Foreign Object In The Ear

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Medindia » First Aid » First Aid-Foreign Object In The Ear

Foreign Object In The Ear - First Aid and Emergency Treatment Guide

Comments (5)

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   Overview
   Causes
   Symptoms
   Treatment
   Steps to avoid
   Consult a doctor
   Prognosis
   Prevention

Overview

Any outside object lodged inside ear canal

Not dislodged easily

An 'Otoscope' is used to identify object

Causes

On purpose, eg, a cotton swab used for cleaning
Accidental, especially among children
An insect that may have crept into the ear

Symptoms

Feeling of uneasiness/ discomfort
Pain
Dizziness
Infection
Discharge/blood oozing from ear
Dry cough, occasionally
Insect may bite/cause tickling sensation

Treatment

If object is protruding, use tweezers to remove
If object is small, shake head with ear facing downward
If it is insect, turn head to place affected ear upward
Place few drops of mineral oil/baby oil inside ear
Flush the insect out using clean water
Use oil only in case of insect
Otherwise it may lead to swelling
Seek medical help if required

Steps to Avoid

Do not push your finger into the ear
Do not strike the head to dislodge object
Do not shake a child to remove object
Do not try to remove object on your own
Do not block any discharge from ear
Do not try to clean the ears

Consult a doctor

If the object is not soft
If the object cannot be removed easily

Prognosis

There may be no problems once object is removed
Trying to remove object may tear the ear drum
This may lead to hearing loss

Prevention

Avoid using objects like tissues/ tooth pick to clean ears
Do not place anything inside ear without consulting doctor
Monitor children's actions

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IN CASE OF EMERGENCY(ICE)-Life Saving Measures

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Posted by: smjavid, India Posted on: 6/6/2012 in my ear i have regular pus discharges i got it operation for my both ears last 8 years back and now the de charge is going on and now dr says that to get it operation again they had asked to ger an MRI .
Posted by: azher, N/A Posted on: 2/8/2012 iam azher hashmi the problem is hearing with single Ear please suggest me any consulting and contact me azherhashmi99@yahoo.com thank u Age 34 plz. guide what can i do!
Posted by: Bigjoe, N/A Posted on: 6/11/2011 once while i was on night duty at the emergency ward, a woman came with complains of foreign object in the ear. felt some tingling sensation in the ear. since there was no oil available, the ear was flushed with water and in a twinkling of an eye, the sensation stops. thanks to the site
Posted by: mbenben, United States Posted on: 4/7/2010 Yesterday, While welding, a spark landed inside my ear. Burned like heck. Today, can't see any redness or swelling, but it's very painful. Can you suggest home treatment, or should I see a Doctor?
Posted by: Chipo, Zimbabwe Posted on: 8/12/2009 Yeepiee, the cockroach is out. thank you for this site. Major help indeed. It saved me a huge medical bill.