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Patient education: Removing objects stuck in the ear (The Basics)

Patient education: Removing objects stuck in the ear (The Basics)

What kinds of objects commonly get stuck in the ear? — Different things can get stuck in the ear. Children sometimes put small toys, objects, or food in their ears. In both children and adults, bugs can also crawl into the ear and get stuck.

The part of the ear where things can get stuck is called the "ear canal." This is the tube that leads from the outside of the ear to the eardrum (figure 1).

When something gets into the ear that shouldn't be there, doctors sometimes call it a "foreign body."

Does an object stuck in the ear cause symptoms? — Sometimes. Some people who have an object stuck in their ear have no symptoms. Other people have symptoms such as:

Pain inside the ear

Blood or fluid leaking from the ear

Trouble hearing

Should I try to remove the object on my own? — No. Do not try to grab or pull out an object that is stuck in the ear. If you do, you might push the object deeper into the ear canal.

Is there anything I can do to help get the object out? — Yes. You can try to make the object fall out by itself. If your child has something in their ear, you can:

Have the child tilt their head to 1 side. The ear with the object in it should be facing the ground.

Gently pull on the outer ear. This sometimes loosens the object so it falls out.

If you have something stuck in your own ear, you can also try these steps.

Should I call the doctor or nurse? — Yes. If something is stuck in your ear, or in your child's ear, call the doctor or nurse right away.

If the object doesn't fall out on its own, a doctor or nurse will need to remove it. In some cases, they might be able to remove the object in the office. If not, they will have you go to the emergency department or to an "ear, nose, and throat" doctor to have it removed.

Certain types of objects should be removed as soon as possible. These include:

Batteries – A battery in the ear, such as button or disc battery, is an emergency. That's because the electric current from the battery can damage the inside of the ear. If you know your child has a battery in their ear, go to the emergency department right away.

Live insects – If a live insect is stuck in the ear, it can be painful. It might also cause damage inside the ear.

Sharp objects – These include pointy things like the end of a pencil, a cotton swab, or a bobby pin. They can damage the inside of the ear.

Children should see a doctor or nurse even if the object falls out by itself. The doctor or nurse will do an exam and check that no other objects are in your child's ears or nose. (Children sometimes put objects in their nose, too.)

How will the doctor or nurse remove the object? — First, they will use a special light to look inside the ear to see the object. Depending on the object and where it is, they can remove it either by:

Squirting water into the ear to flush the object out

Using a tool to remove the object

If a bug is stuck in the ear and the bug is alive, the doctor will kill the bug before removing it. They can kill the bug by putting medicine or fluid in the ear.

For young children, the doctor or nurse might use a sheet or special wrap to help keep them still. If needed, they might also give medicine to make the child relaxed.

Will other treatment be needed? — Maybe. An object stuck in the ear sometimes hurts the skin in the ear canal or causes an infection of the ear canal. This is called an "outer ear infection." If these things happen, the doctor will probably prescribe ear drops that go in the ear.

If you or your child has an outer ear infection, you will need to keep the inside of the ear dry while the infection heals. Do not swim for 7 to 10 days after starting treatment. Showers are OK. To keep the ear dry during a shower, you can put some petroleum jelly (Vaseline) on a cotton ball, and then put the cotton ball in the ear.

More on this topic

Patient education: Removing objects stuck up the nose (The Basics)
Patient education: Outer ear infection (The Basics)
Patient education: Ruptured eardrum (The Basics)

Patient education: External otitis (including swimmer's ear) (Beyond the Basics)

This topic retrieved from UpToDate on: Jan 02, 2023.
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