To continue using cotton buds in my ears

[bumblenbean]

.. when the expert view is that it’s a pretty bad idea? I cannot seem to stop this rather unsavoury daily habit. I don’t do it to shift earwax, but simply because the sensation of twirling a cotton bud in the inner ear feels so good! I’ve heard it described as an eargasm (!) - I wouldn’t go that far but it is very satisfying especially if there’s a minor itch in the ear ...

AIBU to carry on regardless, since i’ve never had any untoward incidents? Admittedly I did have a minor crisis once when the cotton came away inside my ear and DH had to perform an extraction with a pair of tweezers... but that was due to a rather too vigorous twirling action which has since been modified

DH thinks I’m mad to keep doing it and appears to think I’ll end up piercing my eardrum or something else rather dramatic. Surely someone else out there indulges in this despite knowing it’s probably a bad idea?! Or do I need to go cold turkey?

And does anyone have any other inadvisable yet oddly compulsive habits they can share?

Can I just ask that if you do use them, that you throw them in the bin and not flush them away! On spring watch last night it was shocking how much plastic they found in a river that was purely the plastic part of cotton buds. I usually throw them in my bathroom bin. And yes it is satisfying to use them, lol.

They aren't going to ban them- just the plastic ones. You can get cardboard ones.

i had lots of hearing tests was told not to use earbuds but i cant help it i get very itchy inner ear and it helps

i havent even got alot of wax they just itch

You people are all perverts!

DH is always telling me nothing in my ear smaller than my elbow

But. It. Feels. So. Good.

Eargasm is definitely A Thing.

I am also a compulsive viewer of earwax removal videos on YouTube. Incredibly relaxing sporn.

I think I might have jammed wax right down in there as either DH has started mumbling more, or my hearing is a bit muffled

I'm secretly hoping there's loads in there so I can get them hoovered out and watch it on a big screen

The Wilko ones are slightly smaller than more expensive ones and therefore much more satisfying.
Yes, I have a favourite type of cotton bud.

I'm an addict. Once a day, every day. Been to ENT twice to remove pus from infections caused by my habit.

I once got an abscess on my eardrum from using cotton buds. Cue 48 hours of excruciating pain during which I couldn’t eat or sleep.

Don’t use them. You really don’t want that kind of experience.

Yup, use them every day and on my children too - never into the ear drum but they are a neat and handy way of drying all round the inside foldy bits.

I'm not a dimwit and don't need to be babied by a GP.

I sometimes use a hairgrip to clean my ears

I can't not clean my ears, if I don't they get really itchy and uncomfortable. Wiping the outer ear won't cut it.
I do get really waxy ears though, I remember being really embarrassed as a teen with suspected appendicitis. The Dr took my temp and said "get this girl a cotton bud, the wax is horrendous".

I have psoriasis inside of my ear canal. The cotton buds help me scratch it it's an amazing feeling. I'm less about the ear was though

Has anyone tried those twisty plastic ones?

Ears don't need buds. Most ear wax is washed out of your ears by water when you wash your hair. It's #WorldOceansDay, all unnecessary plastic we use is negatively affecting our oceans and sea animals. The only bud in me is in my name :)

Despite the warning on the box and a many health officials warning you I still feel the need to use them, yes it’s is very satisfying. I once saw a meme referring to the cotton bud as a ‘dildo’ for the ear 😂 describes it perfectly 😂😂

I can guarantee my ears are NOT self cleaning.

@Figroller Oh my god a Kirby grip is amazing! So satisfying. Word of warning, I pushed too far down once and my ear started to bleed.

I have to and I mean have to do this after every shower I have. To clean and dry them. It just feels so good to do it and wrong to leave them all damp and bleurgh.

I burst my ear drum in March and even that didn't stop me completely. Although I didn't go down into the ear canal for a long long time for fear of pain.

The gp tell me it's wrong but I just can't stop doing it.

Partner never does his and I think it's grim. I never touch the kids ears though. Just wipe out with a flannel.

I like to leave mine for a while then really go to town. Nothing like a good scrape round

Praise be 🙏🏻 I thought I was the only one with this horrifically wonderful habit.

I had to get a tip removed from my ear canal once by a GP. She told me off and then declared the extraction to be the most satisfying part of her day so far.

I'd love to stop, I just can't.

I can't keep Kirby grips in the house anymore as I shove them in too

I remember reading an account by a western journalist of having ears cleaned in China. Apparently you can hire an expert who comes equipped with a whole array of implements (e.g. tiny spoons) to do it.

The expert she hired did try to put her off, he thought the eargasm might be too much for someone not culturally used to it.

Ears don't need buds. Most ear wax is washed out of your ears by water when you wash your hair.

Not my ears.

My Dh defintely experiences eargasm

He refuses to stop as he enjoys it too much.

I have to do the outside of my children's ears quite often though. They are very waxy

I did it for years with no ill effect. Until I got a raging infection that required IV antibiotics to fix!

Oh, me too! Have been on holiday this week and left my cotton buds at home in an attempt to wean myself off it...cue a rushed trip to boots to buy hairgrips, my ears were just so itchy! And I missed it too. Glad to see there are others like me!