Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsRemovalWhat Kills Bugs in the Ears?SymptomsComplicationsWhen to Get HelpPrevention
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Removal
What Kills Bugs in the Ears?
Symptoms
Complications
When to Get Help
Prevention
A bug in your ear can be removed safely with a few precautions. First, tilt your head to the side and gently shake to see if the bug will fall out. If this doesn’t work, pour a small amount of vegetable oil into the ear and gently shake your head. If that still doesn’t help, try using a bulb syringe to squirt warm water into your ear and shake again.
Getting a bug in your ear is actually quite common and can involve insects like flies, ticks, ants, or even larger beetles and cockroaches, which are attracted to the warmth and scent of the ear. These insects may leave on their own, die in the ear canal, or even get stuck, potentially causing harm to the ear and eardrum.Prompt and safe removalis important to prevent damage and discomfort.
Panyawat Boontanom / EyeEm / Getty Images
Getting a Bug Out of Your Ear
In some cases, it may be possible for you to remove an insect from your ear at home.
The first and most important rule is toneveruse a cotton swab or any other tool you can stick into the ear, such as tweezers or a paper clip. This may only push the insect further into the ear canal and damage the ear and eardrum.
To remove a bug from your ear, try these steps:
Never pour oil, water, or any other liquid into the ear if you think you have a punctured eardrum or a middle ear infection (otitis media).
Thoughhydrogen peroxideis sometimes used for swimmer’s ear and ear wax removal, it’s not recommended for bug removal, as it may worsen discomfort or make removal more difficult.If warm water or vegetable oil doesn’t dislodge the bug, seek professional help for safe extraction.
If you have a bug in your ear, you will likely experience symptoms right away. The tissues and nerves in the ear are very sensitive and can trigger symptoms that you can both hear and feel.
You are more likely to get a bug in your ear if you live in a rural setting, camp outdoors, or spend a lot of time outdoors. People who are bedbound are also at greater risk.
Possible signs and symptoms of a bug in your ear include:
Some bugs can also cause an allergic reaction if they bite or sting you. These include bees, wasps, bedbugs, mosquitos, and ticks.
In most cases of an allergic reaction, mild symptoms like redness, swelling, pain, and itching will occur at the site of the bite or sting.
For some people, allergic reactions to bites and stings can progress to a life-threatening reaction calledanaphylaxis. Symptoms of anaphylaxis typically occur within five minutes to one hour after the bite or sting.
Symptoms of anaphylaxis may include:
Anaphylaxis is a medical emergency. Call 911 at the first sign of anaphylaxis.
In most cases, a bug entering your ear is harmless. However, if a bug enters and is not removed, it could quickly establish aninfection.
Symptoms of a middle ear infection include:
A bug in your ear could also lead to aruptured eardrum. This can occur if the bug bites or scratches the eardrum (tympanic membrane).
Symptoms of a perforated eardrum include:
When to See a Healthcare Provider
Call a healthcare provider if:
You should also call your healthcare provider if you develop signs of infection, such as:
Your healthcare provider may use several techniques to safely remove a bug from your ear. One common method is irrigating the ear canal with warm water or saline to gently flush the insect out. If irrigation isn’t effective, they might use specialized lighted tools, such as an otoscope or ear curette, to carefully extract the bug without causing damage to the ear canal or eardrum.
There is no way to guarantee that a bug will never fly or crawl into your ear. The best preventive strategy is to avoid insects wherever you can. Make sure window screens don’t have holes or try sleeping with your windows closed to prevent bugs from flying into the bedroom. Keep your room clean to prevent bug infestations.
When camping or spending time outdoors, usebug repellantand consider wearing a hat that covers your ears. When sleeping outdoors, seal your tent shut or wear earplugs (particularly if you are in an area with a high infestation of flying or crawling insects).
Summary
A bug in your ear can be uncomfortable but usually does not lead to any serious complications. Symptoms include redness, itching, swelling, drainage, and pain. Less commonly, some people experience an allergic reaction if the bug bites or stings.
