Foreign bodies in the ear – how to remove them? Symptoms of a foreign body in the ear

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Most often children put foreign bodies in their ears. These are beads, fragments of toys, seeds, rolls of paper, etc. In adults, foreign bodies are found that fall into the ear accidentally during work, eg in grain farmers. Sometimes insects enter the ear canal, causing anxiety caused by their movements and ear pain.

Foreign bodies in the ear

Foreign bodies in the ear is a problem that is most common in a child (75% of objects in the ears affect children under 5 -8 years of age, but sometimes we also meet them in slightly older children, usually those with emotional or mental disorders. ). Foreign bodies in the ear often cause hearing loss, which prompts the patient to visit

at the doctor. In most patients, foreign bodies are diagnosed and treated by a family doctor, otolaryngologist or an emergency department physician. Objects are often placed in the ear while playing, when the child, consciously or not, places everything within its reach and is small enough to fit in the ear canal. These are peas, pieces of toys, beads, beans or pieces of food. It can also be insects. A foreign body is rarely found in an adult’s ear. The presence of foreign objects in the ear can result in complications depending on the type of foreign body and the length of time it is in the ear canal. For example, a toy component will be less dangerous than a bite of food, which deteriorates over time and leads to infection. It is similar in the case of sharp tools or insects that move inside the ear and damage its interior. Therefore, it is very important to calmly ask your child if they put something in their ear and what it was. It can only be removed by a specialist (under general anesthesia).

Symptoms of a foreign body in the ear

Symptoms of the presence of a foreign body in the ear depend on its type and duration. In general, the following are observed:

1. nausea and vomiting – appearing due to irritation of the ear canal,
2. ear pain – each injury and inflammation of the ear is characterized by pain, especially since the ear canal and eardrum are very sensitive,
3. a feeling of fullness in the ear canal,
4. bleeding from the ear – this occurs especially when there is a sharp object in the ear
5. exudation of purulent discharge – indicating inflammation,
6. hearing impairment,
7. hearing sounds made by insects in the ear.

If the foreign body is shallow and it is possible to withdraw it yourself, you can try to do so. However, this is not recommended as there is a risk that the item will be pushed much deeper or you will be injured when you pull it out. You can wait to see a doctor until the next day (if the incident happened in the evening), but only if there are no additional symptoms, e.g. fever, bleeding, acute pain. Medical assistance should be called immediately if a battery, sharp object, food debris or an insect is found in the child’s ear. The removal of the item can be done by the GP, however there are situations in which it is necessary to visit an otolaryngologist:

1. lack of appropriate tools needed to remove the item,
2. location of the object close to the eardrum,
3. lack of a sufficient number of hands to immobilize the child,
4. several unsuccessful attempts to remove a foreign body,
5. the presence of a sharp object, insects, electrolyte batteries or food debris in the ear.

Complications of a foreign body in the ear

Complications, as well as symptoms, depend on the size, type and duration of the foreign body in the ear. The most common complications include:

1. wound infection,
2. acute inflammation of the external auditory canal,
3. injury to the external ear canal,
4. inflammation of the lymph nodes in the neck,
5. perforation of the eardrum, which may have serious consequences.

The sooner appropriate medical steps are taken, the less likely complications are.

Removal of a foreign body from the ear

Treatment depends on the location and size of the object in the ear. To pull it out, you need a lot of skills and equipment, because the lack of experience and abilities can only make things worse and push the foreign body into the ear canal. Then it is necessary to perform surgery under general anesthesia.

If there are small items in the child’s ear, you can do it yourself shaking attempt. The patient’s head should be tilted towards the affected ear, then grasp the pinna and press it gently back, then shake it slightly. This method straightens the ear canal. It is contraindicated to insert, for example, tweezers into the ear, because the object may be pushed deeper and, in addition, the eardrum may be damaged.

A foreign body is removed from the ear in a doctor’s office using several methods:

1. rinsing the ear with warm water (do not do it if the tympanic membrane has been perforated), a Jeanette syringe or a 60 ml syringe with a tip thickness of 14-16G and warm water (37 ° C) are used; thus, it is possible to avoid discomfort and dizziness.
2. Fogarti catheter,
3. the use of magnets, thanks to which it is possible to remove metal objects from the ear,
4. the use of special tweezers with an otoscope or forceps with a loop or hook at the end, thanks to which you can hook a foreign body and pull it out of the ear,
5. suction of a foreign body from the ear with the use of special tools (Frazier’s suction), with adjustable negative pressure,
6. in the case of an insect retention – it should first be killed with, for example, lidocaine solution.

Removal of a foreign body from a child’s ear should be performed under general anesthesia, because it is difficult to calm them down in such a situation, and the patient’s peace of mind is most important for the correct removal of the object. Also cases where removal of the object from the ear may be a traumatic experience predispose to anesthesia.