Gag reflex in ear

I have found that I can trigger a gag reflex simply by putting a q tip normal depth in my left ear to clean it.  this only happens in my left ear, and i have not heard of anyone else having this.

Is this normal, or something to worry about?
thanx.

[nikogal2006]

I hope it is  normal, it has happened to me for years. Only in my left ear too. I dont think its anything serious. I am still here ..

[Nancy T]

Even normal people (i.e., nothing wrong) may have abnormal "connections" between different parts of the body.

Is this something you've had all your life?

Nerves can regenerate in funny ways after nerve damage--they reconnect in wrong patterns. It's called aberrant regeneration, I think.

For example, people who've had Bell's palsy, an inflammation of the facial nerve causing one-sided facial weakness and sometimes hearing disturbances, can have this happen as the nerve heals from the injury. For example, they get tears when they eat, or blinking the eye might cause a mouth twitch, stuff like that.

Have you had any other strange symptoms or "connections"?

[calisonic]

yes, it is something I have had as long as I can remember. but I don't have any other weird symptoms or "connections" as you described.  I also have not had any nerve related diseases or anything like that.
thanx.

[Nancy T]

I bet you were born that way, then. There are apparently lots of little variations in our anatomy.

I have a funny thing on my forehead--ever since I can remember, if I concentrate on a certain spot on my right forehead near the hairline, it causes an irresistible feeling of "pulling" my head backwards.

When all the nerve connections in our bodies were hooked up, I guess every individual got something slightly "off"!

Nancy T.