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Foreign object in ear

Foreign object in ear

Overview

Children often place objects into their ears that can get stuck in the ear canal. It is important to remove the object since infection is most likely to occur. In most cases, a doctor will need to use special instruments to examine the ear and safely remove the foreign object.

Review Date 5/30/2022

Updated by: Josef Shargorodsky, MD, MPH, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.