A child has a foreign body in his ear or nose - first aid rules. Foreign bodies of the ear canal

Fortunately, such a problem as a foreign body in the ear does not occur very often. But it is precisely this situation, simple at first glance, that sometimes leads to the most unpredictable consequences, since many simply do not know how to remove a foreign body from the ear without injuring themselves even more. Understanding how to behave correctly will help you avoid additional trauma and solve the problem as quickly and effectively as possible.

Foreign body in children

Most often, foreign bodies get into children's ears. Most often, the problem occurs in children left unattended. Children do not yet realize the danger, so various small objects may periodically end up in the nose, ear, and even respiratory tract. What doctors do not extract from a child’s ear: buttons, small parts of toys, coins, grains and beads, button batteries and much more.

It is not always possible to immediately determine the presence of a foreign body in a child’s ear. Children under 2 years old usually cannot say this. And older kids are often afraid to confess, fearing that their mother will scold them. So basically the main symptom is unpredictable or unusual behavior a child who suddenly begins to:

cry for no apparent reason;
shake your head from side to side;
refuse to lie on any side;
constantly pick your finger in your ear.

The mother should also be alerted to a sudden decrease in hearing acuity in the child, which may be caused by a cerumen plug or a foreign body that does not cause pain or anxiety, but partially or completely blocks the ear canal.

Causes and symptoms in adults

Situations in which foreign bodies in the ear bother adults occur less frequently. Most often this happens due to negligence or in unusual circumstances:

the cotton wool remains in the ear canal during cleaning;
debris or sand gets in during strong winds;
Small insects crawl in during sleep;
Larvae or small leeches enter the ear when bathing.

It also happens that other small objects accidentally get into the ear canal. In some cases they are smooth, light and do not cause any discomfort. Then the sensation of a foreign body in the ear is expressed only in its congestion and an unexpected decrease in hearing.

Such situations are the most dangerous, since when trying to clear the ear to improve hearing, you can unintentionally push the object further and even damage the eardrum.

Classification of foreign bodies

All foreign bodies that can somehow get into the ear canal can be divided into three main groups.

Sulfur plug. Formed when there is irregular or improper care behind the ears. It thickens and gradually completely blocks the ear canal. At first, her presence is absolutely imperceptible, but over time her hearing begins to gradually decrease. If the plug is deep and presses on the eardrum, then an ear infection occurs, and later headache. Poor circulation can cause inflammatory process in the middle ear.

Living foreign body. These are crawling, swimming and flying small insects and their larvae. Most often they get into the ear while sleeping or diving. This sensation cannot be confused with anything, since the trapped insect begins to rush about, touching the eardrum, causing pain and unpleasantly scratching inside the ear. The worst thing is if the insect is capable of biting or stinging. Then inflammation and/or an allergic reaction may be associated with unpleasant symptoms.
Non-living foreign body. Usually it gets into the ear of an adult due to stupidity, carelessness or an accidental coincidence. It is unlikely that anyone will deliberately put corn or peas or other inanimate objects into their ears. But during cleaning, a match may accidentally break and used cotton wool may remain. Or, while relaxing on an unequipped beach, sand and small parts of shells get into your ears.

In most cases, foreign bodies that have fallen deep into the ear canal and are stuck there should not be removed independently. Such amateur activity is very dangerous unpleasant consequences

. But you shouldn’t delay removing it, since the likelihood of complications increases every day.

Possible complications

A foreign body in the ear not only blocks the ear canal. It is a breeding ground for infections that eventually cause inflammation and suppuration in the middle ear. Due to being in a humid environment, plant grains gradually swell, squeezing the inner parts of the ear and disrupting normal blood flow. It is becoming increasingly difficult to extract them. Foreign bodies with sharp and jagged edges scratch internal walls and may be the cause. In addition, the wounds also get infected, which spreads throughout the body through the blood. This can cause inflammation lymph nodes and even blood poisoning.

