Foreign objects in the ear
- Reviewed by Howard E. LeWine, MD, Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
What is it?
A foreign object in the ear can be anything in the ear canal (the tube that leads from the eardrum to the outside) that normally would not be there. A person may put something into the ear on purpose (such as a cotton swab) or by accident (for example, a small earring). Children put many different small objects into their own or another child's ears. Sometimes an insect may crawl or fly into the ear. Whether it's the end of a cotton swab or a small toy, often what goes into the ear does not come out easily.
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About the Reviewer
Howard E. LeWine, MD, Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
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