Ever use a Q Tip in your ear and it makes you cough?

[glen]

Try it with a Q tip at your desk, or use a piece of tissue paper.

 

[Looney]

No, but i'm damn addicted to Q-tipping my ears.

 

[LeiZaK]

Yes, I have.

 

[Tiamat]

yes

lol

 

[Eli]

Yes, but only in my right ear.

I've always thought it was quite peculiar... the reaction is pretty intense, but is completely non-existent in my left ear.

 

[Lola]

YES. all the time. Every time i use it, that happens.

 

[shocksyde]

No, but I can make myself sneeze on command... how 'bout that?

 

[eplebnista]

Ever use a Q Tip in your ear and it makes you cough?

No

 

[Modular]

This is most likely related to the fact that your eustation tubes drain into your throat. The pressure from the Q-tip is causing a tickle in your throat. How cute.

 

[biggestmuff]

Cough? No. It makes me gag. It sets off my gag reflex somehow.

 

[gsethi]

Originally posted by: Eli
Yes, but only in my right ear.

I've always thought it was quite peculiar... the reaction is pretty intense, but is completely non-existent in my left ear.

ditto..I start to cough badly whenver I put a q-tip in my right ear (hate it so much that I clean my left ear twice as often as compared to my right ear...lol)

 

[Whoozyerdaddy]

Haven't had the Q-tip experience...

But after 4-5 beers I always seem to get into a sneezing fit.

 

[dennilfloss]

I hear that a Q-tip up their weiner will make some men cry.

 

[compuwiz1]

Someone had to go there, and I'm going there, damnit! All orfices, when properly stimulated, are capable of orgasm. What did you think was going to happen when you gave that hole some stimuli? :shocked:

 

[Whoozyerdaddy]

Originally posted by: compuwiz1
Someone had to go there, and I'm going there, damnit! All orfices, when properly stimulated, are capable of orgasm. What did you think was going to happen when you gave that hole some stimuli? :shocked:

You squirt when someone plays with your ears? How ferengi of you.

 

[intogamer]

Originally posted by: dennilfloss
I hear that a Q-tip up their weiner will make some men cry.

:lips:

 

[George P Burdell]

 

[compuwiz1]

Originally posted by: dennilfloss
I hear that a Q-tip up their weiner will make some men cry.

Disease detection in the 70's. Is that why you never go anywhere, alone?

 

[lyssword]

Yeah I sometimes sneeze, but rarely. I think it's the same reaction for me as sneezing at bright light.

 

[DaveSimmons]

Originally posted by: Tiamat
yes

lol

Interesting. I only have it happen for my right ear as well.

 

[GeekDrew]

I used to cough every time I used a Q-Tip in my ear.

 

[Mark R]

This is a well recognised reflex called Arnold's reflex.

It exists because the sensation of the skin in the ear canal is carried by the Vagus nerve. This is the same nerve that supplies sensation to the airways and throat. The signals aren't always fully seperated, so irritation in the ear canal can cause some people to cough. It occurs in about 4% of people, and 3% have it in both ears. The vagus nerve also causes the heart to slow down, controls stomach motion and production of tears - there are similar, less common, reflexes that can cause the heart to slow down (or briefly stop), cause vomiting, or eye watering if something is inserted into the ear canal.

This is slightly different to the sneezing in bright light syndrome (ACHOO syndrome).

This is not so well understood, but is thought to be because the trigeminal nerve nucleus (essentially the main switching point for the nerve brining sensation from the face and inside the nose) is very close to the optic nerve. Some people seem to have some mis-wiring between the areas and sudden intense signals on the optic nerve seem to trigger nerves in the trigeminal nerve nucleus. Interestingly, this is somewhat more common than the coughing reflex, at about 20% of people.

 

[Q]

No, but whenever I take Robotussin I sneeze...and I mean EVERY time

 

[OREOSpeedwagon]

Yep. One time my doctor said my ears were practically full of wax and took a sharp wax remover tool to remove it. He said "This will make you cough," and it really did. I think I was coughing for about 10 minutes afterwards