Cotton buds

[KittyGlitter]

If you aren't meant to use them to clean your ears, what is the point of them? Or can you use them if you don't push them in too far?

[Cymbeline]

Cotton buds have lots of uses: clearing make up smudges, nail polish errors, and my dad used to use them in the garage (for something!?). I agree though that most people break the rules and use them in the pursuit of ear cleaning pleasure!!

[spainlads]

I think it's just a legal cop out, in case you push it in to far. I worked in an 'adult shop' and we sold EVERYTHING for the 'novelty value' only. Legal cop out again.

[morg_monster]

A receptionist at my old work used cotton buds to clean right inside her ears for years. She had chronic ear ache, and when she finally went to the doctor about it, he said she had a major infection caused by pushing the buds too far in, and too often (she used to do it morning and night!). I think the moral is, if you can't get to it easily to clean, then you don't need to clean it - your body will do the job for you!

I think you can use then to clean around the ear hole and general ear area - but don't put them in the hole. They can push bugs and dirt deep inside your aural channels.

[howlin_wolf]

They're great for sticking up your nose if you have podgy fingers. I can get my pinky half way up my right nostril but not my left - I don't know why that is. They're also great for cleaning out belly buttons but beware the smell!

[tubeway]

When you use cotton buds you push more wax in than you take out - I look in ears for a living (and test them) and the amount of people that say that they dont use cotton buds when it is obvious that they do. I also have seen cases of people pushing them through their eardrum it is only 0.1mm thick - and is easier to perforate than you think - most people do not make the same mistake twice though.

[helsbels666]

This is one of my bug bears with my other half. He is OBSESSED with cleaning in his ears with a cotton bud. As a healthcare proffesional I was always taught not to put anything smaller than your elbow down your ear. The benefits you get DON'T outweigh the risks to take!

[tubeway]

During my training as a healthcare professional I was taught the same thing - with the exception of hearing aids and earplugs - although these often necessary items can cause a build-up of wax in the ears as the natural flow of wax is interupted.

As I said earlier - if they had seen what I have seen, they would not do it.

[moon_unit]

tubeway,

how painful would a perforated eardrum be?

ive always had a fear about this happening to me,I dont know why! but i hate the idea of it! i imagine it to be extremeley painful. is this correct?

[helsbels666]

Tubeway will prob be more qualified to answer but in my experience pain is limited (mainly an intial pang like being shot!). The main symptom is that of loss of hearing and often discharge from the ear.

[Toureman]

You got it slightly wrong HELLSBELLS..........The only thing you should push in your ear is your elbow!

[tubeway]

helsbels is correct - if the eardrum is perforated with a cotton bud, then it is a sharp pain that lessens. If it is caused by an infection of the middle ear (otitis media) then it can be very painful and the pain is helped by the ruptured eardrum. Infection can be a danger if the eardrum is perforated.

The perforation will cause a slight conductive hearing loss - dependant on the extent of the injury.

In most cases the eardrum will heal itself in time. In severe cases an operation called tympanoplasty can be preformed to mend the eardrum - this is usually very successful. In many cases there are small scars (known as tympanosclerosis) left on the eardrum and these are the only indication that there has been a problem in the past.

[helsbels666]

isn't that then same thing toureman???