There are a number of scenarios where a foreign body or object gets lodged into someone’s ear. Kids are famous for sticking toys and food in their ears. However it doesn’t always stop there. There have been times when insects have been found in someone’s ear or sand from a day on the bleach or after a really windy day. It is not at all unusual for sand to get stuck in someone’s ear or ears. ENT Specialists will share how to safely remove foreign bodies from an ear canal or when to seek medical help.
If you or another person, such as your child, has a foreign body stuck inside their ear, the first thought is to use a Q-tip to try and remove the foreign body. This is actually a big mistake. Using a Q-tip to remove a foreign body out of an ear can, in many cases, push the object deeper inside the ear canal and even damage the inner ear. You will want to be careful on how you remove the foreign body. Before you begin cleaning inside the ear, grab the upper outer ear, which is called the pinna, and pull it back. This changes the position of the ear canal slightly. The change can help loosen the foreign body inside the ear. Have the affected ear tilted down and continue to wiggle the pinna. If you’re lucky, this is all that is needed to get a foreign body out of the ear.
If the foreign body is small and is stuck well inside the ear such as sand, you can first try to use 3% hydrogen peroxide. Pour a little inside the affected ear and allow the bubbles to do their work. Have the person lay on their side with the affected ear up. After a few minutes, have them lift their head up and tilt the head to drain the fluid out. You may need to repeat this two to three times to remove all of the sand out of the ear. You can also purchase an ear rinsing kit.
For those who have had the unfortunate experience of having an insect crawl inside their ear, this can be very uncomfortable and even create the desperate sensation of wanting to get the insect out or have it stop moving. To kill your unwanted parasite, put a few drops of olive oil inside your ear. This will kill the insect or at the very least, provoke it to get out. Once it has died and is close enough to the surface, someone can pull the critter out. However, if it is deep inside the ear, consider seeking medical aid to help extract the insect and disinfect the ear. In the event you believe it will require medical aid, avoid eating or drinking anything for 8 hours before you see the doctor. In the event it may require sedation, you don’t to have anything inside your system.
Getting a foreign body inside the ear canal can be uncomfortable and in some cases, very upsetting specifically if it is an insect. If a foreign body is found side the ear it is recommended that you see an ENT specialist to help remove and treat any possible infections. If you or your child has a foreign body inside the ear, contact ENT Specialists today.
