A television commercial aired when I was young. It portrayed who I remember to be Dick van Dyke but may be wrong about that. First, he instructed everyone on the appropriate use of a Q-tip cotton swab. Next, he wielded one to clean is ear lobes and very explicitly instructed, “Only on the outside.” I laughed at the ad and thought it was absurd. Were they simply guarding against potential litigation about the misuse of cotton swabs? For all I know, it may have been part of a settlement from an incident.
Since that ad, like many adults, I have had my share of ear infections. I’ve had instances where my doctor has flushed ear wax from my canals with hydrogen peroxide; the motion sickness nearly made me hurl. Any legitimate medical professional will tell you, do not put a cotton swab in your ear. First, there are safer and more effective ways to remove ear wax. Second, there are many potential complications to putting a swab in your ear canal.
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