Question about Q-Tips and ear cleaning

[supersizeme]

Get ready for the most controversial post in EF history.

My gf was getting on me yesterday for cleaning out my ears with q-tips. She tells me that I'm not supposed to clean out the actual canal but rather just around the ear lobes and stuff. Then I got a brief lecture on the benefits of ear wax and how you're not supposed to clean it out because it's there to filter nastiness from getting in your ear. I try to counter with the fact that eventually that trapped-by-wax nastiness needs to be cleaned out, but she tells me that this happens naturally during showers. I'm used to cleaning my canals out every morning after my shower and can't stand to have that slimy feeling in my ear canal. Is she right? Am I the only misinformed person on the planet that's digging into my canal when I'm not supposed to? Next thing you know someone's gonna come along and tell me that it's bad to eat the ear wax, too.

 

[CipherLock]

Bad to put stuff INTO your ears, I've known this since Sesame Street.

 

[Raina]

Q-tips are actually not the best idea as they just tend to push wax further in towards the tympanic membrane. If you get your ears cleaned at the dr's office they usually do it with a tool shaped more like a bobby pin than a q-tip.

There's nothing wrong with cleaning your ear wax out....but q-tips are evil.

 

[WODIN]

I like soaking the q-tips in alchohol and then applying them to my crust mongers.

 

[supersizeme]

I don't see how I'm pushing wax further into my ear though because I just stick it in there and swab in a circular motion. It's not like I'm doing a piston-like motion in my ear.

This whole conversation started when I was complaining about for the past week having what feels like water stuck in my ear. Like whenever I yawn or have one of those weird internal burps that doesn't come out, I feel the water-shifting noise in my ear. She told me it was probably swimmer's ear. I have no idea how I could've gotten this though. I mean I sleep with one of those liquid oxygen helmets on like from the movie Sphere, but it's never caused this before.

 

[beastboy]

I have a phobia...seriously....I freak if anything is in my ear, besides my own finger and a wash cloth. I think I would pass out if a Q-tip came near my ear.

 

[danielson]

most ENT guys say the smallest thing you should put into your ear is your elbow. apparently your ear wax is expelled in a spiral fashion and like raina said cleaning it out with a 'cotton wool bud' can push the wax further in

that said i cant stand that waxy feeling too, and doubt ur girl likes kissing waxy ears so i just make sure i dont entwer the ear canal, clean the whole outer part and hopes thats enough

 

[WODIN]

Sharon Stone is a girl i'd ear fuck till christmas.

 

[alien amp pharm]

SSME I've always used Q-tips inthe circular motion too.
Last doctor visit, he said not to use Q-tips at all. (except for exterior)

Kinda makes you wonder when you see these people with wax practically falling out of their ears though

 

[gonelifting]

I heard what your girlfriend said to be true. Also a ENT doc told me not to do it. "Just clean the outside" The doc said to have my ears cleaned at his office every 2 years from the inside.

That`s been my experience.

 

[supersizeme]

this is an outrage. the "elbow" line was broken out on me also. i told her different people have different sized elbows so there was no way i was believing that one. i can't believe all these people knew not to clean out ears with q-tips. i used to pride myself on having super clean wax-free ears. now I'm the big ear-mangling idiot.

 

[sh4dowf4lcon]

Do not put the Qtip in your ear canal.

 

[Raina]

A lot of people with ferrets rub a little olive oil on their ears to soften the wax and then the other ferrets lick it out. Maybe you and your gf could try that!

 

[OMGWTFBBQ]

When I was swimming more, they said not to ever clean out your ears because the wax would help... with stuff. That was about as specific as they got.

I have also read that Q-Tips are bad for ear stuff.

That said, I have never ever ever had an ear infection, and my way of cleaning my ears repulses everyone that I've ever told about it (or the few that have seen it).

I have never been to an ENT doc, but I started very much the way Raina said - with a bobby pin - I used the curved end to scoop out the ear wax from my ears.
I then would just spread it on the inside edge of my shirt or boxers.
It felt FANTASTIC.

Then I graduated to the system that I use now. I take the plastic wrappy things that come when you buy new electronics. They are thin flat plastic with a metal wire inside of it - too thin doesn't work, too thick doesn't work.
I don't clean them in any way, I just wrap them around my finger tip and then twist it down so that there is a little scoop at the end.

I then put that in my ear and scoop out the ear wax.
I do this anytime that my ear feels as if it needs it - don't know how to explain it, but everytime it feels that way, I can scoop out wax.

I never clean this thing aside from just wiping it on my clothes (where it can't be seen).
I have never had an ear infection (and I'm really hardly ever sick).

I still swim, and I have less of an issue with water staying in my ear and my hearing is actually annoyingly good (I tend to hear background noise too much).

The hearing thing might be the only problem I can think of for this.

I generally think people are too silly about most germ issues.

 

[beastboy]

I swear, I'm going to throw up.

 

[supersizeme]

lol

the word "scoop" in reference to wax is just a nasty visual. i picture like a big yellow construction vehicle that scoops the dirt out and dumps it into the dump truck. imagine that going into your ear and scooping out pounds and pounds of wax. you could save it and make earwax pie for christmas dessert.

