Children put the darnedest things in their ears and noses!
Beads, earrings, pencil erasers, and small parts of just about anything have been found in the ears and noses of our little patients. Adults can lose parts of their hearing aids in the ear canal. By far, the most common foreign body found in the ear is a wad of cotton from previous attempts to clean the ear with cotton tipped applicators. Unfortunately, a foreign body in the ear or in the nose is usually not an emergency. It may cause mild discomfort, and may occasionally cause an infection.
In cooperative patients, foreign bodies in the ears or nose can usually be removed in the office with a small right angled hook. Small children may sometimes require sedation. Damage to the eardrum or to the middle ear is rare, except among patients who have attempted to clean their ears improperly.