How to Remove a Foreign Object from the Ear

Accidents happen and sometimes we find ourselves in the most interesting predicaments like having to remove a foreign object from your ear. Earring backings, eraser tips and small toys have been known to find a way into the ear canal. Children, who may not know any better, are prone to putting objects into holes, and one such hole of interest happens to be the ear. The initial response is to get a little panicky when this type of accident occurs, but it is important that, whether it has happen to yourself or a small child, you remain calm and assess the situation. It may be difficult for you to remove a foreign object from your own ear, and you may need to ask someone else for assistance.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Tweezers
• Bulb syringe
• Bowl
• Mineral, olive or baby oil

1. Remain calm. It can be a scary situation, but if you stay calm you will keep your focus on the task at hand.

2. Assess the object to see if it can be easily seen in the ear canal and removed.

3. Objects that can be easily seen can be grasped with tweezers and pulled out gently. Remember to have the person or child stay very still while removing the object. For children, you want to talk calmly to them as you are doing the removal.

4. Using gravity can also help dislodge a foreign object from the ear. Tilt the head to the side and gently shake the head until the object falls out.

5. Flushing the object out of the ear by using boiled, but cooled down, water may also help to remove the object. Use a bulb syringe to suck up the water, tilt head to the side over a bowl, squeeze the water into the ear canal and let the water flush and drain out from the ear canal. You may have to do this more than one time, and should only be done when object is really small.

6. Removing insects that may have crawled or flown into the ear can be accomplished by pouring warmed mineral, olive, or baby oil into the ear canal. After the oil is poured into the ear canal, let it stay in the ear for a few minutes and then tilt the head over a bowl, allowing the oil to drain out. This process may need to be repeated until the insect flushes out of the ear.

Tips & Warnings

• Since this can be really scary event for a child, you may want to wait until the child is calmed down before you attempt to remove the foreign object from the ear or seek out medical assistance with someone trained to handle these types of situations.
• Pull gently downward on the earlobe when you pour oil into the ear canal. This will allow the oil to reach the depth of the ear canal and fully flush out the canal.
• Objects that are long, big or pointed may have poked into the middle ear. These objects will need to be removed by a physician.
• Never probe the ear with pointy objects or any other tools as a method to remove a foreign object from the ear. This can cause the object to move deeper into the ear or even damage the middle ear.
• Mineral, olive or baby oil should only be used when trying to remove an insect from the ear canal.
• Symptoms of pain, fever, bleeding, discharge, hearing loss and redness and swelling should be reported to a physician.
• Objects that are difficult to remove should be removed by a physician.