A characteristic sign of an ear infection is severe bad smell, which is felt even at some distance from the patient.

Small batteries caught in the ear are especially dangerous. Once in a humid environment that perfectly conducts current, they continue to work and can cause damage and even necrosis of ear tissue. But non-functioning batteries are no less dangerous. When they remain in the ear for a long time, they oxidize and cause severe irritation and tissue damage. It is almost impossible to remove them on your own, so it is better to go to the hospital as soon as possible.

Removal methods

The method of how to remove a foreign body from the ear depends 100% on what exactly is inside. Only a qualified specialist can do this safely and painlessly. Therefore, if a foreign object is not visible to the naked eye and it was not possible to remove it with tweezers yourself, you should immediately go to the doctor.

A special case is insects caught in the ear. This often happens on country trips or hikes, where quick medical help is not available. And a living insect causes very great concern. Therefore, it is necessary to kill him as soon as possible, or at least immobilize him.

This can be done by pouring a few drops of medical alcohol, vodka, sunflower oil or liquid Vaseline into the ear canal. You can then try to rinse your ear with water. If the insect does not come out on its own, you will still have to consult a doctor.

The easiest way to rid a patient of a foreign body is to remove it with tweezers. This is exactly what the doctor does in most cases. He easily succeeds in this because he has at his disposal a wide variety of specially adapted tools with rounded ends, which reduce the possibility of injuring the ear and at the same time prevent the object from slipping back out. After removing the object, the doctor conducts a thorough examination and, if necessary, treats the ear. antiseptic solution and prescribes anti-inflammatory drops.

In some cases, it is necessary to rinse. The procedure is not very pleasant, but effective. Sometimes it is the only way get rid of compacted wax plug. Before starting the procedure, the external auditory canal is thoroughly cleaned. Then a solution of hydrogen peroxide is poured into the ear and left there for a while to soften the plug. After this, water is drawn into a large syringe, heated to body temperature and poured under pressure into the tilted ear.

In rare cases, when a foreign body is stuck in the ear in such a way that it is not possible to remove it through the external auditory canal, surgery has to be resorted to.

Before it starts, be sure to do X-ray to clarify the location of the item. Then under general or local anesthesia behind auricle A small incision is made through which the foreign body is removed, and cosmetic self-absorbing sutures are applied.

Preventive measures

The problem of a foreign body getting into the ear is easier to prevent than to solve. Moreover, the simplest precautions can reduce the likelihood of this trouble to almost zero. To do this you just need:

do not leave small children (under 2 years old) unattended;
do not let children under 6-7 years old play with construction sets and toys that have small parts;
Tell your child what happens if something gets into the nose or ears;
when sleeping outdoors without a mosquito net, cover your ears with earplugs or cotton swabs;
regularly monitor the cleanliness of the ear canal, freeing it from excess wax;
clean your ears only with cotton swabs specially designed for this purpose;
After diving in open bodies of water (especially a river or lake!), be sure to remove any remaining water with cotton swabs.

If you couldn’t avoid getting a foreign body into your ear and quickly pull it out yourself, you need to go to medical institution.

Any unprofessional attempts to remove a deeply stuck object can have serious consequences. Foreign body ear - this is an object stuck in the ear canal, or penetrated more deeply - into the cavity of the middle or inner ear . Such an object can be not only a living or inanimate object, but also a secret produced by the ear itself -. A foreign body stuck in the ear gives quite a specific symptoms

- not only decreased hearing, but also vomiting and dizziness. Therefore, correct diagnosis of the problem and methods for resolving it are very important.

The human ear is a paired organ that performs vestibular-auditory functions. The vestibular function is to ensure that the body maintains balance in space, and the auditory function is to conduct sound impulses.

