Foreign object in the nose and ear

The nose

If a foreign object is pushed up the nose, it should be treated with caution …

• Objects pushed up the nose may cause blockages or infection, keep your casualty calm and reassure them.
• Get the casualty to breathe through their mouth
• Do not attempt to remove the object
• Send the casualty to hospital

The ears

If a foreign object enters the ear and becomes lodged, it can cause damage to the ear canal, the eardrum and in some cases, cause temporary deafness.

The object should be left in the ear, unless it’s a living object such as an insect that could be removed by flooding the ear with tepid water. If this doesn’t work, then you must seek medical advice.

If you need to seek medical advice:

• Cover the ear with a sterile dressing, taking care not to put any direct pressure on the object
• Send the casualty to hospital