An Insect Flew in My Ear — How to Get It Out? I Don't Want to Make Tinnitus/Hyperacusis Worse

I'm freaking out at the moment!!

I went for a small walk right now, an 10 minutes in some bug/insect flew in my left ear canal. It was stuck in there because I could hear the high pitched buzzing from it. It felt like it was trapped in there. I hurried home and checked my ears but of course I myself can't get a decent look in my ear canal.

What the hell do I do?? I want it out of there ASAP!! I'm scared to poke in my ears but I don't want it in there risking doing something to my tinnitus/hyperacusis.

 

Oh no, so annoying.

Erm, just Googled and it said to put warm olive oil in the ear and tilt the ear upwards so the insect will float out.

I believe olive oil is safe in the ear because it is recommended on here for removing ear wax. I researched it when I had wax on my eardrum.

It does say to try and remove the insect as soon as you can if it is alive, as it can cause damage to the eardrum. Let us know how you get on!

 

I tried a bit of olive oil, but nothing came out with the oil Maybe I didn't pour enough, but I'm scared to put too much in.

I don't know if it's in there still. I can't be sure, as it could have flown out while I frantically shaked my head and tilted it just as it happened. It was probably a very small bug, since it could fit in my ear canal. I could literally hear it buzzing away in my ear, fairly loud... but not dangerously loud I think. Quite scary! I must admit I am worried about a potential infection.

EDIT: But I am a bit confused. I tilted my head correctly when I had poured the oil in, I turned my head to the left so my ear was facing to the floor (I don't know how to explain it properly), is that wrong?

 

If you still had a flying insect in your ear, you would 100% know about it. It's gone. Rest easy.

 

I am 99,9% sure it's dead, but a dead insect in the ear canal can cause infection if not removed.

 

Yeah, apparently your ear is supposed to face to the ceiling so that the insect floats upwards and then you can scoop it out. It confused me too.

Had a look again, and if you can't get the bug out using liquid it recommends going to an ENT. One article recommended that even if you do get it out. Seems extreme but that's what it says.

I'm sure it will be totally fine though -- insects fly into ears all the time. It's happened to me and I was absolutely fine. I bet it came out when you shook your head.

 

If you’re concerned about it I’d just go to the ER and have them look in your ear. If they see it ask them to manually gently remove it (No suctioning tools).

 

I'll call my doctor tommorow or an ENT (I'm fairly certain one can't just show up at the ER because of COVID-19). As you say @Tanni, it will probably be fine, but in these situations with tinnitus and hyperacusis one can't be too careful I think. Better safe than sorry.

Thank you for your help.

 

This has happened to me before and I went to the ER. I thought my TTTS had gone haywire at first. They looked and there was definitely a tiny bug in there. They put in ear drops which I didn’t want but they move fast in there and I panicked. Then the fluttering stopped and they looked again and couldn’t find the bug so they wanted to flush it just in case. I told the nurse of my issues and he said the water would be super gentle because it was just a syringe type of thing. It was more rough than I thought but I wanted the bug out to avoid infections. No worsening in hyperacusis or tinnitus.

 

Call a GP. Maybe they will talk online and explain you thru it.

 

That sounds scary! For me I also thought for a nano second if my tinnitus was going wild when the insect was buzzing in there. I got confused a brief second :O

Went to the doctor today and he checked my ears very carefully and gave me an all clear. No bug to be found. He also performed a tympanometry (I think it's called that in English) because a little while ago I had this wet feeling in my left ear (why is this ear so unfortunate - this is also the ear I have intermittent tones in), which also gave me an intermittent new tone which still comes and goes, but the test gave a good result, so I guess that's good to know.

 

Yes it’s so frightening!! I actually felt something crawling on my neck at first but I thought it was my hair or something but then it went into my ear and nope definitely a bug! I flipped out of course lol because the fluttering felt exactly like TTTS - same ear too!

Happy to hear it all worked out for you and the bug is gone the last thing we need as hyperacusis/tinnitus people are ear infections.

 

This happened to me last night. A mosquito or another buzzing insect might have flown into my ear. It's no way that it's still alive in my ear, might have flown out as well.

For other reasons, I can't go to an ENT right now.

I'm over the panicking state (well, I am not more freaked out than my new normal since tinnitus), the affected ear doesn't feel weirder than it normally does. But can anyone venture a guess that if it's dead in my ear, what's the time frame that it can get infected? Days, weeks, months?

 

A German cockroach crawled into my ear around 5am. They're so annoying and really hard to get rid of infestations. Think they're most attracted to the cat food and they're camping out all over the place: in the cabinets, in the closet, etc. There were a bunch even hiding in the cable receiver and also the alarm clock. And they're more prone to venture around at night. I was actually awake way too late and within minutes of lying down felt what was like an insect swimming around in my ear. At times it would calm down and go unnoticed for a several minute stretches. Shining a light into the ear just made it crawl even deeper into the ear.

