Coughing when cleaning ears?

[jayman]

A quick ENT question:

When you're cleaning someone's ears out...and I mean really digging in there with those micro-graspers...why is it that they start to cough pretty hard?

Any input appreciated.
-Jayman

 

[dry dre]

A quick ENT question:

When you're cleaning someone's ears out...and I mean really digging in there with those micro-graspers...why is it that they start to cough pretty hard?

Any input appreciated.
-Jayman

Not to be rude, but if you google this question, you'll get a wealth of info and save a lot of peoples' time in replying.

In short, I don't recall the neuro pathway, but you can induce a gag-type reflex. Google can find the pathway etc.

 

[Jova]

Vagus nerve (CN X)

Sticking something deep in the ear, like a q-tip, stimulates the vagus nerve (which innervates a small portion of the ear).