What can we do when a cockroach sneaks into our ear canal? Or when our child swallows an insect? We ask a specialist for the answers to these questions and more.
WORDS LIM TECK CHOON
 FEATURED EXPERTPROFESSOR DATO’ DR BALWANT SINGH GENDEH Senior Consultant Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) Surgeon Pantai Hospital Kuala Lumpur |
In February 2017, doctors in the Government Stanley Medical College Hospital of Chennai, India removed a large, live cockroach from a woman’s skull base— right between her eyes, close to her brain. The cockroach crawled in through her nostril while she was asleep.
It took the doctors 45 minutes to perform the difficult extraction.
It was a good thing that the cockroach was removed; it would not be able to live for long in there, and if its body was left to decompose undetected, infections would surely occur.
A BUG IN THE SYSTEM
Fortunately, insects and other creepy crawlies finding their way into our nostrils, ear canals, and throat is becoming an increasingly isolated occurrence, says Professor Dato’ Dr Balwant Singh Gendeh.
This is mostly due to the fact that more and more Malaysians are living in urban areas, where improved sanitation and living conditions mean that humans and insects cross paths less frequently.
However, such incidences can happen now and then, and there is no need to panic. Professor Balwant shares some advice on what to do.
For the following instructions below, you will need:
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How to Remove an Insect Stuck in the Ear
- First, calm the person down, as any movement could agitate the insect and cause it to burrow deeper into the ear.
- Have the person sit in a comfortable position, with the head tilted so that the affected ear is facing upwards. Some insects may see the natural light at the ear opening and crawl toward it, leaving the ear on their own.
- Shine the small flashlight into the affected ear or have someone shine it for you.
- However, some insects may naturally shy away from light and burrow deeper into the ear, so switch off the light if the person experiences more pain.
- Add a small amount of baby oil or cooking oil (at room temperature, don’t heat or chill) slowly, using a dropper or a teaspoon, into the ear canal. This is to drown the bug.
- Then turn the person’s head so that the affected ear is now downward, to let the oil drain out. Hopefully, the insect will also come out along with the oil.
- Tilt the person’s head back up and slowly add a small amount of warm water into the affected ear to clean any residual blood or insect parts.
- Turn the head down again to drain out the water.
Take Note:
- If the pain continues, or you have difficulties extracting the insect, you should bring the person
to a clinic as soon as possible. - Even if the insect is successfully extracted, a visit to the doctor will still be a good idea, as the doctor can examine the ear for lesions, hints of infection and other unpleasant parting gifts from the insect.
How to Remove an Insect Stuck in the Nostril
- First, calm the person down, as any movement could agitate the insect and cause it to burrow deeper up the nostril.
- Have the person sit in a comfortable position, with the head tilted up for you to look into the nostrils. If you have problems seeing clearly, use the small flashlight.
- If you can see the insect, use a tweezer to gently remove it.
- If that fails, or the person complains of pain, try pressing down gently on the unaffected nostril and asking the person to blow their nose through the other nostril. Hopefully, that will dislodge the insect.
Take Note:
- Don’t stick your finger or other implements (tweezers, cotton buds, etc) up the nostril blindly. You may end up doing more harm than good!
- If you cannot see clearly what is obstructing the nostril or you fail to dislodge the insect, bring the person to the doctor as soon as possible.
- Also bring the person to see a doctor if, after the insect is removed, there is still bleeding or other forms of abnormal discharge.
- You should also bring the person to see a doctor if you are concerned that there may be insect parts left behind in the nostril.
When Someone Has Swallowed or Eaten an Insect
Depending on the type of insect, sometimes eating and/or swallowing an insect may not be harmful
to health. Professor Balwant says that it is, in fact, not unheard of for curious children to pop a bug into
the mouth!
To be on the safe side, you should bring the person to see a doctor, especially if you are concerned that the insect may contain harmful toxins.
| While insect infestation in the ears, nostril, or mouth cavity is relatively uncommon, Professor Balwant shares that these cases are more frequently seen among the elderly. Often, their sense of touch becomes less sensitive, so an elderly person may not notice that there are insects exploring or rooming in their body cavities. Sometimes, they may notice but their movements are restricted due to age, so they cannot remove those insects on their own.
Hence, Professor Balwant advises caregivers and family members of the elderly to pay more |
| This article is part of our series on health issues related to the ear, nose, and throat. |
