title: [Cotton swabs and ear cleaning. Should one do it or not?].
abstract: Cotton tips for cleaning out the auditory canal are readily available from drugstores and supermarkets. They supposedly represent a safe means of cleaning the ears and nose. It is the purpose of the present paper to show that the insertion into the ear or nose of foreign bodies in the form of cotton tips is not only absolutely unnecessary, but is also potentially dangerous.
authors.affiliation: Klinik und Poliklinik für Hals-, Nasen- und Ohrenheilkunde der Technischen Universität Dresden.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Reiss
mesh_terms: D002571:Cerumen; D004431:Ear, External / Q000293:injuries; D006801:Humans; D012307:Risk Factors; D012648:Self Care