Having a foreign body in your ear can be annoying and, in some cases, create a certain alarm. Children, in particular, have a tendency to stick small objects into their ears that can get stuck. Fortunately, most of the time, these are not accidents that require urgent medical attention. An object stuck in the ear can be easily removed at home or at the doctor's office and usually does not cause lasting damage to health or hearing. However, if you can't see what's inside, you'll need to see a doctor to have it removed.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Take Proper Precautions
Step 1. Find out what's stuck in your ear
While we can't always know how or why an object got stuck in the ear, treatment varies based on the nature of the foreign body. Try to identify it before deciding whether to get your doctor to intervene.
- In most cases, a foreign body gets stuck in the ear because it is usually stuck on purpose by a child. This could be food residue, a hair clip, a bead, a small toy, a pencil or a cotton swab. If you know what your child was doing before symptoms appeared, you will be able to tell what kind of object got stuck in his ear.
- Cerumen may have built up in the ear canal and hardened. Accumulation of earwax can also develop due to overuse or abuse of cotton buds. Symptoms of this problem include a feeling that the ear is blocked or pressurized. Sometimes, the buildup of earwax can cause lightheadedness and hearing loss.
- Once inside the ear, an insect can be a particularly alarming and annoying foreign body, but it is also the easiest to detect. You can hear the buzzing and feel its movements within.
Step 2. Determine if you need to seek medical attention immediately
Although annoying, most of the time the entry of a foreign body into the ear does not constitute an accident that requires urgent medical attention. If you can't remove it yourself, you can wait until the next day for you to be examined. However, in some cases it is necessary to go to the emergency room immediately to avoid more serious damage.
- If it is something sharp, seek medical attention immediately, as complications could arise within a short time.
- It may happen that a child puts a button cell battery in the ear. It is a small, round object usually used to make clocks or small household appliances work. Seek immediate medical attention if your child sticks it in their ear. The chemicals contained inside can leak and cause serious damage in the ear canal.
- Get medical attention urgently if food or a plant-based body gets stuck in your ear. Swelling due to moisture could damage it.
- See your doctor right away if you experience symptoms such as swelling, fever, discharge, bleeding, hearing loss, lightheadedness, or rapidly increasing pain.
Step 3. Know what you don't have to do
Often the irritation caused by a foreign body in the ear is so strong that it prompts us to act without considering the consequences. When something gets stuck in your ear, know that it does more harm than good to resort to over-the-counter products sold in pharmacies.
- Do not use cotton swabs to remove a foreign body from the ear. We believe they are a universal remedy when we have some ear problems, but they are not appropriate if we want to remove a foreign body. In fact, they can push it deeper into the ear canal.
- Do not try to solve the problem by introducing liquid into the ear. Many pharmacies sell ear irrigation devices equipped with suction cups or syringes. Although they are useful for daily ear care, do not use them in the absence of a doctor when something gets stuck inside.
- Don't use ear drops until you know what's causing your ear discomfort. When a foreign body enters the ear canal, you may experience the same symptoms as ear disease. Ear drops can make the problem worse, especially if the stuck object has punctured the eardrum.
Part 2 of 3: Using Home Remedies
Step 1. Shake your head
First, you have to lower your head and use the force of gravity to get the foreign body out. Tilt it to the side, making sure the affected ear is facing the floor. Sometimes, this is enough to get rid of an object stuck inside.
- To facilitate the exit of the object by slightly altering the shape of the ear canal, pull the auricle, which is the outermost part of the ear (not the lobe, but the cartilage that begins on the top of the ear and extends to the lobe). By shaking it, you can remove the object, after which gravity will do the rest.
- Don't hit your head or hit it sideways. You can shake it gently, but hitting it can cause further damage.
Step 2. Remove the foreign body with a pair of tweezers
You should only use this method if part of the object protrudes and you can easily remove it with a pair of tweezers. Do not introduce them into the ear canal. If it is a child's ear, it is best to avoid pulling the object out in this way. In these cases it is best to consult your pediatrician or doctor.
- Clean the tweezers with warm water and antibacterial soap before use. Sometimes a foreign body can puncture the eardrum or cause bleeding and irritation within the ear canal, increasing the risk of infection.
- Grab the foreign body with tweezers and pull. Be gentle and proceed slowly so that the item does not break before it is disposed of.
- Do not use this method if the foreign body is so deep that you cannot see the tip of the tweezers as you try to pull it out. Do not use it even if the person cannot stay still. In these cases, it is preferable to consult a doctor.
Step 3. Apply an oil to kill the bug
If you have introduced an insect inside your ear, it could cause enormous discomfort due to the buzzing and movement. There is also a risk that it will sting. By killing it, you will facilitate the extraction.
