How to Get Something Out of Your Ear

The best way to get something out of your ear, whether it's deep or at the edge, will depend on what it is. While there are some home remedies you can try to remove an object or clear a blockage, you don't want to make the problem worse. You may need to see a healthcare provider to resolve the issue.

Objects that could get stuck and cause ear pain, especially among children, include small toys and beads, but also pebbles, insects, or food. In addition to ear pain, it may cause drainage or even muffled hearing loss. People also may feel like something is stuck in an ear when it's really an infection or earwax.

This article explains both the techniques you can try to remove an object in your ear, as well as what not to do. It will help you to know when you need to see a healthcare provider to clear your ear.

Common Objects That Get Stuck in the Ear

It's common for people with something stuck in their ear to see a healthcare provider. One study of 333 children, with a mean age of about 6.5 years, found about half were seen in an emergency department for objects that couldn't be removed. These common objects include:

• Beads
• Stickers
• Small game pieces
• Food kernels
• Insects
• Batteries (button batteries included)

The most common item found in the ear is cotton. Other items in ears can include paper, and pebbles and rocks. Water beads can be a special problem in the ear because the toy beads are designed to swell in size.

Signs Something Is in Your Ear

People will often feel the pressure and discomfort of an object lodged in the ear. They also may be aware of what happened when it became stuck, although nonverbal children may not be able to explain it. In some cases, as with an insect in the ear, you may not know that it's happened.

Among the more common symptoms that you have with an object in the ear are:

• Pain
• Redness around the ear
• Drainage, and the feeling of fluid or mucus in the ear, nose and throat
• Hearing loss, or changes like tinnitus (ringing in the ears)

Some people also may experience dizziness or balance problems, depending on what exactly feels stuck in the ear and how long it's been going on. With a stuck earwax plug, there may also be a cough or itchiness around the ear.

Removing Things Just Inside the Ear

There are a few techniques you can try when a foreign object is stuck just inside the ear.

Tilt Your Head

Sometimes using gravity can do the trick to encourage a foreign object in the ear to move outward. This technique is helpful if you can see the object. 

To use gravity to encourage an object out of your ear, tilt your head to the side. You can gently shake your head to try to move it downward, but avoid banging on your head. Importantly, this technique uses only gravity and no other assistance, so don't stick anything into your ear to "reach" the object.

Use Warm Oil

If the object in your ear is an insect, you should turn your head so the affected ear is facing upward. Sometimes the bug will crawl out. If the critter doesn’t emerge, you can try warm oil to see if that helps the insect float out.

To use oil in the ear, follow these steps:

1. Use a mild oil: Olive oil, mineral oil, or baby oil are good options.
2. Warm the oil to room temperature: You can warm the oil by holding the bottle between your hands for a few minutes. Warming the oil will make for a more comfortable experience when dropping it into your ear.
3. Pull the earlobe back: For adults, pull the earlobe back and upward; for children, pull the earlobe back and downward.
4. Add the oil: Using a dropper, place enough oil in the ear to fill the canal. Wait a few moments to see if the insect floats to the top. If it does, tilt your head and allow the oil and bug to fall out.

If it does not come out, you should seek medical care. However, even if the bug comes out, it is still essential to see your healthcare provider since insects and their parts can irritate the sensitive tissue of the ear canal.

Removing Something Deep in Your Ear

There are limits to what you can do about getting something deep out of your ear. In some cases, a healthcare provider will need to remove the object or you may need to make an emergency department visit.

Keep in mind that the anatomy of the ear includes the middle and inner ear, and it's less likely that a foreign object is the reason when these areas are affected. For example, a ruptured eardrum  can cause pain, hearing loss, and ear drainage, too, but the injury is often caused by sound or pressure changes, not an object.

Objects deep in the ear also may be stuck for a longer time as you've tried unsuccessfully to remove them. How long an object can safely remain in the ear depends on the type of object, but generally it is more likely to cause injury, infection, or increased pain if it is there for a longer time.

What You Should Not Do to Remove Objects

In your attempts to get a foreign object out of your ear you should not insert anything into the ear. You also should try to prevent a child from doing so. Examples include:

• Fingers
• Tweezers
• Cotton swabs

You also don't want to try flushing the object out with water. This therapy, called irrigation, should be done by a healthcare provider.

While warm oil is a home remedy that may work for removing an insect that's not deeply lodged, it should not be used for other objects in the ear. Much like the problem with water beads, the oil could make an object like food or paper swell in size and become more stuck.

When to See a Healthcare Provider

If the object in your ear does not fall out on its own, you should seek medical attention. The sooner you seek help, the better, since an object left too long in the ear can lead to infection and damage to tissues in the ear, including the delicate eardrum. 

Doctors use several methods to extract foreign objects in the ear. These may include:

• Irrigation: Using a syringe, your doctor will squeeze water into your ear canal and catch it, and any accompanying debris, in a basin held under your ear. Doctors only use irrigation on objects that will not swell when they get wet.
• Suction: Your doctor may use a headlamp and magnifiers to see the object in your ear. Then they will stick the end of a suction device against the object and slowly remove it from your ear.
• Forceps: Using a tong-like tool, your doctor may also grasp the object in your ear. Sometimes doctors also use suction or irrigation afterward to remove all debris completely.

Only qualified healthcare providers should perform these interventions; you should never attempt them at home. Your provider also can discuss self-care with you, such as using warm compresses for pain relief or chewing gum to relieve ear pressure.

Summary

Foreign objects, including bugs, pebbles, and food, commonly end up in people's (especially children's) ears. You can try a couple of things at home, like using gravity to let an object fall out or oil to help an insect float out.

However, it's vital never to stick anything in your ear during your attempts, as that can cause an object to lodge even deeper. It's likely that a healthcare provider will need to remove an object that's too deep for you to see or reach, and it's important to know if you actually have another reason for your symptoms. They can diagnose the cause.