Ear Foreign Bodies



Posted: Saturday, October 30, 2010

by John Laurusonis
Doctors Medical Center

The ear canal is a very delicate and sensitive structure approximately an inch and one quarter deep in the eardrum. This is measured from the outside portion of the ear into the drum. The canal tapers from the external opening downward and slightly backwards in young children. It is straighter and not tapering downward at ages 10-12. By 18-21years old it goes upward and backward to let water naturally drain out of the ear.

This very boney canal of the temporal bone is covered by a very thin membrane. The membrane secretes wax for lubrication and protection of this canal and the drum. People place cotton tipped applicators and ram the wax in or spin it around pushing soft and hardened wax up against the eardrum, which can be very painful. People have used the loop end of a bobby pin to place inside and scrape the wax out. This often results in pain and bleeding of the lining in the canal. Bent paper clips and almost anything possible short of a crow bar has been used to get the wax out. It is best consistently to flush out with a bulb syringe gently with some over- the- counter ear wash products with warm water. If with gentle washing it does not evolve absolutely; see your physician and let him remove it with a light and direct visualization or special apparatus for wax removal. The problem is easily treated if done early.

Bugs and insects have thermo receptors and smell receptors that can smell the rotting wax and feel the increased heat by 1 degree in the ear canal. People often just walking can have an insect fly into their ear and people at night may have a bug climb across their pillow seeking this wax in their ear. Do not attempt to remove this live insect yourself. When you go in there with a Q-tip the insect will back away from the entrance, into the corner to protect itself. It may possibly damage or rupture your ear drum and injure the ear canal causing extreme pain and bleeding. Now we really have a problem of infection, possible meningitis, permanent hearing loss, or encephalitis. The doctor usually applies some oily medications to place in the ear canal which can rush behind the bug, make the ear drum slick, fill the canal, and drown the bug. Then the doctor can remove the bug by direct visualization or suction if necessary.

Hunters and/or people working in a noisy environment, using small compression ear plugs may sometimes have a piece of the ear plug break off or get stuck in the ear. Do not attempt to remove this yourself. The doctor has special forceps or suction instruments to remove this easily, quickly, and painlessly.

Pencil erasers often get lodged in children's ears and need a special hook to grab and remove the eraser. The doctor may need to use an oily substance as well to get the eraser to slide around. If the ear gets inflamed, swelling around the eraser may become stuck and need to be surgically removed.

Children can put small beads or other things in their ears, which must be removed professionally from the ear drum by direct visualization, loops, snares, lubrication, or other materials to protect the canal, drum, and integrity of the middle ear with its delicate small 3 bone structure which allows you to hear.

Don't be a short term, short sited, or a self done person who in a few minutes makes a poor decision that can permanently damage your precious hearing. Antibiotic combination and/or steroid drops may or may not be used after the removal depending on the integrity of the tissue after removal. The patient must be monitored for 12-24 hours for any other signs of infection, inflammation, remaining particulate matter, or other problems of the ear. Headaches of excessive pain after removal must be closely monitored by the physician.

These matters are often best cared for in a emergency room, urgent care center, an immediate medical care facility, ENT, or an experienced practitioner with the right tools for handling this situation. Remember you may need tetanus as well, because the integrity of the ear or protective coating may be violated during this trauma to the tissue. No matter how irritated and anxious a major bug humming and moving in your ear bothers you avoid any temptation to get it out yourself. Seek immediate medical care as soon as possible.

John Drew Laurusonis, M.D.

Doctors Medical Center
Dr. Laurusonis was conferred his Doctor of Medicine degree in 1983 and has been actively taking care of patients since completing his Internal Medicine residency in 1987 in the Garden State of New Jersey. Dr. Laurusonis has been licensed in four states but ultimately chose to permanently relocate to Georgia with his family and begin a private practice.

He has expanded his practice to include many cosmetic therapies that have previously been treated with painful and extensive plastic surgery. He has been invited to the White House numerous times, has been named Physician of the Year, as seen in the Wall Street Journal, and has served as Honorary Co-Chairman on the Congressional Physicians Advisory Board

John Drew Laurusonis, MD

Doctors Medical Center

3455 Peachtree Industrial Blvd

Suite 110

Duluth, GA 30096

770-232-1101

www.doctorsmedicalctr.com

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