 

[XBiker]

So, according to your lady's logic, you got about 5000+ LBS's of ear dung compacted up against your brain? (Due to qtip misuse)

Yuck.

 

[Lumberg]

I've used a bobby pin too, also pen caps. they haev a nice scoop shape to get the stuff out!

One of my favorite ear therapies (whcih I don't do often at all) is put some hydrogen peroxide in there. The ear wax has enough peroxidase in it to make it bubble and it tickles and feels good and the bubbles loosen the ear wax.

Now THAT is fun!

 

[Raina]

Hydrogen peroxide is fine. It feels cool too. My dr had me do that when I was a swimmer.

 

[OMGWTFBBQ]

I would advise against Drano or Liquid Plumber in the ear.

While it does help with greasy clogs, it isn't something you want to pour near your face.

 

[DcupSheepNipples]

You have a girlfriend?!?!?!?!!?!?

Your right this is the most controversial post in EF history!

 

[jerkbox]

I swear, I'm going to throw up.

dude, it's a proven fact that every year, you have at least 3-4 bugs crawl in your ear and die....often roaches. sometimes they can reproduce in there and burrow.

 

[OMGWTFBBQ]

I will bet dollars to donuts that supersizeme's girlfriend has big jugs.

 

[DcupSheepNipples]

I will bet dollars to donuts that supersizeme's girlfriend has big jugs.

No shit! She must run at least 150-200 kilos!

 

[Skullder]

i usually stick the Q-tip as far in as possible..now i find out its bad???

 

[beastboy]

I'm through with this thread.

 

[supersizeme]

BBQ - I'm pretty sure she does, but I can't say for sure as we've only been dating for a little over a year now. I once brushed past her right boob accidentally and felt a significance presence there so I'm thinking she probably does.

jerkbox's post makes me think of that scene from Star Trek 2: Wrath of Khan when they stuck those burrowing fuckers in that guy's helmet and then put it back on his head. I was like 8 when I saw that movie but it scarred me for life. what's even scarier is that while 3-4 bugs per year go in year ear and die, i've heard the same thing about cats(only it's more like once every two years). i've woken up in the middle of the night with a tail sticking out my ear and the only way i can get her out of there is to turn on the can opener.

 

[jerkbox]

BBQ - I'm pretty sure she does, but I can't say for sure as we've only been dating for a little over a year now. I once brushed past her right boob accidentally and felt a significance presence there so I'm thinking she probably does.

jerkbox's post makes me think of that scene from Star Trek 2: Wrath of Khan when they stuck those burrowing fuckers in that guy's helmet and then put it back on his head. I was like 8 when I saw that movie but it scarred me for life. what's even scarier is that while 3-4 bugs per year go in year ear and die, i've heard the same thing about cats(only it's more like once every two years). i've woken up in the middle of the night with a tail sticking out my ear and the only way i can get her out of there is to turn on the can opener.

fuck, i was wondering what happened to that one cat of mine.....and I was gonna eat him too.....damn!

 

[OMGWTFBBQ]

Oh yeah - having a dog is a great way to get your ears clean.

Cats don't give a shit about you, but dogs care and love to lick out your ears.

 

[OMGWTFBBQ]

I'd like to clarify that I really do the plastic loop thing - I'm not just spraying shit in your face - I do this, and I love it.

 

[supersizeme]

who else's girl has big jugs while we're talking about it

 

[OMGWTFBBQ]

who else's girl has big jugs while we're talking about it

Mine. Except no.

 

[beastboy]

who else's girl has big jugs while we're talking about it

She use too...when she was 9 months pregnant.

 

[supersizeme]

BBQ if you were ever to do a publicity stunt like david blaine, i would like to see you suspended in a plastic box over a Shell station and be forced to subside on nothing but water and ear wax soup for 30 days. you'd have a nose and back hair blanket to keep you arm as it would be kept at 45 degrees in your box and you'd be forced to talk on a cell phone to disabled children in an effort to boost their self esteem.

 

[Deterass]

A lot of people with ferrets rub a little olive oil on their vagina's to soften the wax and then the other ferrets lick it out. Maybe you and your gf could try that!

Thats nasty!lol

 

[OMGWTFBBQ]

BBQ if you were ever to do a publicity stunt like david blaine, i would like to see you suspended in a plastic box over a Shell station and be forced to subside on nothing but water and ear wax soup for 30 days. you'd have a nose and back hair blanket to keep you arm as it would be kept at 45 degrees in your box and you'd be forced to talk on a cell phone to disabled children in an effort to boost their self esteem.

I had to explain to my fiancee why I was cracking up and then she got really pissed about the earwax thing again.

Life is good.

 

[Deterass]

I had to explain to my fiancee why I was cracking up and then she got really pissed about the earwax thing again.

Life is good.

post pics

 

[PIGEON-RAT]

fuck man, i have like 2 years worth of q-tips and my friend told me the same thing. i'm not quitting until these are all gone

 

[Smurfy]

lmao@ this thread!!

 

[jackangel]

i am not stroking myself while reading this thread.

i swear, i'm not.