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Many people may consider a foreign object in the ear to be a minor issue, but if untreated, it can cause serious problems. A bean a child unintentionally inserts into their ear, an insect accidentally flies into your ear, or even cotton that is left behind after cleaning your ear can all cause pain, irritation, or even temporary hearing loss.
How to handle a foreign object in your ear, what to do and what not to do, and when to see a doctor to get it removed to prevent potential complications are all covered in this article.
Interesting Facts
- Foreign objects in the ear: Causes
- Foreign objects in the ear: First aid
- Symptoms that require medical attention
- Cost of foreign object removal
- Foreign objects in the ear: Treatment
- Preparation for a doctor’s appointment
Foreign objects in the ear: Causes
In Children
- Children’s playfulness, curiosity, and inquisitiveness
- Common objects stuck in children’s ears include grains, food particles, eraser tips, beads, cotton, and toy parts, and button batteries.
In Adults
- Personal habits like frequent earwax cleaning and picking
- Common objects stuck in adults’ ears include cotton scraps, hair scraps, and tissue paper scraps.
Coincidence
- Insects or small animals entering the ear, such as ants, insects, ticks, fleas, mosquitoes, or baby cockroaches.
Foreign objects in the ear: First aid
- If the foreign object is clearly visible and non-solid, you can attempt to gently remove it with sterilized tweezers under sufficient lighting.
- Do not use a cotton swab, matchstick, or any other object to remove a foreign object from the ear, as this can push the object further in, causing injury to the eardrum and middle ear.
- If an insect gets in your ear, tilt your head and pour baby oil or vegetable oil into the ear, then pull the earlobe back to align the ear canal, to kill the insect or encourage it to float out.
- Never pour water, hydrogen peroxide, or any other liquid into your ear canal under any other circumstances, especially if you suspect a perforated eardrum with symptoms like bleeding or fluid drainage.
- You should seek medical attention immediately if the steps for removing a foreign object from the ear are ineffective or if you experience severe pain, a feeling of tightness, bleeding, fluid drainage, tinnitus, or hearing loss
Symptoms that require medical attention
- The sensation of insects crawling in your ear
- Pain in the ear, severe ear pain, crying and fussiness in children, pain when touched
- Bleeding, fluid drainage, or fever, especially if left untreated for many days
Foul-smelling fluid or pus draining from the ear canal - Tinnitus, hearing loss
- You should see a doctor immediately if a button battery is in someone’s ear.
At IntouchMedicare Clinic, we offer ear foreign object removal, which is performed by our skilled medical professionals using safe and accurate methods and modern standardized equipment. Services are available at any branch near you.
Cost of foreign object removal
- Manual removal of a foreign object from the ear, starting at 1,500 Baht
- Removal of a foreign object from the ear using suction machine with a special catheter, starting at 1,900 Baht
Foreign objects in the ear: Treatment
- The doctor will make a diagnosis based on your symptoms, history, and physical examination.
- An otoscope is used to visually inspect the ear canal for foreign objects, allowing the doctor to see the object’s location, shape, and type to plan for safe removal.
- The doctor removes foreign objects from the ear canal by using a suction device to aspirate any fluids like lymph, pus, or blood to get a better visualization of the object and the ear canal, which helps them visually assess the extent of any injury and provide treatment.
- If there is inflammation, abrasions, or an infection, the doctor will treat it with a 5-to-7-day course of antibiotics and ear drops.
- You should see a doctor immediately if your symptoms don’t improve or worsen after taking medication, especially if you experience a high fever, convulsions, bleeding, continuous pus discharge, or difficulty breathing.
- If a button battery is suspected in the ear, an X-ray is performed, and prompt treatment is crucial to prevent severe damage. This is due to the fact that the chemicals contained in button battery can cause a perforated eardrum, secondary infection, and even deafness.
Doctors’ clinical experience with treatments
Case 1:
A middle-aged female patient swabbed her ear with a cotton swab and the cotton became lodged in her ear for several days and was unable to remove it herself. She visited a doctor with severe ear pain. The doctor examined her with an otoscope and successfully removed the cotton swab with a forceps. She was then prescribed antibiotics and ear drops for 5-7 days. Her condition improved after follow-up appointments.
ONUMA PEANPHON, MD. ว.72081
(Intouch Medicare Clinic physician)
Case 2:
A kindergarten boy’s parents reported that he had M&M’s stuck in his ear. After returning home, the boy had severe ear pain, so he informed his parents to took him to see a doctor. The doctor used an otoscope and tools to successfully remove the candy and prescribed antibiotics and ear drops for 5-7 days. His condition improved after follow-up appointments and no complications were found.
ONUMA PEANPHON, MD. ว.72081
(Intouch Medicare Clinic physician)
Preparation for a doctor’s appointment
- You should never use tools like fingers, cotton swabs, or ear picks to remove a foreign object from the ear because they can push the object deeper and cause serious injury, such as a perforated eardrum or abrasions. Instead, it is best to seek professional medical help to have the object removed safely.
- Do not put water or oil into the ear if you are unsure what is inside, as certain objects can swell, and certain liquids are dangerous if the eardrum is perforated.
- Children may need to have food and water withheld before a medical procedure to remove a foreign object from the ear, especially if sedation or anesthesia is required.
- When a doctor is removing a foreign object in your ear, it is crucial to provide them with as many details as possible about the object, such as its type (e.g., cotton, seed, insect). This information helps the doctor determine the best and safest course of treatment.
References
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The Medical Council of Thailand, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital
For more info and make appointment
Onuma Peanphon ,M.D.
General Practitioner
Latest edit : 18/11/2025
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