Foreign Bodies Removed From Ears
*Warning! If you’re squeamish, you may want to look away!*
We have removed countless foreign bodies from ears over the years, along with lots and lots of earwax. In most cases, clients know that something is stuck in their ear (usually a cotton bud or a hearing aid dome). Sometimes, we uncover a true mystery that even surprises the client!
If you’re weird like us and want to see some of our most recent interesting ear finds, read on. If you’re squeamish, then it may be time to look away.
Foreign bodies removed from ears
Unidentified foreign body
This find ranks among our best! Although technically unidentified, after some investigation, we believe it’s a polystyrene ball from a beanbag. The client had no idea the object was stuck in their ear and believed it was a build-up of wax. Once we removed some wax, the object looked like a cotton bud. It took some effort, but we eventually extracted a perfectly round ball that was definitely not a cotton bud! The client felt relieved and amazed, as no one could say how long it had been lodged in there.
Headphone ear bud
A client lost an earbud from their headphones about a year ago and assumed it had fallen on the floor. They wondered if the bud was stuck in their ear as they thought they could feel it. During video-otoscopy at a routine earwax removal appointment, we spotted the earbud and safely removed it with forceps. The client left delighted!
Cotton bud
We’ve removed countless cotton buds over the years. On this occasion, the client didn’t realise the tip of the cotton bud had come off and lodged in their ear. They thought they had pushed the wax further in, but we safely removed both the earwax and cotton bud, much to the client’s relief. See the bonus photo below of cotton buds that remained stuck in a client’s ear for a long time.
Hearing aid dome
We regularly remove hearing aid domes from ear canals. These domes attach to the end of the hearing aid wire, but over time they loosen or become brittle and often end up stuck in the ear. In this case, the client knew the dome was lodged in their ear, and we successfully removed it, sending them away happy and dome-free! Scroll down for bonus photos of other domes we’ve extracted over the years.
Grommet
A grommet is a small tube, measuring just 1.5–2mm, designed to drain fluid and keep the eardrum open. Young children often experience fluid behind the ear, or ‘glue ear’, which can affect hearing, speech, or lead to frequent ear infections, so treatment becomes important. Once the ear improves, the grommet usually drops out on its own. In this client’s situation, the grommet came away from the ear drum but became trapped in a build-up of wax inside the ear canal. Domes and cotton buds, along with grommets, often end up as foreign bodies that need to be removed.
Bonus photos – from the archives
Pencil lead
Pencil lead ranks among our strangest discoveries. Years ago, our audiologist found pencil lead during a routine earwax removal appointment. The client recalled scratching inside their ear with a pencil, unaware that the tip had broken off and lodged inside. Our team safely removed the pencil lead along with a build-up of earwax.
Homemade swim plug
On one occasion, we found a DIY swimming plug made from a piece of silicone. This client was unsure what was causing their hearing loss and booked an appointment for wax removal. In one appointment, our audiologist discovered and carefully removed the silicone and earwax.
T-Tube
A T-tube does the same job as a grommet. Its ‘T’ shape keeps it in place for longer periods, sometimes for years. This client believed the t-tube had fallen out naturally and came for wax removal. During wax removal, we discovered the t-tube trapped behind a wax blockage and removed it safely!
