I got an ear infection.
I've read that it can leave your ears too dry, which can lead to infection.
Nowadays I just rinse my ears out with water in the shower. It feels good to feel the water draining out from deep inside my ear, I have to admit.
You messed up the mixture and "dosage" then It's suppose to be like 10% HP iirc.
Water alone runs the risk of loose wax being pushed onto the membrane, which is fucking painful to remove with any method. Like someone is pulling out a hair in your ear, slowly.
I've always used Q-tips to clean my ears, however I use them for other functions too (namely cleaning smoking equipment lol). I always grab the Q-tip in a way that at most 1/3 of an inch could enter my ear (if I pushed down to where my fingers are holding). This way I can stick it all the way to my fingers without being in danger of hitting my ear drum, also it lets me clean them better than just jamming it in there and wiggling it around and hoping for the best. I think if you are careful when using them there should never be a problem with damaging your eardrum or ear canal, just wipe the edges of your ears in a circular motion, repeat with the other end and your done. I wouldn't say I'm addicted to the feeling of the Q-tip but rather than cannot stand the feeling of wax build-up in my ears.
Considering the other two options are A. get a doctor to do an ear-pump on you (I had to have this once due to an infection - VERY unpleasant, I don't recommend it). or B. deal with wax in your ears, or try using tissue wrapped around your finger, so I'll take C. Use Q-tips and take a slight chance on ear damage.
I don't really understand the whole earwax digging... how much build up could you possibly have? I use a Q-Tip after every shower just to get the water out of my ears. You're not drilling for oil so don't press hard.
On May 06 2010 04:30 bdams19 wrote: I don't really understand the whole earwax digging... how much build up could you possibly have? I use a Q-Tip after every shower just to get the water out of my ears. You're not drilling for oil so don't press hard.
Well if you use them daily you won't notice build up because you are cleaning tiny amounts out each day. However, if you let it go for even a week I guarantee your ears will feel cruddy.
If I was sent to an island and I could only bring a few items, Q-tips would probably be one of them :o
On May 06 2010 04:30 bdams19 wrote: I don't really understand the whole earwax digging... how much build up could you possibly have? I use a Q-Tip after every shower just to get the water out of my ears. You're not drilling for oil so don't press hard.
Seems like common sense to clean out your ears daily, but what do I know. Doctors don't actually recommend putting anything IN your ear, but rather using a wash cloth to clean your ears so there is no penetration of the inner ear.
DONT DO THIS!!!! it feels amazing yeah but it actually pushes in the wax further a lot of the time, and it also has the possibility of damaging your inner ear. the safest thing you can use is your pinky finger
Waste of money not recommended for your ear as you can push shit down your ear so win win. If you want to get addicted to something get addicted to nasal spray omg i can breathe like never before feeling is the shit.
They say there is danger of packing ear wax but I think you must be doing it wrong if that's the case. I dunno, put it slightly inside, then spin it round between forefinger and thumb... surely there's no harm in that. Don't go rampaging around inside your ear with one of these things trying to clean it out, just put it in and spin.
Edit: I use these things like less than once a year.... and from the sounds of it you guys properly go at it... and to the guy who likes the feeling of water draining from deep inside your ear !? ugh....
I HATE water getting inside my ear.... I don't clean my ears for months at a time (other than outside) and I don't get wax build up or feel "cruddy"... I'm actually surprised how many people here seem to do it after shower as part of daily routine...
WTF?! I've been cleaning my ears with qtips since I was a little kid (20 years old now)... So far, I have no problems with my hearing nor have gotten an infection.
On May 06 2010 06:20 Daimon wrote: DONT DO THIS!!!! it feels amazing yeah but it actually pushes in the wax further a lot of the time, and it also has the possibility of damaging your inner ear. the safest thing you can use is your pinky finger
I hate the thought of having anything inside my ear canal. Even earphones that go too far into the ear bother me. When I clear earwax, I just put a paper towel around my index finger and pick it out.
Dirty ears is one of the things I'm absolutely OCD about! If I feel like my ears have wax in them and/or are dirty I have to get a QTip immediately or it's all I can think about.
On May 06 2010 06:46 zoLo wrote: WTF?! I've been cleaning my ears with qtips since I was a little kid (20 years old now)... So far, I have no problems with my hearing nor have gotten an infection.
I knew this 20 year old that smoked two packs a day with no problems either!
Q tipping is definitely not good for your ears, it can impact wax into a very hard, dense form that increases the decibels that only you hear by like 10-20 (of whatever the normal measurement is, I can't remember). so you sound louder to yourself than you really are, but you hear outside noises at about the same level.
Also yes, if you're not careful, you can puncture your ear drum. However, ear drums heal, but of course BE CAREFUL AND SLOW. I've made my ears bleed like 3-4 times over the years from poking SOMETHING, but not since I was like 13 has that happened (now 22).
As for the tympanic membrane, I'm not knowledgeable enough to comment on puncturing that, but I'm sure if you stick a small object like a qtip far enough into your ear you can permanently fuck shit up I just hope it never happens to me, I've had a few "poke->OWWWW" scares and it's no good.
to people whose parents clean(ed) out your ears: just curious, what is your ethnicity? i am Indian and my mom used to use hairpins to clean out my ears o_O she made them bleed a few times lolllz
e-- for the record, i listen to music really loud and have really good hearing still o_O
On May 06 2010 07:01 Megalisk wrote: I always believed the sole purpose of QTIPS was for ear cleaning O_O.
It's kind of like uhh Salvia or something, it's sold as "incense" because you're not supposed to smoke it but people use it mostly for smoking to get high.
Q tips are bad for your ears, and the packages have warnings saying not to put them in your ears, but 90%+ of qtip use is probably for your ears and their sales department I'm sure knows that.
My family and I stopped putting Q-Tips in our ears years ago due to our doctors warning us about the potential risks. We simply swab the part outside the canal and our wax levels have been fine. Now, the mere thought of putting a q-tip in my ear makes me feel very uncomfortable.
+1 to the asian ear spoon. I've also seen them in wooden versions. Once you try it you'll never go back. If only they weren't so hard to find in the US . . .
On May 05 2010 21:42 Ghostcom wrote: After 6 years of study I would like to believe a great deal...
College, med school, residency, fellowship = ~13 years
But yah the ear is self cleaning. It actualy "pushes" debris out through the ear canal.
DONT PUT SHIT IN YOUR EAR. IF YOU RUPTURE THE TYMPANIC MEMBRANE IT MAY NOT HEAL AND YOU WONT BE ABLE TO HEAR OUT OF THAT EAR ANYMORE.
When I was little I put popcorn kernals in my ears, pretending they were ear aids. I got one out, I don't know what happened to the other one. It still hasn't came out LOL
Your sure its in there?
Nah, I doubt it. I just mean I haven't seen it come out as of yet.
EPT![[image loading]](http://sujeet.net/wp/wp-content/uploads/2006/05/Q-Tip%20box.jpg)
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