foreign bodies in ear


foreign bodies in ear

Objects that enter the ear accidentally or are inserted deliberately. These are usually insects, pebbles, beans or peas, cotton swabs, or coins.

Symptoms

Foreign objects cause pain, ringing, or buzzing in the ear. A live insect usually causes a noise.

Treatment

Water must not introduced if any vegetable matter is in the ear because the water may push the foreign body further into the ear or cause the matter to swell and become firmly embedded.

To remove insects from the ear, a few drops of lidocaine should be instilled. Inorganic foreign bodies can be removed with small forceps by a health care provider.

See also: ear