On 2017-01-04, Lacopo Ferrari wrote:

Can it really be that bad?

Yep.

I stopped using cotton swabs cuz they would push some! of my earwax
back up my ear canal. Not a lot, but enough that, over time, I
eventually had a an earwax blockage in my ear. Painful to remove.

I figure if I can't remove excess earwax with my finger, it'll fall
out by itself. I do use the "cuticle" blade on my Victorinox Swiss
Army knife, but only rarely and carefully. Easy to scratch the ear.

nb