Objects in the Ear

Topic Overview

Objects (foreign bodies) inserted into the ear usually do not cause significant damage. But objects that are inserted forcefully can damage the ear canal or penetrate the eardrum.

Problems with objects in the ear most commonly occur in children younger than age 5 and in people who have problems with thinking and reasoning, such as an intellectual disability or Alzheimer's disease.

Some objects in the ear cause more problems than others.

• An insect or object in the ear may cause minimal symptoms. A young child may complain of discomfort or unusual noises in the ear. In this case, it is reasonable to try to remove the object. If the object cannot be removed, it may fall out on its own over the next 24 hours.
• Food items may be placed in the ear. Dry foods expand when they become moist. Seeds, such as beans, peas, or popcorn, can swell from the moistness of the ear canal, making removal more difficult. The objects may cause pain and hearing loss as they expand to fill the ear canal. The irritation may cause a bad-smelling liquid to drain from the ear.
• The tip or a piece of cotton from a cotton swab may become lodged in the ear canal if one is used to try to clean the ear canal or remove another object.
• Disc batteries (also called button cell batteries) are more dangerous than other objects and should be removed immediately. The moist tissue in the ear canal can cause the battery to release strong chemicals (alkali) quickly, often in less than 1 hour. These chemicals can cause a severe burn and scarring in a little as 4 hours.

The longer an object is left in the ear, the more difficult it is to remove. Also, infection can result from prolonged presence of the object. A visit to a doctor is needed if an object remains in the ear longer than 24 hours.

An urgent visit to a doctor is needed any time a disc battery is placed in the ear or if symptoms of injury develop after an object has been inserted in the ear. Symptoms of injury include sudden hearing loss, moderate to severe pain, dizziness, or bleeding.

Review the Check Your Symptoms section to determine if and when you need to see a doctor.

Check Your Symptoms

If you answer yes to any of the following questions, click on the "Yes" in front of the question for information about how soon to see a health professional.

Review health risks that may increase the seriousness of your symptoms.

	Yes	Do you have a disc battery stuck in your ear? Note: Disc batteries are found in toys, calculators, hearing aids, cameras, and watches. When to See a Doctor See significance of a disc battery if you need information to help you answer the questions below. Review health risks that may increase the seriousness of your symptoms. Call your health professional immediately if you answer "Yes" to any of the following questions. Yes Do you have a disc battery stuck in your ear canal and you cannot remove it? Note: If you are not able to reach your doctor immediately, go directly to the nearest hospital emergency department. Do not place eardrops or other solutions of any kind in the ear in an attempt to remove the battery. Eardrops can cause the battery to corrode quickly, causing severe damage to the ear canal. Yes Do you have moderate to severe pain after removing a disc battery from your ear canal? Yes Do you have bleeding or drainage from the ear after removing a disc battery from your ear canal? If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.
	Yes	Do you think you have hurt the inside of your ear (ear canal)? When to See a Doctor See significance of an injury if you need information to help you answer the questions below. Review health risks that may increase the seriousness of your symptoms. Note: If you have had something in your ear for longer than 24 hours, a visit to a doctor is needed to remove the object, even if you do not have other symptoms. Call your health professional immediately if you answer "Yes" to any of the following questions. Yes Have you had sudden, complete hearing loss? Yes Do you have severe pain? Yes Do you have severe dizziness that makes it hard to stand or walk? Call your health professional today if you answer "Yes" to any of the following questions. Yes Do you have some hearing loss? Yes Do you have drainage or bleeding from the ear? Yes Do you have mild to moderate pain? Yes Do you have mild dizziness? You may wait to see if the symptoms improve over the next 24 hours (or specified time period) if you answer "Yes" to any of the following questions. Yes Do you have mild symptoms that have not gotten better for 24 hours or longer after an object first became stuck in your ear? Yes Do you have mild symptoms that are now getting worse 24 hours after an object first became stuck in your ear? Yes Do you still have symptoms that are not getting better 24 hours after an object was removed from your ear? If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.
	Yes	Do you think you have an ear infection after getting something stuck in your ear? When to See a Doctor See significance of an ear infection if you need information to help you answer the questions below. Review health risks that may increase the seriousness of your symptoms. Call your health professional immediately if you answer "Yes" to any of the following questions. Yes Do you have diabetes? Yes Do you have a disease or take medicine that causes problems with your immune system? Call your health professional today if you answer "Yes" to any of the following questions. Yes Do you have any pain, swelling, or tenderness around or behind your ear? Yes Is your ear or ear canal hot or red? Yes Do you have any drainage from the ear? Yes Do you know or think you have a fever? You may wait to see if the symptoms improve over the next 24 hours (or specified time period) if you answer "Yes" to any of the following questions. Yes Do you have mild ear discomfort that is getting worse or not getting better 48 to 72 hours after an object was removed from the ear? Yes Do you have new mild redness 48 to 72 hours after an object was removed from the ear? If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.
	Yes	Do you have something stuck in your ear? When to See a Doctor See significance of an object in the ear that you cannot remove if you need information to help you answer the question below. Review health risks that may increase the seriousness of your symptoms. Call your health professional immediately if you answer "Yes" to the following question. Yes Do you have complete hearing loss in the ear that has an object stuck in it? Call your health professional today if you answer "Yes" to any of the following questions. Yes Do you have some hearing loss? Yes Do you have drainage or bleeding from the ear? Yes Do you have mild to moderate pain? Yes Do you have mild dizziness? Yes Have you had an object stuck in your for ear longer than 24 hours but you do not have other symptoms? You may wait to see if the symptoms improve over the next 24 hours (or specified time period) if you answer "Yes" to any of the following questions. Yes Do you have mild symptoms that have not gotten better for 24 hours or longer after an object first became stuck in your ear? Yes Do you have mild symptoms that are now getting worse 24 hours after an object first became stuck in your ear? Yes Do you still have symptoms that are not getting better 24 hours after an object was removed from your ear? If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.

