What substance is most appropriate for the nurse to use to remove an insect from a patients ear?

On this page

• What is an object in the ear?
• When should I see my doctor?
• How is an object in the ear diagnosed
• How is an object in the ear treated?
• Can an object in the ear be prevented?
• What are the complications of an object in the ear?
• Related information on Australian websites

What is an object in the ear?

Children often poke things like small toys or beads into their ears to see how far they will go, or to try to scratch an itch.

If you think a child has an object in their ear, take them see a doctor. If the object contains chemicals (like a button battery) or is a bean (which can swell) you should go to the Emergency Department.

Objects commonly found in ears include:

• cotton buds
• hearing aid batteries
• stones or fruit pips
• folded paper
• insects
• seeds

When should I see my doctor?

If the object does not fall out of the ear by itself, you will need to see a doctor. Always seek medical assistance if there is pain, a discharge from the ear, reduced hearing or a feeling that something is stuck in the ear.

CHECK YOUR SYMPTOMS — Use the Symptom Checker and find out if you need to seek medical help.

How is an object in the ear diagnosed?

Your doctor will look into the ear with a light and an instrument.

How is an object in the ear treated?

You could try tilting your head to the side to try to dislodge the object. If it’s an insect in your ear, you could pour a little olive oil or baby oil in to try and float it out. You could try washing the object out with some warm water.

Beyond these measures, don’t try to remove the object yourself as you could cause further damage. Don’t put a cotton swab or matchstick into the ear to try to get the object out — you could push it further in.

Your doctor can remove the object with a special instrument. Children may need to be sedated to allow a doctor to do this.

In the meantime:

• keep your ear well protected to avoid knocking or banging — this will reduce the risk of further damage
• don’t block any fluid draining from the ear or try to remove fluid from inside the ear
• if there is bleeding from the ear, cover the entire ear with a clean dressing
• if you are in pain, get advice on the pain relief medicines you can take

If there is discharge from the ear:

• gently wipe away any fluids or discharge from the ear area using soft tissues
• throw used tissues away immediately
• wash and dry your hands regularly to prevent the spread of infection

Can an object in the ear be prevented?

If possible, teach children not to insert objects into their ears. Make sure children under 3 cannot reach batteries (especially small button batteries), needles, pins, coins, marbles, the tops of ballpoint pens or polystyrene beads.

You can also:

• choose toys that are appropriate for the age of the child
• be aware that toys may have small parts that can be removed
• encourage older children to keep their toys away from younger children
• supervise children under the age of three at all times they are in contact with small objects, which include small items of food such as peas, beans or watermelon seeds

What are the complications of an object in the ear?

Depending on what is in the ear and the amount of time it has been there, objects in the ear can cause:

• pain
• deafness or muffled hearing
• discharge or swelling (if the object has been inside the ear for some time)

The ear can become infected, even after the object is removed. Infection is more likely if the object has been in place for some time, part of the object remains in the ear, or a second, undetected object is stuck in the ear.

The symptoms of infection are:

• pain
• bleeding
• deafness or muffled hearing
• fluid or discharge from the ear
• redness and swelling of the ear canal
• a temperature

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Foreign Bodies in the Ear, Nose, and Throat 

An infant or young child may put an object in his or her ears, nose, or mouth. Objects in the mouth may be swallowed or breathed (aspirated) into the lungs. Objects in the ears and nose can make it hard to hear or breathe and can cause infection. When an object is swallowed, the child may need general anesthesia and a procedure to remove it. An object that is aspirated may cause serious trouble breathing and needs a procedure for removal.

Foreign bodies in the ear

Foreign bodies in the ear canal can be anything a child can push into his or her ear. Some of the items that are commonly found in the ear canal include:

• Food

• Insects

• Toys

• Buttons

• Pieces of crayon

• Small batteries

Some objects placed in the ear may not cause symptoms. Other objects, such as food and insects, may cause pain in the ear, redness, or drainage. Hearing may be affected if the object is blocking the ear canal.

