An ear foreign body is an object that is stuck in your ear. Foreign bodies are usually trapped in the outer ear canal. This is the tube from the opening of your ear to your eardrum.
What are the signs and symptoms of an ear foreign body?
Feeling like something is in your ear
Trouble hearing
Ear pain
Redness, itching, or bleeding in your ear
Thick drainage or a foul odor coming from your ear
Nausea or dizziness
How is an ear foreign body diagnosed?
Your healthcare provider will ask about your symptoms and if you tried to remove the object. Your provider will look in your ear to check for tears or infection. Describe recent activities, such as camping or traveling. Your hearing may also be tested.
How is an ear foreign body treated?
Treatment depends on the object and how deep it is in your ear:
Medicines may be given to prevent or treat pain, inflammation, or an infection.
A procedure may be needed to remove the foreign body. You may be given local numbing medicine or a sedative to keep you calm.
A small medical tool may be used to grasp the object and pull it out.
Suction with a small catheter (tube) may be used to suck the object out. Suction is most often used when the object is round and smooth.
Glue may be applied to a small stick, such as a cotton swab cut at one end. The stick is inserted into your ear. The glue sticks to the object so it can be pulled out.
Irrigation is used to flush the object out with a small catheter.
Chemicals , such as hydrogen peroxide or acetone, may be used to remove gum or superglue.
Liquids , such as mineral oil, warm alcohol, or lidocaine may be used if the object is a live insect. These liquids will kill the insect so it can be removed.
A balloon catheter may be inserted into your ear, past the object. The balloon at the end of the tube is filled with air. The balloon is pulled out of your ear and the object comes with it.
When should I call my doctor?
You have severe ear pain.
You have pus or blood draining from your ear.
You have a fever or chills.
You have trouble hearing, or you have ringing in your ears.
You have questions or concerns about your condition or care.
Care Agreement
You have the right to help plan your care. Learn about your health condition and how it may be treated. Discuss treatment options with your healthcare providers to decide what care you want to receive. You always have the right to refuse treatment. The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you.
A foreign object in the ear can cause pain, infection and hearing loss. Most often, you know if something is stuck in your ear. But small children may not be aware of it. Children may have ear pain and be cranky or cry.
What are the symptoms of a foreign body in ear? Foreign objects in the ear may include the following symptoms: Pain, inflammation, and irritation: The skin in the ear canal and the eardrum is very sensitive. Any inflammation or injury is usually readily apparent due to pain or irritation.
Using body temperature water, retract the pinna, and squirt water superiorly in the external auditory canal, behind the foreign body, which will then be washed out of the canal. [7] Using water that is too hot or too cold will potentially cause vertigo, nausea, and vomiting due to vestibular stimulation.
A foreign object cannot fall out from your ear on its own. It can stay in your ear until you do not remove it or get it removed. Small, inert foreign bodies, such as beads, can stay for 1-2 weeks in your ear without causing any complications. Complications result when you try unsafe methods to deal with the problem.
If the object is easy to see and grasp, gently remove it with tweezers. Use water. Only wash out the ear canal if you don't think there is a hole in the eardrum and no ear tubes are in place. Use a rubber-bulb syringe and warm water to wash the object out of the canal.
People will often feel the pressure and discomfort of an object lodged in the ear. They also may be aware of what happened when it became stuck, although nonverbal children may not be able to explain it. In some cases, as with an insect in the ear, you may not know that it's happened.
Long-term complications of retained foreign bodies include chronic pain and neurovascular impairment. Wound exploration and initial imaging with radiography or ultrasonography should be considered before foreign body removal. Risks and benefits of removal should be discussed with the patient.
Dr. Troy Madsen, the answer is . . . Dr. Madsen: ER or urgent care, just because it's something they could probably take care of in an urgent care, but you may end up in the ER because it's tough to get stuff out of kids' ears.
Tiny, pain-free slivers near the skin surface can be left in. They will slowly work their way out with normal shedding of the skin. Sometimes, the body also will reject them by forming a little pimple.
Be careful not to push it in deeper, and don't poke at the ear or try to remove the object by force. The ear canal is very sensitive, and this could be painful. If it is a live insect, kill it before you try to remove it. Put a few drops of warm (not hot) baby oil or vegetable oil in the ear.
By placing the affected ear down and gently wiggling the ear pinna, you may be able to shift the object enough to cause it to fall out. If an object becomes lodged in the ear and this technique fails, it is usually best to have it removed by a doctor who can view the object with proper lighting and instruments.
How is a foreign body in the ear diagnosed? Your doctor will inquire about your symptoms and any attempts you made to remove the object.They will examine your ear to detect any tears or signs of infection.
The doctor also may clean the ear canal with water or fill the ear with mineral oil to suffocate an insect or use a suction machine to help pull the object out.
If your ears are plugged, try swallowing, yawning or chewing sugar-free gum to open your eustachian tubes. If this doesn't work, take a deep breath and try to blow out of your nose gently while pinching your nostrils closed and keeping your mouth shut. If you hear a popping noise, you know you have succeeded.
What are the symptoms of foreign bodies in the ear? Some objects placed in the ear may not cause symptoms, while other objects, such as food and insects, may cause pain in the ear, redness, or drainage. Hearing may be affected if the object is blocking the ear canal.
A foreign body lodged in the stomach or intestines may cause abdominal pain, vomiting, or bloody stools. If present for a prolonged period, fever or weight loss may develop. A foreign body that has completely obstructed the esophagus will cause more dramatic symptoms.
Introduction: My name is Rueben Jacobs, I am a cooperative, beautiful, kind, comfortable, glamorous, open, magnificent person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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