Ear, Object In

The Problem
You have a foreign object lodged in you rear. You may also have ear pain and hearing loss.

Important Information About Objects in the Ear
A variety of objects can end up in ears, especially children’s ears; marbles, tiny toys, bits of paper, cotton swabs, jewelry, seeds, and earplugs are a few possibilities. It is also not unusual for insects to fly into human ears. The ear’s structure prevents most objects from penetrating into the middle and inner ear, but it is possible for an object to scratch or perforate the eardrum. Perforation may be especially likely during attempts to remove objects. Therefore, if you or your child has an object lodged in the ear, follow the self-care measures below carefully.

Self-Care Measures
If there is a foreign object lodged in your ear, follow these steps:

• cotton swabs are meant for cleaning the outside of the ears only.
• Don’t use cotton swabs or any other tools to try to remove the object from the ear canal by probing at it; this increases the risk of pushing the object further into the ear.
• Work with gravity’s pull by tilting your head to the affected side. Gently shake your head in the direction of the ground to try to dislodge the object.(Do not strike your head.)
• If this is ineffective, tilt the head in the other direction and make one attempt to remove the object with tweezers if the object is visible in the outer ear.(further probing may cause injury.) If this doesn’t work, call your nurse information service or doctor.
• If the foreign object is an insect, you can attempt to remove it by following these steps (Note: Do not use this technique unless you are certain that the object in the ear is an insect. Another foreign object might expand as a result of absorption of the liquid and become more difficult to remove):

Lie down on your side with the affected ear up.

• Fill the ear canal, drop by drop, with oil (you can use mineral oil, bady oil, cooking oil, or olive oil) at room temperature. Gently pull the earlobe upward and backward to open the canal.
• The insect will drown and float to the top. Blot it away with a tissue. Then lie on opposite side to drain the remaining oil.

Prevention
Never insert small objects into your ear.