The ear has three zones - the visible outer section, the deeper one - the middle section and the deepest one - the inner section. Usually we see only the external one - this includes the auricle, as well as the narrow external auditory canal. Externally, the auricle is a cartilaginous formation covered with skin, which works as a receiver of sound waves. The pinna transports sound waves into the ear canal. In order to localize the source of sound, there are bends in the ear canal that distort sound waves, thereby indicating the source of the sound. Thus, human brain not only hears certain sound information, but also has the ability to localize it. In practice, every day we turn our heads to where the sound is coming from, without thinking that this happens precisely thanks to these convolutions.

The continuation of the auricle is the external auditory canal, which begins with cartilaginous tissue, smoothly turning into bone. The process of ossification of the auditory canal ends at approximately twelve years of age; before this time, the auditory canal has more cartilage tissue, rather than bone, so in young children it is anatomically narrower. The end of this passage is the eardrum - it separates it from the middle ear.
The middle ear is home to bones that get their name from characteristic shape, - malleus, incus and stapes. They are involved in amplifying sound signals and transmitting them further.

The inner ear is responsible for the position and movements of the body, for the perception of sound. The space between the labyrinth and the inner ear contains a fluid called perilymph, and inside the labyrinth itself is endolymph. When air presses on the eardrum, the ossicular system transmits these vibrations to inner ear, where the vibration of liquids begins. Now the nearby organ of Corti comes into play, which perceives sound signals and transmits them to cerebral hemispheres brain.

The labyrinth also contains sections responsible for the vestibular apparatus. They contain otoliths that move when the position of the body changes and give a signal to the brain about this. In response to this, the brain reflexively tenses individual muscles in order to stabilize the body in space.

Classification

In medicine, there are several classifications of foreign bodies. They depend on what is the basis. For example, according to the mechanism of occurrence foreign object May be:

exogenous - one that penetrates the ear from the outside;
endogenous - the one that is formed directly in the ear. The most common foreign bodies include sulfur plug and wen (lipoma).

Depending on the nature, foreign bodies are divided into:

live - this includes insects that have entered the ear from the air or water (for example, when swimming in a lake);
non-living - these can be various kinds of small household items - batteries, beads, cotton wool, pieces of paper, etc.

Based on the nature of attachment in the ear, they are distinguished:

freely lying bodies - those that can move freely and are obtained without much difficulty;
fixed - those that, due to their size, do not fit freely into the cavity and get stuck in narrow passages.

Non-living foreign body of the ear

In some cases, the entry of a foreign body of inanimate nature may not cause any harm to the patient. discomfort. A person may not feel small smooth beads, pieces of cotton wool, etc. as a foreign object. If the foreign body is large, it will close the auditory tube and interfere with the passage of sound waves, thereby giving a feeling of ear congestion and decreased hearing quality.

Foreign objects with sharp edges can lead to perforation of the eardrum and scratches inside the ear canal. In this case, the victim will feel pain in the depths of the ear, and bleeding is possible. As a result of a violation of the integrity of the eardrum, an infection can enter the middle ear and cause a complication such as otitis media.

A foreign body entering the ear is an irritant, so in response to this, the skin begins to secrete more sweat and sebum. If the foreign body is of organic origin (pea, corn grain, seed), then it will swell after a while due to excessive moisture and can completely block the ear canal. This is accompanied by a feeling of fullness from the inside, pain, and decreased hearing. If such a foreign body is not removed in time, it can cause necrosis of the tissues of the ear canal, and if long stay The foreign body fits tightly into the ear canal, making it difficult to remove.

Another complication to be wary of with a foreign body in the ear is inflammation. Typically, the inflammatory process develops when a foreign body has been in the ear cavity for quite a long time. The stupid ones appear first painful sensations, turning into cutting and shooting severe pain, then purulent-serous discharge from the ear appears, and hearing deteriorates. When inflammatory reaction reaches its apogee, then the patient may experience an increase in heat, headache appears. The ear swells, the ear canal narrows, and this makes it much more difficult to remove the foreign body.

