The very thought of an insect stuck inside your ear might disgust you, but it’s good to know what to do and avoid doing when in such position. It is a very common problem in children in their toddlerhood to stuck an object inside the ear.
The ear canal is quite sensitive so adults can easily distinguish whether some object is in it. However, children, on the other hand, cannot.
Children between 9 months and eight years usually have this type of problem because in this age they are learning about their bodies, environment and interesting objects.
Children stuck most of the object inside the ear by themselves according to Medicine Net. They are prone to placing in their ears the typical foreign bodies: beads, cotton swabs, small toys, beans.
It is also very common while sleeping outdoors or on the floor an insect to fly or crawl into the ear canal. This could be very painful experience because of the movement of the insect and loud buzz.
What to Do
When situations like this occur the best way to pull out the insect is to pour mineral oil, baby oil or olive oil. The insect will float out in the oil bath and suffocate. It is very important that the oil is warm but not too hot, and the usage of this oil is only for insects and not for objects.
One should not pour oil if the eardrums are perforated, which can include ear pain, discharge, bleeding, the pouring should.
Additionally, while pouring the oil, the ear canal can be straightened. In adults, the earlobe is pulled backward and upward while for children backward and downward, according to Mayo Clinic.
Another solution to get the insect out of the ear according to Hub Pages is alcohol. Wet a cotton ball with alcohol then squeeze it and let a few drops go through the ear. The strong smell of the alcohol will force the insect to come out. At the same time, it will disinfect your ear.
Nonetheless, this could be very painful and could sting. Another tool to rinse an object out of the ear canal is to use a bulb syringe and warm water. Take into consideration that this tool could useful if the eardrum is not perforated and there is no ear tube.
What Not to Do
It is of great importance that you don’t use tools like match stick or cotton swab to probe the ear. This could push the insect further inside your ear and cause damage to the middle ear and eardrum.
In addition to this If structures of the middle ear damage that can result in disorders of hearing and balance.
Not putting fingers inside the affected ear is also very crucial. That could cause the insect to sting which may trigger worse problems. Even if the insect comes out, the sensitivity of the ear canal may cause irritation because of the insect parts according to the University of Rochester Medical Center.
In addition to insects and foreign objects when it comes to ear health, ear wax removal can also cause a problem.
Ear wax can cause hearing loss or pain when it builds up in the ear canal and blocks the passageway. This happens mostly with the excessive use of Q-tips. You may think that in doing so you clean your ears, but you push the skin cell debris and the wax further into the ear canals.
In conclusion, if you are not aware of the harm that the insect or object can cause to your ear canal, you should immediately consult your doctor.