Children are inventive, to say the least. They manage to conjure different and unique problems for the parents, who then have to manage their child’s ailment and their own panic attack, together.
One such problem that kids are proud to present is stuffing things down their ear. Perhaps they see the ear canal as the road to adventure, or well, they simply do not think before chunking toys, beads, candies, and other paraphernalia down their ear.
However, to be fair to children, adults also can potentially face the problem of the presence of foreign objects in the ear.
Many insects and bugs like spiders, moths, cockroaches make their way into the ears, causing problems like infections due to the deposits of the matter inside of the ear and bits. The presence of any such foreign insect body inside the ear is a matter of grave concern, and to be overlooked by the ENT specialist in Islamabad.
Symptoms of the condition
Following are some signs of the presence of foreign objects in the ear:
Pain and irritation
Our inner ear is relatively delicate, and the presence of a foreign object can then cause irritation and pain in the region. Moreover, there might also be inflammation due to the irritation as well.
Similarly, if the insect is stuck inside of the ear, it can bite the inside of the ear, thereby causing pain and irritation.
Visible signs
There can be some visible signs that point to the presence of some problem with the ear. It is pertinent in the case of young children, who are not able to verbalize their pain. Visible signs include swelling, discharge like pus, blood, etc.
Dislodging the object
There are few things that laypeople can do in case of having a foreign object since time is of the essence. The more time elapses, the greater is the irritation and risk. Moreover, the object can also get lodged deeper inside of the ear, aggravating the condition.
First aid guide includes:
Tilt
Try to tilt the head in the direction of the ear with the object stuck inside it. If the object is superficially stuck inside of the ear, it can be dislodged with the aid of gravity then.
Pull it out
This step needs to be done carefully. If you can see the object, you can try to pull it out carefully. Clean a pair of tweezers, and ever so gently try to grab at the object and slowly remove it from the care.
Do not do jerky movements, or poke into the ear. The ear canal is very sensitive and poking and nudging can lead to damage to the ear.
In the case of insect
It is better to kill the bug prior to plucking it out so that it cannot do more damage to the ear canal. For this, gently pour in few drops of warm baby or vegetable oil. One might also then need to shake the head to dislodge the bug from the canal. Once apparent, either tilt head or pluck the insect out.
However, it is important not to use this for any other object than a live insect or bug. Similarly, do not employ this method if there is a pain in the ear, or there is bleeding in the ear.
Warm water wash
This is done in cases where there is no injury or pain otherwise in the ear. A little warm water to wash the ear can help in dislodging the object.
Complications of this condition
The presence of a foreign object can have grave implications for the ear and auditory system. Left untreated, it can lead to deafness, problems with clear hearing, ear infection, fluid discharge from the area.
Thus, if your attempts at removal fail, immediately visit the ENT specialist in Karachi.