- Do not try to remove it with your fingers, otherwise it may sting you.
- Tilt your head sideways so that the affected ear is facing the ceiling. If it's an adult, pull the earlobe back and up. If it's a baby, pull it back and down.
- Mineral oil, olive oil and baby oil are best suited. It is preferable to use the former, if available. Before use, make sure it is warm, but not hot or reheated in the microwave, otherwise it could burn your ear. A small drop is sufficient, roughly the same amount used to apply the ear drops.
- Ideally, the insect should drown or choke in the oil and float out to the end of the ear.
- You should only use the oil if you are trying to get an insect out. If the ear is sore, bleeding, or secreting, the eardrum is likely to be perforated. In these cases, it is not prudent to use the oil, so refrain if these symptoms occur.
- After using this method, consult your doctor to make sure all insect residues have been removed.
Step 4. Take precautions so that no such incidents occur in the future
Advise the child to keep any small objects away from ears, mouth and other orifices. If he is under the age of five, watch him closely when there are tiny objects around. Pay particular attention to button batteries and things that are spherical or circular in shape. Keep them in a safe place, out of the reach of children.
Part 3 of 3: See Your Doctor
Step 1. Prepare for the appointment
If none of the suggested home remedies have worked, you should see your doctor. However, before calling him, gather the necessary information. If it is a child, ask him in what conditions exactly the accident occurred. He will likely be more inclined to tell what happened to a person he knows than to the doctor.
- More importantly, you should explain to the doctor what has been stuck in the ear and how long it has been in it. That way, he'll have a clearer idea of the threats it might pose.
- You should also tell him what happened after the accident. Have any side effects occurred? Have you tried to remove the object? If so, how did you proceed and what was the result?
Step 2. Check if the ear needs irrigation
To remove the foreign body, your doctor may suggest that you irrigate the ear canal with water or a saline solution. This is a rather quick and easy procedure.
- Usually, a syringe is used to introduce lukewarm sterile water into the ear canal.
- If it works, this procedure allows you to free the ear of any foreign bodies.
- Do not use this method alone. It is better for a doctor to apply it.
Step 3. Let the doctor remove the object with a pair of medical tweezers
Even if you have not achieved any results with this method at home, the doctor will have the necessary tools to remove the foreign body from the ear more easily.
- He will use the otoscope, an instrument used to illuminate and observe the ear canal, along with medical tweezers. The doctor will have less difficulty in controlling the movement of the tweezers and preventing them from compromising the delicate internal structure of the ear.
- He will use a special pair of tweezers, specially designed for the ears, or hooked tools to gently pull out the stuck foreign body.
- If the item is metal, it may also use a long tool with magnets that will make it easier to pull out.
Step 4. See if the doctor prefers to use a suction cup to remove the object
The doctor will hold a small catheter close to the foreign body while using a suction cup to gently aspirate it.
Typically, this method is used to preferably remove solid objects, such as buttons and beads, rather than organic material, such as food or insects
Step 5. Prepare to be sedated
It is a procedure used mostly with infants and children, as they have a hard time remaining quiet and still when subjected to the extraction methods described so far. Doctors recommend anesthesia to prevent some sudden movement from causing damage and accidents to the inner structure of the ear.
- If your doctor has warned you that you may be anesthetized, avoid eating or drinking 8 hours beforehand.
- Follow any instructions your doctor has given you before leaving. He will likely ask you to monitor the child's behavior in case of complications. Listen carefully and clear up any doubts you may have.
Step 6. Follow the instructions if you have a perforated eardrum
It may happen that a foreign object punctures the eardrum. In this case, your doctor will prescribe you a cure.
- Symptoms of a perforated eardrum include pain, discomfort, a feeling that the ear is blocked, lightheadedness, bleeding, or discharge.
- Typically, a perforated eardrum heals on its own within two months. However, your doctor may prescribe a course of antibiotics to prevent any infections and also advise you to keep your ear clean and dry during the healing process.
Step 7. Ask your doctor how healing will proceed
After your visit, he or she will probably advise against swimming or soaking your ear in water for 7-10 days to reduce the risk of infections. Cover the affected ear with petroleum jelly and a cotton ball when taking a shower or bath.
Usually, doctors recommend returning after a week to make sure the ear is healing properly and to rule out discharge, bleeding, or pain
Warnings
- Do not try to remove foreign objects with your fingers. You risk pushing them further into the ear canal.
- Because young children have a hard time describing a problem to adults, learn to recognize the symptoms that could occur if a foreign body were to get stuck in the ear. For example, keep an eye out for uncontrolled crying, redness and swelling around the ear, or pulling on the lobe.
- Seek immediate medical attention if the introduction of a foreign body into the ear is followed by flu-like symptoms.
