OBJECTS OR INSECTS IN THE EAR

TYPES

Young children who get curious about their bodies and interesting objects are the most affected because they unintentionally place the objects on their ear canal.

The common things they put in their ears are the following:

• Beads
• Food like beans
• Paper
• Cotton swabs
• Rubber erasers
• Small toys
• Marbles
• Small shells

SYMPTOMS

• Pain inside the ear
• The insect’s buzzing inside the ear may cause discomfort
• Redness or swelling of the ear
• Discharge blood or fluid in the ear

DIAGNOSIS

• A doctor will use an instrument called an otoscope to see if there are any objects or insects stuck in the ear. 
• A magnifying light with a plastic cone tip is inserted into the ear canal to look at the structures inside. 
• For young children, the doctor examines the ear, mouth, nose, and rectum.

TREATMENT

• Calm your child 
• Don’t poke the insect with swab cotton as it pushes the insect farther into the ear, damaging the middle ear, and eardrum.
• Tilt the child’s head to the side and shake it gently.
• If the insect is still alive and does not come out with head shaking, pour a small amount of mineral or baby oil into the ear canal. 
• If the insect is dead and does not come out with head shaking, pour a small amount of lukewarm water into the ear canal to flush it out. 
• If you are not sure the object is an insect, do not put water in the ear canal. 
• If the child has a history of ear problems, consult the doctor. The doctors have devised novel ways to remove objects from ear canals.
• After the object is removed, the doctor puts the patient on antibiotic drops for five days to a week to prevent infection from trauma to the ear canal.