A foreign body can be diagnosed already when initial examination. Most often it is found in the external auditory canal. For better visibility, in adults the ear is pulled up and back, and in children - vice versa. If the patient applies for medical care not immediately, it will be difficult to see it, so doctors resort to the help of special devices - an otoscope and a microscope. If there is discharge from the ear, then a bacteriological analysis is performed to identify the pathogen and prescribe the correct medications.

Severe injuries resulting in foreign objects falling into the ear should be examined by doctors of other specialties, and may need to be complex treatment. When diagnosing a foreign body, do not forget that ear tumors, perforation of the eardrum, and otitis externa give similar symptoms.

It is necessary to remove a foreign object from the ear as quickly as possible, before an inflammatory reaction begins to develop and the foreign body increases in size. You should not remove the foreign body yourself, because without seeing the ear canal it can easily be pushed even deeper, violating the integrity of the eardrum.

In a medical institution, foreign body removal is beginning to be made simpler and in a painless way– washing. The rinsing water is heated to room temperature, is drawn into a syringe and injected into the cavity under gentle pressure. If it was not possible to remove foreign objects the first time, then the washing is repeated several more times. The water remaining after the procedure is removed with a cotton swab. Rinsing is not done if a battery or a light foreign body is stuck in the ear, which under the influence of water flow can migrate deep into the ear. Also, you should not rinse your ear if the integrity of the eardrum is damaged.

In this case, the removal of a foreign object is carried out using a thin ear hook, which is wound on the other side. Thus, the doctor manages to grab the foreign body and pull it out. In order not to injure the ear canal or pierce the eardrum, the manipulation is carried out under constant visual control. To facilitate the movement of a foreign body along the ear canal, pure ethyl alcohol is instilled inside it.

If the foreign body does not cause pain, then it can be removed without the use of anesthesia; in difficult cases, it may be indicated local anesthesia. After the foreign body is removed, the doctor examines the ear canal and identifies the presence of complications - inflammation, bleeding, etc. The skin is treated with a solution boric acid, and antibacterial ointment is placed in the ear.

If the swelling of the ear is so great that it is not possible to remove the foreign object, then the patient is prescribed decongestant and anti-inflammatory therapy. After a course of treatment, removing the foreign body will become much easier.

Removal of foreign bodies that have penetrated deep into the ear and violated the integrity of the eardrum is performed surgically through a cut behind the ear. As a rule, such incisions are small, so there is no obvious cosmetic defect does not remain after the operation.

Living foreign body of the ear

As a rule, living foreign bodies cause many specific sensations to the patient, so he goes to a medical facility immediately. Constantly changing its location in the ear, a living foreign body can provoke dizziness and even vomiting; children are susceptible to convulsions.

The diagnosis of a foreign body is confirmed by otoscopy. In order to remove an insect, it is first killed and then removed from the ear canal. Most often, it is possible to immobilize the insect using ethyl alcohol or fatty oils– Vaseline or sunflower. In most cases, the foreign body is easily washed out with a stream of water or removed with a hook.

Sulfur plug

The wax that forms in the ear also brings certain inconvenience to a person. Normally, sulfur is produced in small quantities, but some people have increased secretion of sulfur glands, which leads to hypersecretion of sulfur and its deposition in the ear canal. After some time, if the wax is not removed, it changes its color, consistency and becomes firmly attached to the walls of the ear canal. If the patient is used to cleaning his ears with a cotton swab, this can lead to even greater compaction of the wax inside the cavity.

Often the plug is felt in the form of ear congestion and hearing loss. Upon contact with eardrum patients report tinnitus.

A foreign body in the ear is a fairly common problem. It most often occurs in young children who, without fully realizing what they are doing, can easily put a small toy, a seed, or indeed any thing that comes to hand and is small enough in size to pass into the auditory ear. passage Adults are not immune to foreign bodies in the ear. The cases here can be very different: insects crawling into the ear, water getting in while swimming, getting any objects in the ear due to trauma, etc.

