foreign bodies
A foreign object in the ear can cause pain, infection and hearing loss. Usually you know if an object is stuck in your ear, but small children may not be aware of it. Most commonly in children it will be beads, polystyrene been bag balls, paper, play dough and even food. Why do they do it? For some children it’s a stage they go through but for some it may indicate an underlying ear issue like glue ear so best to get your child’s ears thoroughly examined if they are prone to putting things in them.
In the case of adults it’s a bit more intentional, usually involving things used to clean or scratch the ear like a cotton bud, match, pen etc. Visits to remove hearing aid domes are also common so make sure to check they are pushed on tightly to prevent this from happening.
And then sometimes it’s that uninvited insect that makes their way into our ears, not a very pleasant experience at all.
How to deal with a living insect in the ear canal:
First thing is to drown it so it stops moving. Tilt the person's head so that the ear with the insect is upward. Try to float the insect out by pouring mineral oil, olive oil or baby oil into the ear. The oil should be warm, but not hot. Don't use oil to remove an object other than an insect. Don't use this method for a child if ear tubes are in place or if you think the eardrum may be perforated.
If you do not have oil then use water.
Try using gravity. Tilt the head to the affected side to try and dislodge the insect and make it fall out.
DO NOT use anything to probe the ear such as a cotton bud or matchstick. You risk pushing it further in and damaging the ear.
Even if the insect stops moving it still needs to be removed from the canal, best and safest way is under the microscope by an experienced ear nurse who can see exactly what she’s doing.
How to deal with an object t in the ear canal:
DO NOT use anything to probe the ear such as a cotton bud or matchstick. You risk pushing it further in and damaging the ear.
DO NOT use tweezers to try and grab smooth or round objects from the ear, chances are the object will slip out of grasp and move further down the ear canal.
Try using gravity. Tilt the head to the affected side to try and dislodge the insect and make it fall out.
See an ear nurse as soon as possible for removal using the best and safest technique looking through a microscope allowing her to see exactly what she’s doing.