10 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Texas Children’s Hospital.Insects in the ear.Schwanke L, Chen D, Lomiguen CM, Chin J.Adult Popillia japonica as an otorhinolaryngologic invasive foreign body in a rural area.Cureus.2020 Dec;12(12):e12046. doi:10.7759/cureus.12046University of Michigan Health.How to: Hydrogen peroxide and water ear rinse.Mengi E, Demihran E, Arslan IB.Aural myiasis: case report.North Clin Istanb.2014;1(3):175–7. doi:10.14744/nci.2014.96967Calleja T.‘A bugging feeling’: a live foreign body in the ear.Arch Dis Child. 2020 Jul;105(7):689. doi:10.1136/archdischild-2019-316881Johns Hopkins Medicine.Allergen: Insect stings.MedlinePlus.Ear infection - acute.Mount Sinai.Ruptured eardrum.Stanford Medicine.Insects in a child’s ear.Alfaifi AJ, Khan LA, Mokarbesh HM.Light-assisted removal of ear canal live insect–a noninvasive approach for first level responders.J Family Med Prim Care.2019 Sep;8(9):3042–4. doi:10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_443_19
10 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Texas Children’s Hospital.Insects in the ear.Schwanke L, Chen D, Lomiguen CM, Chin J.Adult Popillia japonica as an otorhinolaryngologic invasive foreign body in a rural area.Cureus.2020 Dec;12(12):e12046. doi:10.7759/cureus.12046University of Michigan Health.How to: Hydrogen peroxide and water ear rinse.Mengi E, Demihran E, Arslan IB.Aural myiasis: case report.North Clin Istanb.2014;1(3):175–7. doi:10.14744/nci.2014.96967Calleja T.‘A bugging feeling’: a live foreign body in the ear.Arch Dis Child. 2020 Jul;105(7):689. doi:10.1136/archdischild-2019-316881Johns Hopkins Medicine.Allergen: Insect stings.MedlinePlus.Ear infection - acute.Mount Sinai.Ruptured eardrum.Stanford Medicine.Insects in a child’s ear.Alfaifi AJ, Khan LA, Mokarbesh HM.Light-assisted removal of ear canal live insect–a noninvasive approach for first level responders.J Family Med Prim Care.2019 Sep;8(9):3042–4. doi:10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_443_19
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Texas Children’s Hospital.Insects in the ear.Schwanke L, Chen D, Lomiguen CM, Chin J.Adult Popillia japonica as an otorhinolaryngologic invasive foreign body in a rural area.Cureus.2020 Dec;12(12):e12046. doi:10.7759/cureus.12046University of Michigan Health.How to: Hydrogen peroxide and water ear rinse.Mengi E, Demihran E, Arslan IB.Aural myiasis: case report.North Clin Istanb.2014;1(3):175–7. doi:10.14744/nci.2014.96967Calleja T.‘A bugging feeling’: a live foreign body in the ear.Arch Dis Child. 2020 Jul;105(7):689. doi:10.1136/archdischild-2019-316881Johns Hopkins Medicine.Allergen: Insect stings.MedlinePlus.Ear infection - acute.Mount Sinai.Ruptured eardrum.Stanford Medicine.Insects in a child’s ear.Alfaifi AJ, Khan LA, Mokarbesh HM.Light-assisted removal of ear canal live insect–a noninvasive approach for first level responders.J Family Med Prim Care.2019 Sep;8(9):3042–4. doi:10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_443_19
Texas Children’s Hospital.Insects in the ear.
Schwanke L, Chen D, Lomiguen CM, Chin J.Adult Popillia japonica as an otorhinolaryngologic invasive foreign body in a rural area.Cureus.2020 Dec;12(12):e12046. doi:10.7759/cureus.12046
University of Michigan Health.How to: Hydrogen peroxide and water ear rinse.
Mengi E, Demihran E, Arslan IB.Aural myiasis: case report.North Clin Istanb.2014;1(3):175–7. doi:10.14744/nci.2014.96967
Calleja T.‘A bugging feeling’: a live foreign body in the ear.Arch Dis Child. 2020 Jul;105(7):689. doi:10.1136/archdischild-2019-316881
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Allergen: Insect stings.
MedlinePlus.Ear infection - acute.
Mount Sinai.Ruptured eardrum.
Stanford Medicine.Insects in a child’s ear.
Alfaifi AJ, Khan LA, Mokarbesh HM.Light-assisted removal of ear canal live insect–a noninvasive approach for first level responders.J Family Med Prim Care.2019 Sep;8(9):3042–4. doi:10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_443_19
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