Penetration of a foreign object into the ear leads to discomfort. This can cause an infection. Cotton swabs are used to clean the ears. Sometimes their remains remain in the shell and the auditory tube. How to get cotton wool out of your ear is described in the article.
Causes of cotton wool penetration
A piece of cotton stuck in the ear causes a lot of trouble. If there is no pain, then within the next few days you should consult a doctor. In this case, it is better to entrust the procedure of extracting a foreign body to a specialist. The doctor on duty at the clinic will help solve this problem.
Water penetrates into the ear when it is cleansed too deeply. It remains in the ear canal, causing discomfort. Due to the poor quality of hygienic sticks, cotton flies off and the tip of the stick breaks off. The cotton wool can also get stuck when laying a tampon with medicine. In addition, some people put a piece of it to protect themselves from wind or loud sound.
Foreign objects impair hearing. Due to blockage of the passage, there is no necessary ventilation and self-cleaning. Villi lead to irritationeardrum, which causes pain and itching. Ear wax builds up in the ear, which can lead to inflammation.
From wrong actions the situation is aggravated. During the procedures, there is a risk of pushing the cotton wool deeper or damaging the eardrum. Therefore, you should contact the LOR. The specialist knows all the intricacies of how to get cotton out of the ear.
Symptoms
If the cotton wool is stuck in the ear, then a person cannot always determine this, especially if a small piece of it has penetrated. This usually appears as:
- ear congestion;
- feeling of a foreign object;
- discomfort;
- itching;
- hearing impairment;
- pain.
Specific symptoms depend on the amount of cotton wool that has penetrated into the ear canal and the depth of penetration. For example, if the fleece blocked the entire channel, then congestion appears. The presence of a foreign body may not be felt.
Discomfort and a feeling of a foreign object appear with a small amount of cotton wool in the ear, when the lump moves along the canal with the turn of the head, neck or during the work of the masticatory muscles. At the same time, itching appears.
Extraction
How to get cotton wool out of your ear yourself? Care must be taken. Warmed vegetable oil or a few drops of hydrogen peroxide (5%) are dripped into the ear. It should lie down for 20-30 minutes. During this period, the stuck piece must come out or move towards the exit. Then it should be carefully removed with tweezers. The ear must be pulled back anddown to straighten the ear canal.
If cotton wool is stuck in the ear, it is advisable that someone from the family perform the procedure for removing it. A pre-moistened piece of cotton wool can be removed with a crochet hook. The procedure must be performed in good light. If the cotton wool is not deep, but it is impossible to hook it with a finger, then a band-aid or adhesive tape is wound around the fingertip with the sticky side out.
How to get cotton wool out of a child's ear? It is advisable not to perform the procedure yourself, as the baby may twitch, which will lead to big problems. Children should be treated by a doctor.
Another method
How to get cotton out of the ear in a different way? The procedure is as follows:
- A little moist cotton wool is wound onto a thin stick with a non-sharp end. With spiral movements, it is advanced to the stuck piece. Then you should pick up the edge of the cotton wool and gently pull it out in a circular motion in the opposite direction.
- The tip of the match needs to be fluffed. With this brush, gently pick up the cotton wool and take it out in a circular motion. The ear canal must be examined using a flashlight.
- If cotton wool from a stick is stuck in the ear, it can be advanced by sucking air with a small syringe. For this purpose, a thin tube is inserted into the ear, and the air is sucked out by mouth.
- Having moistened the cotton wool with water in advance, you should jump on 1 foot from the side of the ear in which it is stuck. The head should be tilted to the same side. If there is no result within 10 minutes, the action must becomplete.
After removing the fleece, clean the ear canal from villi. To do this, it is wiped with a damp cotton swab dipped in water.
After removing the foreign object, the doctor may prescribe anti-inflammatory or antibacterial drops to prevent otitis media.
Are there any other methods?
Vacuum removal method is not effective. It poses a risk of hearing damage due to high noise levels, so don't put your he alth at risk.
All procedures in the ear canal must be performed with particular care. With any damage, there is a risk of infection and inflammation. If the methods are not effective, you should consult a doctor. Foreign bodies cannot be removed by themselves, they lead to complications.
Safety measures
To avoid injury, follow a few rules:
- Clean the outside of the ears. Deep areas are self-cleaning. Remains of unnecessary wax are removed from the ear canal, while capturing dust and dirt.
- You should use only high-quality cotton swabs, in which cotton wool is tightly wound. Do not use matches, otherwise you will still need the help of an ENT doctor.
- For high-quality cleansing of dried sulfur, moisten a cotton swab with water.
- It is advisable to perform a hygiene procedure for the ears after the bath. In this case, sulfur is easier to clean.
- Q-tip should be carried out only in circular motions. And translational provide pushingdirt and sulfur deeper.
- It is forbidden to put foreign objects into the ear, as this can damage the eardrum and lead to deafness.
- Picking in the ear with foreign elements damages the organ and provokes inflammation.
- Infection can be carried by dirty hands.
- There are special preparations to soften sulfur.
Foreign body risk
Do not ignore the problem of cotton stuck in the ear, otherwise it can lead to negative consequences. The main complications include:
- Hearing loss. Cotton wool occupies some part of the ear canal, so the ear does not perceive sounds completely. As a result, stuffiness and deafness are felt.
- Stress. If before that there was excellent hearing, then with its sharp deterioration, a nervous shock appears. The person will feel inferior, feelings will appear.
- Discomfort. Due to the constant presence of a foreign body, physical problems arise. And with pain, the effect will be enhanced.
- Microtrauma of the ear canal. Although cotton wool fibers are soft, they harm the ear canal.
- High infection rate. The risk of infection appears due to a decrease in the formation of a secret in the ear canal, since part of it is occupied by a foreign body. The risk of reproduction of fungal spores and pathogenic bacteria increases.
- Otitis appears. If cotton wool is in the ear for a long time, then the material will be a focus of inflammation.
The body does not always reject foreign bodies. But if a person ignores the problem, waiting for this process, then rejection will begin through pathology. Usually there is purulent otitis media. Therefore, you should not delay visiting a doctor.
Conclusion
If cotton wool or another object is stuck in the ear, you need to think through all the risks. It is possible to perform the procedure for extracting a foreign body only if there is confidence that this will not lead to complications. It is advisable to consult a doctor. On an outpatient basis, the procedure is performed quickly and without he alth risks.
