What is teh deal with Q-Tips?

[glen]

Right, there are people somewhere in the world that use them for cleaning tiny parts, and other craft type uses.

However, most folks buy them to stick them in the ear cannal.

The box always says, "Do not stick in ear cannal."

Was there ever a product that was bought almost exclusively for the purpose which it was forbiden?

I think everyone assumes it is ok, just dont poke you ear drum out. Is there a hidden danger? Maybe there are no nerves in that part of your ear, and it is easy to stab your brain?

Does anyone know?

 

[Gooberlx2]

s there a hidden danger? Maybe there are no nerves in that part of your ear, and it is easy to stab your brain?

http://blogs.webmd.com/all-ears/2006/11/q-tips-weapons-of-ear-destruction.html

It's ultimately counter-productive because you can remove the protective wax layer which drys out the canal and causes irritation and skin cracking, causing infection. Or push wax against the drum, impeding normal movement and hearing; as well as trapping moisture behind it, again causing infection.

 

[Linflas]

Funny I saw the thread heading and before I opened it that was the first thing that came to my mind. They are a product that most people use for exactly what the package says they are not to be used for.

 

[dank69]

wats a cannal?

 

[Wyndru]

In my head I couldn't help but read the title in a Seinfield voice.

If i don't use them to clean my "cannal" I get serious build up and have to use peroxide to get it out. I have some nasty ears.

 

[KeithTalent]

I use them every day to get the excess water out of my ear. Can't stand water in my ear.

KT

 

[gothamhunter]

That's because most people jam it in there. I slowly stick it in to the side and do a scooping action for any built up wax. Mainly I use it to get water out of my ear.

 

[Vic Vega]

Insert, twist, remove... if you "touch bottom" you're doing it wrong... we're talking about qtips here...

 

[TwiceOver]

Lawyers, the only reason that statement is on the box.

 

[GotIssues]

I use them every day to get the excess water out of my ear. Can't stand water in my ear.

KT

This.

 

[McLovin]

This is what I thought of when I saw OP's Thread Title

 

[SearchMaster]

Was there ever a product that was bought almost exclusively for the purpose which it was forbiden?

Hmmm....do rolling papers or bongs say "for tobacco only" or something like that?

(I truly don't know but it was the only thing that came to mind)

 

[dave_the_nerd]

My doctor commented on how clean my ears were. I mentioned my frequent use of Q-Tips. I was treated to a very earnest admonition to be very, very careful when doing so.

Apparently he had a patient some years ago who liked the feeling of Q-Tips in their ears. Walked around the house with them inserted, tripped, fell, destroyed their inner ear. Ow.

 

[The Boston Dangler]

Insert, twist, remove... if you "touch bottom" you're doing it wrong... we're talking about qtips here...

holy crap, your picture looks like a bloody q-tip with a crank on the end!

i love q-tip brand cotton swabs, nobody does it better. certainly not brands with a flimsy hollow plastic tube and barely any cotton. any doctor should tell you "don't put anything smaller than your elbow in your ear" but the feeling of water or wax in my ears drives me nuts.

 

[Juddog]

I found the twist is the best way to clean my ear as well.

If you use it like a toilet plunger you end up just forcing more and more wax deep into your ear. I find that if I leave the water in my ear from the shower that it can lead to ear aches because I live in a cold and windy climate.

For deep wax removal (beyond the outer edge of the ear) I use a wax dissolving solution (or just hydrogen peroxide mixed with a little bit of water) and then flush with lukewarm water.

 

[spacejamz]

Was there ever a product that was bought almost exclusively for the purpose which it was forbiden?

Christmas Lights? According to the warning on the box, they are for outdoor/indoor use only.

 

[Fritzo]

It's one of those things where they have to protect themselves legally, but they know what people use them for.

If I don't use a q-tip to get the water out of my ears after a shower, my ears feel weird the rest of the day.

 

[GrumpyMan]

Roll it, don't poke it, should be the general rule.

 

[lord_emperor]

If I don't use a q-tip to get the water out of my ears after a shower, my ears feel weird the rest of the day.

This.

 

[OutHouse]

i love my morning ear-gasms!

 

[NiceCold]

I never heard of q-tips says dont use for ears. I thought q-tips is mainly for ears.

i dont spin it nor poke it. i push to the side of the ear on each direction know im saying.

 

[darkswordsman17]

Even if you use these to "clean" your ears, you should probably at least once a year get some wax dissolving solution like mentioned. Anyone who uses IEMs knows that no matter how clean you think your ears are, they're still gonna get wax all over them.

Also, if you mention ear candles I hope you burn to death after falling asleep and knocking it over.

I think Q-tips are probably one of the least of our worries as far as ear damage goes. Cranking shitty music to eardestroying levels on shitty speakers/headphones is a far greater problem.

On the flipside, I can't wait until modern medical industry starts to do for hearing damage what they've done for eyes. People will freak the fuck out if they could hear to even 20kHz reliably, let alone if we start pushing our abilities higher. I don't know how the hell dogs and other animals can deal with modern world's noises. Or smells for that matter. Simple minds I guess.

 

[ThatsABigOne]

I use them every day to get the excess water out of my ear. Can't stand water in my ear.

KT

This

and

That's because most people jam it in there. I slowly stick it in to the side and do a scooping action for any built up wax. Mainly I use it to get water out of my ear.

This

 

[MotionMan]

i love q-tip brand cotton swabs, nobody does it better. certainly not brands with a flimsy hollow plastic tube and barely any cotton. any doctor should tell you "don't put anything smaller than your elbow in your ear" but the feeling of water or wax in my ears drives me nuts.

This, word for word.

MotionMan

 

[Juddog]

Even if you use these to "clean" your ears, you should probably at least once a year get some wax dissolving solution like mentioned. Anyone who uses IEMs knows that no matter how clean you think your ears are, they're still gonna get wax all over them.

Also, if you mention ear candles I hope you burn to death after falling asleep and knocking it over.

I think Q-tips are probably one of the least of our worries as far as ear damage goes. Cranking shitty music to eardestroying levels on shitty speakers/headphones is a far greater problem.

On the flipside, I can't wait until modern medical industry starts to do for hearing damage what they've done for eyes. People will freak the fuck out if they could hear to even 20kHz reliably, let alone if we start pushing our abilities higher. I don't know how the hell dogs and other animals can deal with modern world's noises. Or smells for that matter. Simple minds I guess.

To be honest I kind of enjoy my hearing loss. It makes it much easier to go to sleep at night; I just listen to the constant high-pitched ringing noise and it puts me right to sleep. That white noise helps me sleep peacefully throughout the night without being startled awake constantly. My wife's hearing is amazing but she wakes up a lot at the most minor noise and has to wear earplugs to bed every night.