A Taipei doctor has advised those with an ear obstruction to see a doctor rather than attempt to clear it on their own after a woman was found to have an insect in her ear.
A woman in her 50s sought treatment after experiencing tinnitus and intermittent itchiness in her left ear, otolaryngologist Hsu Hsin-chien (徐欣健) said.
Examining her ear canal, Hsu said that he found an insect, which he was able to draw out by attracting it with the light of his endoscope.
“Young children typically experience obstructions in the ear canal, and it usually is round objects or toy pieces that get lodged in there,” he said.
“When adults have obstructions, it is usually the tip of a cotton swab that fell off while they were cleaning their ears,” Hsu added.
The insects that can find their way into the ear canal include mosquitoes, cockroaches, moths, ants and other small insects, he said.
Most small obstructions, as long as they do not contain an irritant, do not damage a person’s health, but larger obstructions can put pressure on the ear canal and cause inflammation, Hsu said.
If an ear canal is inflamed, people might also experience tinnitus, ear pain and reflexive coughing, he said, adding that in some cases, the eardrum and middle ear might be damaged.
In some cases, the obstruction falls out when the head is tilted, Hsu said.
“If it’s an insect, it is sometimes possible to draw them out by moving to a dark room and shining a light on the ear,” he said.
“However, a person with strong discomfort in the ear is advised not to try to remove the obstruction at home,” Hsu said, adding that people with discomfort should promptly seek medical treatment.
Doctors are generally able to clear obstructions with tools at their clinic, Hsu said.
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