Don’t stick that Q-Tip into your ear! Instead use OTC Debrox. The Q-tip can puncture your eardrum, and you’ll have an even harder time hearing. Simply shower and run water into your ear. Or use OTC Debrox. My professor suggested in class so I think that it should be a good choice. Below is the article on Yahoo!
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Though many of us reach for cotton swabs to remove earwax, the old adage, “Don’t put anything smaller than your elbow in your ear,” is actually true. “You can use cotton swabs to clean around the [outside folds] of your ears, but you should be very careful not to do what I call the ‘search and destroy,’ because you can inadvertently push the wax in further or you can damage the eardrum,” says J. Randolph Schnitman, MD, a board-certified otolaryngologist (an ear, nose and throat specialist aka an ENT) in Beverly Hills, California. “Wax is produced by the lining of the ear canal and in normal amounts it doesn’t cause a problem.”
For most people, cleaning your inner ear in the shower should be more than adequate when it comes to removing excess wax. “The best thing is just to let the water go in your ear (make sure the water is warm, as cold and hot water can cause you to have vertigo), and [then tilt your head to the side] and dump it out,” says Brett Levine, MD, an ENT in Torrance, California. If earwax build-up is an issue for you, Dr. Levine recommends using an over-the-counter earwax remover that, when applied as directed, will help soften the wax so it washes out easier. You can also try tilting your head to one side and adding a few drops of mineral, baby or olive oil to your ear while in the shower. Wait 1 to 2 seconds for it to dislodge and dissolve the wax, and then tilt your head in the opposite direction, so it can run out of the ear. If neither of these methods work, make an appointment to see a doctor. “Sometimes the wax is just very hard and the drops don’t help make it soft. An ENT doctor can [better] see what he or she is doing [in order to] suction, scoop or grab something that isn’t washing out on its own,” Dr. Levine says.