5 ms·

I know it goes against every warning label but I use those cotton tip sticks. Being careful to not stick them too far and I have never had an issue. Is there a

I know it goes against every warning label but I use those cotton tip sticks. Being careful to not stick them too far and I have never had an issue. Is there a better way to be doing this?

thunderbong 5y ago
I don't know why you're being downvoted but in most of asia, using a metal ear pick[0] the norm for clearing the ear. Only in the past 20 years or so that a cotton ear bud has become prevalent. [0]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ear_pick https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ear_pick
lisper 5y ago
Yes: https://www.amazon.com/Ear-Clear-Ear-Removal-Irrigation-Syringe/product-reviews/B00NZC0I98 https://www.amazon.com/Ear-Clear-Ear-Removal-Irrigation-Syri...
- dkdbejwi383 5y ago
  Does the syringe do anything special, or is spraying the shower in my ear going to have the same effect?
  - samsari 5y ago
    The shower pressure is probably too high and risks at least pushing deep wax even deeper, but possibly even causing damage to your ear drum.
    - random_kris 5y ago
      ??? I must have totally damaged ears. I always clean them like this
  - lisper 5y ago
    The syringe does two important things that your shower doesn't: it directs the stream of water into your ear to the right depth so that it actually pushes the wax out instead of further in, and it has a bend in it so you can't insert it deep enough to damage your eardrum.
distances 5y ago
For what it's worth, I visit my local ear doctor for wax removal once or twice a year. May not be possible under all health care schemes.
arthurcolle 5y ago
Since when are q-tips bad for you? Is this a new Mandela effect?
- foobar33333 5y ago
  The packet says do not put them in your ear. If you push them too far you could damage your ear drum. Who knows how likely this is if you are careful though.
- mlatu 5y ago
  Since always! You know how cannoneers used to bunch up black powder in their cannons before adding the cannonball? If there is to much ear wax already present and it's to dried out (how are you going to check beforehand if it isn't to much or to dried out?), you're just bunching up some of it while scraping some out. But the stuff you bunch up, will just sit there, until you bunch more wax into that plug... But what are you supposed to do instead? If you try to irrigate it out yourself regularly, you might end up getting a fungal infection anyway because it might stay to wet.. Ears just generally suck
  - anigbrowl 5y ago
    The higher end irrigation kits (similar to clinical products) come with packets of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) which you are suggested to use as a rinse following the wax removal.
- anigbrowl 5y ago
  They're great until the first time you have more wax in your ear canal than you can just wipe off with a q-tip, at which point you're likely to push it farther in, where it will then take about the same time to work its way out as your fingernails take to grow. If it's a lot this can result in hearing loss or a painful impaction. Like a lot of things it can keep changing as you age until something that used to be simple/easy suddenly isn't.
- pengaru 5y ago
  Since at least my teens (90s). I have a distinct memory of my father telling us about not putting q-tips in further than the exterior surface after he visited his GP for a checkup. But to not go deep is to deprive the eargasm, YMMV.
deleted 5y ago
[deleted]

I know it goes against every warning label but I use those cotton tip sticks. Being careful to not stick them too far and I have never had an issue. Is there a better way to be doing this?

thunderbong 5y ago

I don't know why you're being downvoted but in most of asia, using a metal ear pick[0] the norm for clearing the ear. Only in the past 20 years or so that a cotton ear bud has become prevalent. [0]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ear_pick https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ear_pick

lisper 5y ago

Yes: https://www.amazon.com/Ear-Clear-Ear-Removal-Irrigation-Syringe/product-reviews/B00NZC0I98 https://www.amazon.com/Ear-Clear-Ear-Removal-Irrigation-Syri...

dkdbejwi383 5y ago
Does the syringe do anything special, or is spraying the shower in my ear going to have the same effect?
- samsari 5y ago
  The shower pressure is probably too high and risks at least pushing deep wax even deeper, but possibly even causing damage to your ear drum.
  - random_kris 5y ago
    ??? I must have totally damaged ears. I always clean them like this
- lisper 5y ago
  The syringe does two important things that your shower doesn't: it directs the stream of water into your ear to the right depth so that it actually pushes the wax out instead of further in, and it has a bend in it so you can't insert it deep enough to damage your eardrum.

distances 5y ago

For what it's worth, I visit my local ear doctor for wax removal once or twice a year. May not be possible under all health care schemes.

arthurcolle 5y ago

Since when are q-tips bad for you? Is this a new Mandela effect?

foobar33333 5y ago
The packet says do not put them in your ear. If you push them too far you could damage your ear drum. Who knows how likely this is if you are careful though.
mlatu 5y ago
Since always! You know how cannoneers used to bunch up black powder in their cannons before adding the cannonball? If there is to much ear wax already present and it's to dried out (how are you going to check beforehand if it isn't to much or to dried out?), you're just bunching up some of it while scraping some out. But the stuff you bunch up, will just sit there, until you bunch more wax into that plug... But what are you supposed to do instead? If you try to irrigate it out yourself regularly, you might end up getting a fungal infection anyway because it might stay to wet.. Ears just generally suck
- anigbrowl 5y ago
  The higher end irrigation kits (similar to clinical products) come with packets of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) which you are suggested to use as a rinse following the wax removal.
anigbrowl 5y ago
They're great until the first time you have more wax in your ear canal than you can just wipe off with a q-tip, at which point you're likely to push it farther in, where it will then take about the same time to work its way out as your fingernails take to grow. If it's a lot this can result in hearing loss or a painful impaction. Like a lot of things it can keep changing as you age until something that used to be simple/easy suddenly isn't.
pengaru 5y ago
Since at least my teens (90s). I have a distinct memory of my father telling us about not putting q-tips in further than the exterior surface after he visited his GP for a checkup. But to not go deep is to deprive the eargasm, YMMV.

deleted 5y ago

[deleted]