First, let's look at the manifestations of a foreign body in the ear. All foreign objects in the outer ear can be divided into two groups - living (midges, mosquitoes, ticks and other insects) and non-living (seeds, toy parts, water, etc.). The symptoms that accompany a foreign body entering the ear will directly depend on which group it belongs to:

severe noise in the ear- a symptom accompanying a living foreign body in the ear. Its occurrence is associated with the movement of an insect into auditory tube, impact on the eardrum and, as a result, multiple amplification of the sounds made by the insect;
dizziness, nausea- symptoms that may also accompany a live foreign body entering the ear. This is due to the fact that the vestibular apparatus is located next to the external auditory tube. The movements of the insect irritate it, which causes unpleasant manifestations;
ear pain- can occur with both a living and non-living foreign body. Their occurrence is associated with mechanical impact foreign body on pain receptors ear;
a sharp decline hearing- appears when a fairly large, usually non-living, foreign body enters the ear, which largely or completely blocks the external auditory canal. Sound cannot pass through the obstacle - hearing deteriorates;
gradual hearing loss usually observed when any seeds enter the ear. This is due to the fact that the seeds are able to absorb liquid, swell and increase in size, gradually blocking the auditory tube;
bloody discharge from the ear- appear when the walls of the external auditory canal are traumatized by foreign objects with sharp edges;
congestion in the ear- usually appears when fluid gets into the ear, which interferes with the normal transmission of sound and causes a subjective feeling of stuffiness.

Sometimes, if the foreign object is small and does not have sharp edges, there may be few or no symptoms at first. But over time, in response to constant irritation, it is possible to develop inflammatory changes in the area of the skin on which the foreign object is located, and the addition of pathogenic bacteria or fungi, which will manifest itself as pain, purulent discharge, general malaise and fever (development of otitis externa).

You should not remove a foreign object from the ear yourself, since inept attempts to remove it can at least lead to trauma to the skin of the external auditory canal (this will lead to external otitis media). In addition, you can push the object deeper into the canal and even damage the eardrum.

It is necessary to consult a doctor at the first opportunity, who will first check whether something really has got into the ear using an ear specula, and if the diagnosis of a foreign body in the ear is confirmed, he will remove this body with special instruments.

If the foreign body is inanimate and not tightly stuck in the ear canal, it is washed out with water. If it is not possible to remove the object by washing (usually when it penetrates the natural narrowing of the ear canal), a special ear hook is used. As a last resort, if all else fails, doctors resort to surgical intervention- remove the object through an incision on back side ear.

Living foreign bodies are also removed by washing the ear canal, after immobilizing the insect by instilling alcohol or oil into the ear.

What can you do yourself?

You can only get rid of water that has gotten into the external auditory canal on your own. To do this, you need to pull the ear back and upward, thereby straightening the ear canal, and tilt your head towards the sore ear. Possible instillation alcohol solutions for faster drying of water. As a rule, these measures are sufficient; further consultation with a doctor is not required, but this is the only such case. In all other situations you will have to go to the ENT.

In case of excruciating pain or noise in the ear, which is caused by living foreign bodies entering the ear, you can immobilize the insect yourself. To do this, you need to drip alcohol or some kind of oil (sunflower, Vaseline) into your ear. This will relieve symptoms. But after this procedure, you still need to see a doctor so that he can finally remove the dead insect from the ear.

If seeds get into the ear, you can drop a 96% alcohol solution into the ear several times at short intervals (for children - 70%, too high a concentration can cause a burn) or a solution boric alcohol. It will draw moisture from the seed, and the latter will decrease in size. This will reduce the severity of symptoms and make it easier for the doctor to remove the foreign body.

If a foreign object gets into your ear, even if it does not bother you, you should not put off visiting a doctor. The sooner you seek medical help, the easier it will be to remove the foreign body. Be healthy!

