If something becomes lodged in your ear it can cause irritation, and can result in temporary hearing loss if it blocks your ear canal. A sharp object can damage your eardrum. Young children sometimes push small items such as beads or bits of paper into their ears. Unless you see them doing it, you may not be aware of a problem until they complain of pain in the ear, have a discharge from it, or are unable to hear properly. Adults sometimes get cotton wool stuck inside the ear canal while cleaning their ears (a practice that is not recommended.) Occasionally, insects get lodged in the ears; this can be alarming, especially for a child.
Make an urgent appointment to see your doctor if an object does not fall out of the ear by itself or if you cannot remove an insect using the measures below.
PRACTICAL TECHNIQUE
Removing an insect from the ear You may be able to remove an insect from the ear by floating it out. If the insect is in your own ear, get someone to help you. (Don’t use water to remove anything other than an insect, because some objects may swell up and become more difficult to remove).
* Have some tepid water ready and a dropper.
* Ask the person to lie down with the affected ear upwards and to keep very still.
* Trickle water into the ear using the dropper. This should cause the insect to float out of the ear.
* Tilt the head downwards, to let any remaining water drain away.
* If the insect does not float out, don’t make further attempts to remove it. Seek medical help.
Floating out an insect
A child may be frightened at the thought of having an insect in the ear, so calm him or her down first. Ask the child to lie very still while you drop water into the ear.
What you can do yourself
There are limited steps that you can take to deal with an object or insect in the ear; if they don’t work, see your doctor.
*Try tilting the ear downwards and shaking it gently to see if the object or insect falls out.
* If there is an insect in the ear, try to stay calm. Tilt the affected ear upwards and wait to see if the insect crawls out by itself. If it doesn’t, try floating it out with water (see PRACTICAL TECHNIQUE).
* Never try to remove something from the ear by probing with fingers, tweezers, or a cotton bud, even if you can see it. You are likely to push the object further into the ear, and may damage the lining of the ear and/or the eardrum.
Arrange to see your doctor urgently if, after removing an object:
* There is still a feeling of something in the ear
* Your hearing is impaired
* Your ear is painful or there is a discharge
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