The treatment for foreign bodies in the ear is prompt removal of the object by your child's healthcare provider. The following are some of the techniques that may be used by your child's healthcare provider to remove the object from the ear canal:

• Instruments such as long, thin tweezers or forceps may be put in the ear to grab and remove object.

• Magnets are sometimes used to remove the object if it t is metal.

• The ear canal may be flushed with water.

• A machine with suction may be used to help pull the object out.

After removal of the object, your child's healthcare provider will then re-examine the ear to determine if there has been any injury to the ear canal. Antibiotic drops for the ear may be prescribed to treat any possible outer ear infections.

Foreign bodies in the nose

Objects that are put into the child's nose are usually soft things. These would include:

• Tissue

• Clay

• Pieces of toys

• Erasers

Sometimes, a foreign body may enter the nose while the child is trying to smell the object.

The most common symptom of a foreign body in the nose is nasal drainage. The drainage appears only on the side of the nose with the object and often has a bad odor. In some cases, the child may also have a bloody nose.

Treatment of a foreign body in the nose involves prompt removal of the object by your child's healthcare provider. Sedating the child is sometimes needed to remove the object successfully. The following are some of the techniques that may be used by your child's healthcare provider to remove the object from the nose:

• Suction machines with tubes attached may be used.

• Instruments may be inserted in the nose.

• The object may be "blown" out of the nose. You may be asked to hold the unaffected nostril shut and place your mouth directly over your child's mouth as if you were giving mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. With your child's mouth open, you can quickly and forcibly blow into their mouth. The pressure will go through the mouth, up into blocked nasal passage, and can often "blow" the object out.

After removal of the object, your child's healthcare provider may prescribe nose drops or antibiotic ointments to treat any possible infections.

Foreign bodies in the throat

A foreign body in the throat can cause choking and is a medical emergency that needs immediate attention. The foreign body can get stuck in many different places within the airway. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, death by choking is a leading cause of death and injury among children younger than 4 years of age. 

As with other foreign body problems, children tend to put things into their mouths when they are bored or curious. The child may then inhale deeply and the object may become lodged in the "airway" tube (trachea) instead of the "eating" tube (esophagus). Food may block the throat in children who don't have a full set of teeth to chew completely, or those children who simply don't chew their food well. Children also don't have complete coordination of the mouth and tongue, which may also lead to problems. Children under the age of 4 years are in the greatest danger of choking on small objects, including:

• Seeds

• Toy parts

• Grapes

• Hot dogs

• Pebbles

• Nuts

• Buttons

• Coins

Children need to be watched very closely to prevent a choking emergency.

Foreign body ingestion needs immediate medical attention. The following are the most common symptoms that may mean a child is choking:

• Choking or gagging when the object is first inhaled

• Coughing at first

• Wheezing (a whistling sound, usually made when the child breathes out)

Although the initial symptoms listed above may resolve, the foreign body may still be blocking the airway. The following symptoms may mean that the foreign body is still blocking an airway:

• Stridor (a high-pitched sound usually heard when the child breathes)

• Cough that gets worse

• Child unable to speak

• Pain in the throat area or chest

• Hoarse voice

• Blueness around the lips

• Not breathing

• The child becoming unconscious

Treatment of the problem varies with the degree of airway blockage. If the object is completely blocking the airway, the child will be unable to breathe or talk and his or her lips will become blue. This is a medical emergency and you should seek emergency medical care. Do basic life support treatment for choking if you have been trained. Sometimes, surgery is needed to remove the object. Children who are still talking and breathing but show other symptoms also need to be evaluated by a healthcare professional immediately.

To prevent choking:

• Cut foods into small pieces

• Never let small children run, play, or lie down while eating

• Keep coins and small items out of reach of your children

• Read warning labels on toys

• Learn first aid for choking

Which of the following are methods of removing foreign bodies from the ear Select all that apply?

Which surgical procedure would the nurse identify as involving an incision in the tympanum to release the increased pressure and exudate from the middle ear?

Which surgical procedure would the nurse identify as involving an incision in the tympanum to release?

What type of deafness is your patient experiencing of the Vestibulocochlear nerve is not functioning?