India, March 23 -- The uncomfortable ache in your ear has you scrambling for Q-tips? And like the relief akin to finally scratching that nagging itch on your back, you end up shoving them into your ears. This practice is common, with many people regularly trying to clear earwax in an attempt to 'clean' their ears and put a stop to that persistent itch.

But this habit is like digging your own hole, incredibly counterproductive, and usually does more harm than good. And time to time, the urge to clean the earwax builds, but learning the right way to clean the ears will help you save a lot of trouble.

We asked Dr Nitya Subramanian, ENT doctor at Apollo Spectra Hospital, Delhi, to help demystify this common belief, calling out incorrect ear...