Other Symptoms to Watch For

Do you have the following symptom?

• Earwax: Go to the topic Earwax.

If a visit to a health professional is not needed immediately, see the Home Treatment section for self-care information.

Home Treatment

To remove an object from the ear:

• Tilt the head to the side and shake it. Gently pulling the ear up and back may straighten the ear canal and help dislodge the object.
• If the object is visible and the person is calm and cooperative, carefully try to remove the object with blunt-ended tweezers. Do not use non-gripping instruments, such as bobby pins, cotton swabs, or matchsticks. Use care not to push the object farther into the ear.
• Do not try to remove an object if the person will not hold still.
• Do not try to remove an object if it is so far inside the ear that you can't see the tips of the tweezers.
• Do not try to flush an object out with water.
• When trying to remove an object from a child's ear:
  • Speak to the child in a calm, relaxed voice. This will help control the child's fear.
  • An object that is not causing symptoms does not have to be removed immediately. If the child is upset, it may be best to let him or her calm down before trying to remove the object.

To remove a disc battery from the ear:

If the battery is partially out of the ear, you may be able to remove it with your fingers or blunt-nosed tweezers.

• Do not use non-gripping instruments, such as bobby pins, cotton swabs, or matchsticks.
• Use care not to push the battery farther into the ear.
• If a child resists or is not able to hold still, do not attempt to remove the battery.
• Do not use eardrops or sprays of any type. This can cause the battery to corrode more quickly.

To remove an insect from an ear:

Do not try to kill an insect that has flown or crawled inside the ear.

• Instead, pull the ear up and back, and let the sun or a bright light shine inside the ear. Insects are attracted to light and may crawl out.
• If the insect does not crawl out:
  • Lie the person down with the ear facing upward.
  • Fill the ear canal with warm (body temperature) mineral, olive, or baby oil. The insect may float out.

Do not use ear candles. They have no proven benefit in the removal of earwax or other objects in the ear and can cause serious injury.

Symptoms to Watch For During Home Treatment

Use the Check Your Symptoms section to evaluate your symptoms if any of the following occur during home treatment:

• Pain develops or increases.
• The object or insect cannot be removed.
• Fever develops.
• The ear, ear canal, or the skin around the ear becomes red or swollen.
• Drainage from the ear develops.
• You develop other symptoms, such as hearing loss, dizziness, or bleeding.
• Your symptoms become more severe or frequent.

Prevention

Small children love to explore their surroundings. They are also curious about their bodies. To prevent children from inserting objects into their ears:

• Supervise young children, especially children younger than age 5, to reduce the risk that they will put objects in their ears or other body openings, such as the mouth, nose, rectum, or vagina.
• Keep all objects small enough to be swallowed or inserted into body openings away from small children. Warn children not to put any object into a body opening.
• Store all disc batteries in a safe place out of the reach of children. Properly dispose of used disc batteries out of the reach of children.

Preparing For Your Appointment

To prepare for your appointment, see the topic Making the Most of Your Appointment.

You can help your doctor diagnose and treat your condition by being prepared to answer the following questions:

• What is in your ear? If the object has been removed, take it with you.
• How long has the object been in your ear? If the object has been removed, how long was it in the ear?
• How have you tried to remove the object? What methods have you used? What happened?
• If the object has been removed, how was this done?
• What symptoms have developed since the object became stuck in the ear?
• Do you have any health risks?

Related Information

• Ear Canal Problems (Swimmer's Ear)
• Ear Problems and Injuries, Age 11 and Younger
• Ear Problems and Injuries, Age 12 and Older
• Earwax

Credits