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Ear emergencies

Definition:

Ear emergencies include objects stuck in the ear and ruptured eardrums.

Considerations:

Children often stick objects into their ears. These objects can be difficult to remove because the ear canal is a tube of solid bone that is lined with thin, sensitive skin. Any object pressing against the skin can be very painful. In many cases, a doctor will need to use special instruments to examine the ear and safely remove the object.

Causes:

Pain, hearing loss, dizziness, ringing in the ear, and ruptured eardrums can be caused by:

Inserting cotton swabs, toothpicks, pins, pens, or other objects into the ear.
Sudden changes in pressure, as from an explosion, blow to the head, flying, scuba diving, falling while water skiing, or being slapped on the head or ear.
Loud percussions, such as a gun going off.

References:

Auerbach PS. Wilderness Medicine . 4th ed. St. Louis, Mo: Mosby; 2001:468-470.

DeLee JC, Drez, Jr., D, Miller MD, eds. DeLee and Drez’s Orthopaedic Sports Medicine. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders; 2003:758.

DiMuzio J Jr, Deschler DG. Emergency department management of foreign bodies of the external ear canal in children. Otol Neurotol . 2002 Jul;23(4):473-5.

Ear anatomy

First aid kit

Foreign object in ear

Foreign object removal

Ruptured eardrum

External and internal ear

Eardrum repair - series

Review Date: 2/12/2007
Reviewed By: Alden J. Pearl, M.D., Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Otolaryngology, State University of New York Health Science Center at Brooklyn, Brooklyn, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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