Foreign body in the ear

External ear canal divided to bony part and cartilagenous part. Cartilaginous part is less painful and sensitive in comparison with bony external ear canal. Any attempt to remove the foreign body from bony part of the canal can be extremely painful. There is a natural narrowing of the ear canal where foreign body might usually lodge at this part. However, any careless attempt to remove the foreign body from the impaction might cause the foreign body to dislodge deeper into the ear canal.

Cockroach in The Ear

Foreign body in the ear is divided to whether it is organic or inorganic. In organic foreigner body, it could be a living or moving creature and immobile organic material. The living creature usually enters the ear when the patient is sleeping at night. Patient will be complaining of sudden severe pain in the ear with moving creature sensation felt. In this situation, any attempt to remove the creature from the ear will cause further trauma and damage to the ear canal as the creature will be struggling to run away deeper into the ear canal. Ear canal might be lacerated and in a more severe situation, tympanic membrane would be perforated. The creature or insect should be killed by drowning it with oil based solution such as olive oil or mineral oil, lignocaine and alcohol could also be used before any attempt to remove it.

Meanwhile in most of the cases of the non moving organic material such as peanut, seeds, popcorn or vegetable material and also inorganic material such as beads, pebbles or rubber are asymptomatic. The finding of the foreign body in the ear in the children is usually incidental. In certain patients, pain due to infection, hearing loss or sense of fullness due to blockage might be the presenting complaint.

There are many ways in removing the foreign body from the ear canal. Inorganic material could be easily irrigated out from the ear if the tympanic membrane is intact. Irrigation should not be done for the organic material and also battery. If tympanic membrane is perforated, ear irrigation is contraindicated. Other option in removing the foreign body would be using forcep, right-angle ball hook and suction catheter.