Ear

I cleaned out my left ear today woth a Q-tip and now I cannot hear out of it.  I tried over the counter wax drops but it didn't work.  Could I have caused damage?

[Nancy T]

I don't know, but if you have a lot of wax in the ear, the Q-tip might have just pushed it deeper into the canal and blocked the ear. My ENT said never to use Q-tips in the ear because this can happen.

The drops do not usually work right away. Try putting the drops in twice a day for several days and lie on your side for a few minutes afterwards to give them time to work. I do this for several days and then use the bulb syringe that comes with the drops to clear out the remaining wax with very warm water.

That said, it would probably be best to consult your doctor. I don't know whether it's possible to damage your eardrum with a Q-tip.

Nancy