“Foreign object in the ear canal?”
If there was a microscopic foreign object stuck in the ear canal and it was not removed, would there be an infection inside of the ear?
Male | 22 years old
Complaint duration: 3 months
Medications: None
Conditions: None
4 Answers
Not necessarily. Infection can occur, but it's usually because the foreign object is large enough that it prevents the ear canal from drying out. Moisture then leads to infection. If the foreign body is microscopic like grain of sand or something similar, it's not going to matter.
Microscopic means that it wouldn't be visible to the naked eye, so this would be very difficult to find and remove. An ear canal infection (otitis externa) is generally clinically evident and usually resolves with topical antibiotic drops.
See an ENT doctor for further evaluation.
See an ENT doctor for further evaluation.
Depends on what the foreign body is and how long it has been there. Best to get it removed by and ENT to prevent potential complications
Hello, Generally not unless there is attendant swelling of the ear canal and drainage from the ear.