Olga Starodubtseva

Photo istockphoto.com

A foreign object located in the external auditory canal or entered into the cavity of the middle or inner ear. A foreign body in the ear can be any small household item or pebble, toy, piece of paper, plasticine, cotton wool, wood chip or stick, plant seeds, insect or other living organism, part hearing aid, cluster earwax. A foreign body in the ear is manifested by congestion and pain in the ear, decreased hearing, a feeling of pressure in the ear, sometimes dizziness and vomiting. Diagnosis of a foreign body in the ear is carried out using otoscopy. Removal of a foreign body in the ear, depending on its size and shape, is carried out by washing, instrumental or surgical intervention.

General information

By their nature, foreign bodies in the ear are divided into 2 large groups: non-living (inert) and living (moving). Non-living foreign bodies of the ear include small pebbles, sand, seeds of various plants, household items (buttons, beads, batteries, small toys and construction parts, pieces of paper, foam plastic, cotton wool, etc.) A living foreign body of the ear can be an insect that accidentally enters from the air or crawled into the ear while a person was sleeping or lying on the grass; a leech or larva from an open body of water that entered the external auditory canal while swimming. Loose and fixed ear foreign bodies are also distinguished.

Non-living foreign body of the ear: symptoms, diagnosis, removal

A foreign body of the ear of inanimate nature in some cases may not cause any discomfort in the patient. As a rule, this applies to small and smooth objects. A larger foreign body in the ear, preventing passage through the auditory tube sound wave, causes decreased hearing and a feeling of ear congestion. A foreign body in the ear that has sharp protrusions can injure the skin of the external auditory canal or the eardrum, resulting in pain and bloody discharge from the ear. It can perforate the eardrum. As a result of perforation, an infection can enter the middle ear cavity, leading to the appearance of otitis media.

The foreign body of the ear, to one degree or another, irritates the skin of the external auditory canal, stimulating the secretory activity of the sulfur and sweat glands. As a result of increased humidity, ear foreign bodies such as peas, corn and beans swell and increase in volume over time. At the same time, they completely block the lumen of the ear canal, which is accompanied by a significant decrease in hearing, a feeling of fullness in the ear and pain. Reaching a significant size, such a foreign body of the ear compresses the tissues inside the ear canal, causing them to die. It becomes wedged into the ear canal, making it much more difficult to remove. Great danger represent batteries stuck in the ear. Conducting electricity in a humid environment, they can cause necrosis of the skin of the ear canal.

A foreign body in the ear that is not removed in a timely manner leads to the development of an inflammatory reaction. In such cases, there is pain in the ear, discharge of mucopurulent discharge from it, and hearing impairment. With severe inflammation, an increase in body temperature and headache are possible. The inflammatory reaction is accompanied by swelling, which reduces the lumen of the ear canal, making it much more difficult to remove the foreign body from the ear.

A foreign body of the ear of inanimate nature is often detected by a simple examination of the external auditory canal. To better view the ear canal in an adult patient or an older child, the otolaryngologist pulls the auricle up and back with one hand. In young children, the auricle is moved down and back. If the patient does not immediately seek help, then the inflammation and swelling that has developed in the ear canal prevents the visualization of the foreign body of the ear and can hide it. In such cases, diagnosis requires otoscopy and microotoscopy. If there are discharges, conduct microscopy and bacteriological examination to determine the type of microorganisms that caused the inflammatory process and their sensitivity to antibiotics. If a foreign object gets into the ear as a result of injury, an additional skull x-ray is prescribed. A foreign body in the ear should be differentiated from ear tumors, injuries to the external auditory canal, perforation of the eardrum, otitis externa and hematoma.

If possible, removal of a foreign body from the ear should be carried out as soon as possible, before an inflammatory reaction develops in the ear canal or swelling of hygroscopic foreign objects occurs. You should not try to remove a foreign body from the ear yourself. Such attempts can lead to injury to the skin of the ear canal, damage and perforation of the eardrum, and secondary infection.

