A cotton swab in the ear can kill, Quebec coroner says - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

jolinar of malkshor · 02-05-2008, 05:01 PM

The Quebec coroner's office says cotton swab manufacturers should warn consumers about putting their product in their ears after a man died from related complications.

The best way to clean inside one's ear is with the little finger, he said.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/montreal/st...nswab0205.html

My grandpa use to use a key.

HelloHockeyFans · 02-05-2008, 05:12 PM

Don't Q-Tip packages already warn customers to not put the swab into the ear? I recall reading some where that ear wax is supposed to naturally fall out on its own and Q-Tips should be used only to clean the outer areas surrounding the actual canal.

FireFly · 02-05-2008, 05:45 PM

Yeah right. I'll take my chances thanks. Nothing worse than a big gob of earwax when someones tongue is in your ear.

Drunk Skunk · 02-05-2008, 05:45 PM

I wonder how many items from this thread can kill

Quote:

Originally Posted by FireFly

Yeah right. I'll take my chances thanks. Nothing worse than a big gob of earwax when someones tongue is in your ear.

Speaking as someone who's had that happen before, I'll agree. Earwax tastes like icky.

rubecube · 02-05-2008, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FireFly

Yeah right. I'll take my chances thanks. Nothing worse than a big gob of earwax when someones tongue is in your ear.

Weird. My girlfriend likes to bite my ears but I'd be a little creeped out if her tongue went in there.

Clever_Iggy · 02-05-2008, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FireFly

Yeah right. I'll take my chances thanks. Nothing worse than a big gob of earwax when someones tongue is in your ear.

Oh Jesus.

Agamemnon · 02-05-2008, 05:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rubecube

Weird. My girlfriend likes to bite my ears but I'd be a little creeped out if her tongue went in there.

Maybe get her to try it some time, it's not so bad...

FireFly · 02-05-2008, 07:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Agamemnon

Maybe get her to try it some time, it's not so bad...

Especially when you're pinned down and can't do anything about it...

GreatWhiteEbola · 02-05-2008, 07:19 PM

Wet Willy = sexy?

I have a Q-Tip story...
I was cleaning my ears one morning when I switched ears with a new Q-Tip. I threw the used Q-Tip into the waste basket. I noticed that I didn't quite hit the target and I leaned over with the other Q-Tip still in my ear. As I picked up the used Q-Tip and tossed it into the waste basket I momentarily lost my balance, and fell towards the wall. The Q-Tip that was in my ear hit the wall and proceeded about an inch into my head!

I immediately pulled out the Q-Tip and blood. I went to the clinic and the Doc said that there was nothing they could do. It feels like I have water in my ear all the time now.

I bet that a Q-Tip can kill, it almost killed me. I don't use Q-Tips anymore, I'm not allowed.

J pold · 02-05-2008, 07:23 PM

A wet willy is damn sexy

And Q-tips are completely pointless

Cowboy89 · 02-05-2008, 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FireFly

Especially when you're pinned down and can't do anything about it...

Safety Word, Safety Word!!!

peter12 · 02-05-2008, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cowboy89

Safety Word, Safety Word!!!

Foliage!

Burninator · 02-05-2008, 07:47 PM

A good rule to follow is don't put anything smaller than your elbow in your ear.

JiriHrdina · 02-05-2008, 07:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GreatWhiteEbola

Wet Willy = sexy?

I have a Q-Tip story...
I was cleaning my ears one morning when I switched ears with a new Q-Tip. I threw the used Q-Tip into the waste basket. I noticed that I didn't quite hit the target and I leaned over with the other Q-Tip still in my ear. As I picked up the used Q-Tip and tossed it into the waste basket I momentarily lost my balance, and fell towards the wall. The Q-Tip that was in my ear hit the wall and proceeded about an inch into my head!

I immediately pulled out the Q-Tip and blood. I went to the clinic and the Doc said that there was nothing they could do. It feels like I have water in my ear all the time now.

I bet that a Q-Tip can kill, it almost killed me. I don't use Q-Tips anymore, I'm not allowed.

I realize I should not have - but I have to say I laughed REALLY hard at that story...until the end when I realized you now have a long-term problem.

But yeah the rest made me chuckle.

Sorry.

stang · 02-05-2008, 07:56 PM

I used to get wax build up all the time in my ear.. to the point where it would be on my eardrum and I couldnt hear.

The Doctor told me if you use a q-tip to clean your ear you really are just pushing more wax in your ear then you are getting out.

I use a capful of Hydrogen Peroxide in there, leave it for 30-60 seconds and rinse it out. (I actually use a syringe to spray a little water in there to help get the wax out)

I have bad wax build up and used to go to the doctor every 1-2 months because they built up so bad I couldnt hear. I havent been back since I started using Peroxide, almost a year now.

Burninator · 02-05-2008, 08:06 PM

Speaking of cleaning your ears. Ear candling or coning is ineffective.

Ear candling or coning is a method of cleaning the ears and the mind, which allegedly alleviates a host of physical, emotional and spiritual ailments. A hollow candle is stuck into the ear and lit, allegedly sucking out earwax and negative energy. The process is ineffective for earwax removal. I don't know how anyone knows whether it sucks out energy, positive or negative.

What wax appears in the cone is from the melted candle, not from the ears. The suction created by the coning flame is insufficient to remove wax, which, by the way, is good for you. It traps dust and dirt and helps fight infections.

Though some people fear that coning will leave them mindless, the only real dangers are from burning, infection, obstruction of the ear canal and perforation of the eardrum.

http://skepdic.com/coning.html

GreatWhiteEbola · 02-05-2008, 11:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

I realize I should not have - but I have to say I laughed REALLY hard at that story...until the end when I realized you now have a long-term problem.

But yeah the rest made me chuckle.

Sorry.

No worries, everyone laughs when I tell that story.

Hemi-Cuda · 02-06-2008, 12:16 AM

the inside of my ears get quite itchy at times, and the best relief i've found is q-tips. my fingers are too fat to get far enough in to scratch the itch, and if i'm sticking anything else in there it may as well be a soft cotton swab. just have to be careful not to go digging too far

Flames09 · 02-06-2008, 02:06 AM

I love cleaning my ears with a cotton swab but that because it gets rid of that itch and I hate sticking my finger in there because it grosses me out, but if you want to actually clean the wax of just a few drops of mineral oil should do the trick.

Drunk Skunk · 02-06-2008, 07:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Burninator

Speaking of cleaning your ears. Ear candling or coning is ineffective.

Ear candling or coning is a method of cleaning the ears and the mind, which allegedly alleviates a host of physical, emotional and spiritual ailments. A hollow candle is stuck into the ear and lit, allegedly sucking out earwax and negative energy. The process is ineffective for earwax removal. I don't know how anyone knows whether it sucks out energy, positive or negative.

What wax appears in the cone is from the melted candle, not from the ears. The suction created by the coning flame is insufficient to remove wax, which, by the way, is good for you. It traps dust and dirt and helps fight infections.

Though some people fear that coning will leave them mindless, the only real dangers are from burning, infection, obstruction of the ear canal and perforation of the eardrum.

http://skepdic.com/coning.html

My sister does that. She's really into the natural/holistic/weird cures. I won't let her get close to my ears with any candle.