I noticed one of the urgent care clinics was opening at 8am and so I went by there at opening only to find a long line of cars. So the earliest appointment I could get was around noon. The nurse took a look in my ear with an otoscope and saw something moving, which surprised her. She said she'd never seen anyone come in with an insect stuck in an ear. So when the doctor came in she was pretty enthusiastic to watch. The doctor also used an otoscope and tried a few times to basically tweeze it out with whatever device they use. After about five tries he got a good hold and he pulled the cockroach out, which was of course still alive.

It was a relief for the insect to get out of my ear and then I was really nervous for a) possible infection b) possible hearing loss. The insect kept moving around inside the ear canal and against the tympanic membrane and eardrum.

The doctor didn't think my ear looked particularly swollen despite the cockroach being in there for nearly seven hours. He prescribed Ciprodex, which I still haven't taken after reading that it may be otoxic for a lot of people. And I really have no idea if my ear will get infected or not. I'm just so annoyed that the roach crawled in my ear and now I'm afraid it'll happen again since these things are so tough to get rid of and make their presence at night.

Did any of you who had a bug trapped in the ear develop an infection or worsening/permanent hearing loss?

tl;dr: German cockroach crawled in my ear at 5am and I didn't get it removed by a doctor until around noon. Worried of potential infection and/or hearing loss and also am afraid to take the medication since it's reportedly a strong one that many people have had bad side effects. Doctor just kind of had a 'wait and see how you feel' vague approach and I'm not sure if maybe it was too early for an infection or hearing loss to set.

 

A friend of mine got some sort of fly or mosquito inside her ear, and it dropped eggs there. It was all removed at the ENT and her hearing was fine afterwards.

 

Where did you read that?

 

I usually take a look at sites like RxList where people post their experiences with side effects.

Anyone here taken it? As I mentioned, the doctor prescribed it kind of as a "just in case" thing and after 7 hours of the insect being in my ear said he didn't see any signs of infection. I'm not sure if it'd be necessary to take it and I'm too embarrassed to get a follow-up visit after a few days. I'm not even sure if I'd be able to recognize signs of infection or a reason to take it since I'm stubborn and already had had tinnitus for like 20 years. Also forgot to ask him of the possibility of the roach laying eggs in the ear and it's something I'm potentially concerned about as well.

 

So where did you read that it was ototoxic for a lot of people on that site? I just went there and couldn't find such assertion.

It is regularly given to people post ear-tube surgery. There are studies you can find on PubMed about its ototoxicity especially in comparison to previous antibiotics used post-op.

My daughter has taken it post ear-tube surgery, and then once after that I think.

 

Ear drops are probably safe.

Your ear wax makes a lot of antimicrobial stuff, so if you're a waxy person you should be ok.

 

https://www.webmd.com/drugs/drugreview-76594-ciprodex-otic-ear

I think that was the main site for reviews that I saw and many people were complaining of tinnitus and hearing loss type side effects. Not sure why an ear drop would lead to these kinds of problems and I've been nervous to try it and it's been 5 days since I had the cockroach in my ear. Not sure if I did any damage by NOT using the eardrops. There was apparently no major redness or swelling when the urgent car doc took a look then, but he prescribed these anyway.

 

This thread is a year old and people are still debating ear drops?

If you are worried about prescription ear drops being ototoxic, then buy natural ear drops. Imho, doctors don't give a crap about that. They probably get $ from # of prescriptions they fill or have some 'deal' with the pharmacy or they just don't care/research ototoxic products and tinnitus.

So, they prescribe the same antibiotics over and over.

I haven't used my ear drops in a long while but I purchased naturopath type drops: herbal drops, St. Francis Ear Oil - main ingredients: Mullein, Calendula, Garlic, St. John's Wort.

I guess it helped when I used it. I had peace of mind that it was natural and not ototoxic.

 

Gonna have to find some way to add you to the list.

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/posts/621761/

 

It's apparently not "common," but it's something that probably most working in an emergency/urgent care setting have seen before. German cockroaches are notoriously difficult to get rid of and are experts in hide and seek. I've found them in the oddest places like electrical outlets, etc. Probably the worst move I'd made was keeping pet food in the room where I sleep since our cat is elderly. And another big 'no no' was me eating snacks in the bed and I'd imagine that was what really lured one. But they'll really crawl around anywhere. I've seen them in the shower and all over the place. Vacuum daily, set bait traps and gel which has helped a little bit. But they're not completely gone, which is very frustrating.

 

Why on earth don't you get a professional exterminator? They can get rid of German cockroaches.

 

Yeah, I've screwed up and procrastinated. I did spray some ortho home defense and added baits, gel, etc but the problem is these things breed so quickly that if there are two then there's always the potential for many more. When I lived in an apt the pest control people would come out for free and I guess I've just been nervous of hidden costs and/or higher fees than expected. Obviously just an excuse on my part.