Do you use cotton buds to clean the inside of your ears? This is why it's a really bad idea

It might feel like you're getting rid of earwax, but you're actually making the situation worse

It's something our parents told us time and time again - and doctors are constantly warning against the dangers of using cotton buds.

But why exactly is it so bad for us ?

If your ears are blocked with wax it can be tempting to use a Q-tip to clean them out, but doing so could make your situation worse and can even give you a hearing problem.

When we put Q-tips in our ears, the bud pushes the wax down the ear canal towards the eardrum and impacts it.

If this build-up of earwax presses up against the skin of the eardrum, it can mean it doesn't vibrate as well and therefore cause hearing problems.

There shouldn't be any need for them as our ears are actually "self-cleaning", according to Oxford University Hospitals.

In a patient guide , they explain: "The skin in your ears acts like a conveyor belt. It travels along your ear canal from your ear drum bringing any debris with it.

"If you use cotton buds or anything else to clean your ears, you can disrupt the ears' natural cleaning system.

"Often the only thing this achieves is to push wax further down the ear canal, making you feel deaf temporarily and causing damage to your ear canal or your ear drum."

If your 'conveyor belt' isn't working and you experience a build-up of ear wax, the best thing to do is visit your doctor to have your ears cleaned out in a simple procedure.