Hey there, viewer!
The idea of any foreign object in your ear can be
annoying and if it’s an insect, it can be downright terrifying.
You may feel a buzzing sound or a constant itchy feeling
in your ear which can be quite uncomfortable.
Insects often get stuck when they enter our ears and cannot fly or crawl out.
The constant sound that you hear is them trying to find their way out.
In this struggle they may end up tearing your
eardrum or biting it which can cause swelling and infection.
Your ears are extremely delicate.
When an insect enters, it can cause some serious damage.
Maybe even harm your ability to hear.
In order to protect the inner workings of your ears,
it's important to take immediate action if this happens to you.
In today’s video we will be telling you what to do in case an insect flies into your ear.
Don’t forget to subscribe to bestie and click the notification bell, too.
Don’t Panic
We understand that if an insect is stuck inside your ear,
your first reaction would probably be to panic and try and remove it yourself.
But we would strongly advise against that.
It’s possible that the insect is lodged deep inside and it may require forceps to remove.
If you’re trying to remove it yourself,
you may end up shoving the insect further in or damage your inner ear.
A word of caution, never insert other objects into your ear in an attempt to dislodge an insect.
Vigorously shaking your head or smacking at your ears might cause the bug to burrow deeper,
sting, bite, or pinch you resulting in acute pain.
The only time you should even attempt to remove it is if you
know it is possible and safe to painlessly pluck the insect out.
Otherwise don’t even think about it!
Encourage the insect to come out on its own
One of the things that you can do apart from panicking
is encourage the insect to crawl out on its own.
But it sounds easier said than done.
Sit with your head tipped to encourage the bug’s exit,
and straighten your ear to open the canal wide.
Then, sit still for anywhere from five to ten minutes, occasionally shaking your head gently.
If you can, hold a cup under your head to catch the insect for identification.
If the insect does not leave, you can ask someone to shine a light into your ear.
This might draw it out but if the insect begins to burrow deeper at
the sight of light, turn the flashlight off immediately and look for other measures.
Use oil
Oils can come in handy when dealing with insects in ears.
Oils like mineral oil, olive oil,
or baby oil can be very helpful when trying to float the insect out.
It’s quite easy to use as well.
First, tilt your head so that the ear is pointing upwards,
then pour warm oil —not hot oil— into your ear.
The hope is that the insect will get caught in the oil and literally float or drain out of your ear.
If nothing else happens, this should be enough to at least kill the insect
and prevent any other damage to your ear.
Make sure that you have someone to help you out in this process.
Do not try self removal using a tool
You might be tempted to remove the insect by any means necessary.
Tweezers or cotton swabs are the first things that probably come
to mind for removing the insect, by poking it or prodding it, usually.
Keep in mind, this can make things worse and might push the insect farther into the ear or
cause damage to the middle ear or eardrum, or in severe cases, cause hearing loss.
Many harmless cases of insects in the ear have been worsened by people trying
to self remove them and end up hurting themselves.
Pull Back you ear
It’s not as strange as it sounds.
The shape of your ear canal can be modified slightly by pulling back on it’s pinna.
That’s the circular part of the ear on the side of the head.
Now, place the affected ear down and gently wiggle the ear pinna.
This will cause the insect to shift positions and make enough room for it to fall out.
Try washing the insect out
Another way to get the insect out is washing it away.
Use warm water and a bulb ear syringe and fill out the ear canal gently with water.
This will irrigate the insect out of the canal.
Just make sure that there are no ear tubes in place and that the eardrum is not perforated.
Seek Medical Help
If after multiple tries, you are unable to get the insect out,
you might have to call in a professional.
We get it, going to the hospital can be a hassle,
but we strongly advise you head to the emergency room as soon as possible.
Medical staff are trained to remove insects from your ear.
They have the equipment and expertise to do it with ease.
A step as small as going to the emergency room may help you save your hearing.
An insect in your ear can be harmless when handled correctly.
However, if you exaggerate the issue and delay it for no reason other than waiting
for the bug to come out on its own, you could end up damaging your ears or your hearing.
Remember; try not to panic and if you can’t
get it out with these helpful tips, contact a professional.
Have you ever gotten a bug in the ear?
Have you ever tried one of these methods?
Let us know in the comments down below.