The most in a simple way removal of a foreign body in the ear is rinsing. It is carried out with water heated to body temperature. The doctor draws water into a syringe with a cannula, inserts the end of the cannula into the ear canal and rinses under slight pressure. If necessary, the procedure is repeated several times. After rinsing, the remaining fluid in the ear is removed using a turunda. Ear rinsing is contraindicated if there are batteries, thin and flat foreign bodies in it, which can be carried deep into the ear canal by the current of water, as well as in case of perforation of the eardrum.

Removal of a foreign body in the ear can be carried out using a thin ear hook placed behind the foreign object in such a way as to grab and pull it out of the ear canal. To avoid injury to the ear canal and perforation of the eardrum, manipulation should be carried out under constant visual control. Before removing the seeds, swollen from moisture, 96% ethyl alcohol is instilled into the ear, which, due to its dehydration effect, helps to reduce the foreign body in volume.

In the absence of pronounced pain syndrome removal of an ear foreign body can be performed without anesthesia; in other cases, local anesthesia is necessary, and in young children, general sedation. After removing the foreign body from the ear, a thorough examination of the external auditory canal is performed for damage and inflammatory areas. If any are detected, the skin is treated with boric acid solution, and an ear antibacterial ointment is additionally prescribed.

In case of pronounced inflammatory changes and swelling of the ear canal, removal of the foreign body from the ear is postponed for several days, during which a combined anti-inflammatory, decongestant and antibacterial treatment. The subsidence of inflammatory phenomena increases the chances of successful removal of a foreign object.

Surgical removal of a foreign body from the ear is performed when it is impossible to remove it through the external auditory canal. The operation is performed through a small incision behind the ear.

Living foreign body of the ear: symptoms, diagnosis, removal

A living foreign body of the ear moves in the external auditory canal, which gives the patient a lot of unpleasant sensations: pain, tickling, noise in the ear. Constantly moving, a living foreign body in the ear leads to irritation of the receptors located in the ear canal vagus nerve with the occurrence of dizziness and reflex vomiting. Children may have seizures. Some insects are able to secrete specific chemical substances, irritating the thin skin of the ear canal and causing its necrosis.

The unbearable sensations accompanying a foreign body in the ear of living nature force the patient to immediately consult a doctor. The diagnosis is confirmed by otoscopy.

As a rule, a living foreign body in the ear is first killed and then removed. To quickly get rid of unpleasant symptoms, the patient can independently immobilize the insect by dripping ethyl alcohol, Vaseline or sunflower oil. Subsequent removal of a foreign body in the ear is best left to an otolaryngologist. Thanks to a quick visit to a doctor, a patient with a living foreign body in the ear usually does not have time to develop inflammatory complications and the insect is successfully removed by washing the ear, removing it with tweezers or a hook.

Sulfur plug: symptoms, diagnosis, removal

The formation of cerumen plug can occur due to increased production of earwax, difficulty in its removal due to the anatomical narrowness or curvature of the external auditory canal. Poor ear hygiene also contributes to the formation of wax plugs. For example, the habit of cleaning the ears by inserting an ear stick into the ear canal can lead to the pushing of wax into the depths of the ear and the formation of a wax plug.

A foreign body in the ear in the form of wax plug is manifested mainly by a feeling of ear fullness and hearing loss. Perhaps a feeling high blood pressure in the ear canal. If the wax plug comes into contact with the eardrum, tinnitus occurs. Earwax is diagnosed by examining the external auditory canal and otoscopy.

Removal of cerumen plug, like most other foreign bodies in the ear, is carried out primarily by rinsing. The patient is first recommended to instill hydrogen peroxide into the ear for several days, which softens the wax plug and makes it easier to remove. If rinsing fails, instrumental removal of the wax plug using ear forceps or a special hook is indicated.