Foreign body removal from nose and ear

The presence of foreign objects in the nose or ear is a very common but dangerous situation. Most often, parents of small children face this problem, as they explore the world by inserting small toy parts, beads, seeds, or buttons into their respiratory and auditory pathways. In adults, foreign bodies are most often live insects that have flown into the ear, or pieces of cotton that have broken off during cleaning.

At St. Luke’s Clinic, experienced ENT doctors perform quick, non-traumatic, and absolutely painless foreign body removal. The availability of specialized micro-instruments and video endoscopic equipment allows us to solve the problem in a matter of minutes.

How to tell if there is a foreign object in the nose or ear? (Symptoms)

While an adult can clearly explain the problem, young children often hide this fact out of fear. The presence of a foreign body can be suspected by the following signs:

• In the ear: sudden hearing loss, feeling of fullness, pain, noise, or ringing. If a live insect gets inside, it causes severe tickling, rumbling, and panic.
• In the nose: congestion of only one nostril (the child breathes through one side of the nose). If the object has been there for several days, purulent or bloody discharge with a very unpleasant (foul) odor, swelling, and pain appear.

🚨 Main rule: What absolutely NOT to do!

The biggest mistake patients and parents make is trying to remove the object themselves with tweezers, hairpins, matches, or cotton swabs. This is strictly forbidden!

• You risk pushing the object even deeper into the narrow canal.
• In the ear, this can lead to trauma or complete rupture of the eardrum and irreversible hearing loss.
• In the nose, round and smooth objects can slip into the nasopharynx and enter the respiratory tract (trachea, bronchi), causing sudden suffocation.

How is the removal performed at St. Luke’s Clinic?

Our otolaryngologists know how to approach frightened children and reassure adults. The procedure takes place in a comfortable ENT office:

1. Diagnosis: Using an otoscope or video endoscope, the doctor carefully examines the ear canal or nasal cavity to determine the size, shape, and depth of the object.
2. Anesthesia: In most cases, anesthesia is not required, as the manipulation takes a few seconds and does not cause pain. If the object has sharp edges or has deeply cut into the mucous membrane, the doctor uses a local anesthetic (spray).
3. Removal: Depending on the type of foreign body, the ENT uses special instruments: blunt micro-hooks, micro-forceps, vacuum aspirator, or the method of irrigation with warm liquid (for the ear). Live insects are first immobilized with special drops.
4. Control and prevention: After removal, the doctor re-examines the cavity to ensure there are no scratches on the mucous membrane or eardrum, and if necessary, prescribes anti-inflammatory or healing drops.

Don’t waste time and don’t risk your health! If you suspect a foreign body in your nose or ear, immediately seek professional and safe ENT care at St. Luke’s Clinic.