FAO Squad. What would happen if...

Velvetee | 19:49 Tue 19th May 2009 | Health & Fitness

12 Answers

I woke up 3 days ago with a pain in my left ear and have needed to take Paracetemol. Perhaps it's just a mild infection or caused by a draught.

I was wondering, what would happen if an insect had crawled into my aural cavity, would it just be destroyed by the antibodies in my ear wax or would it just go down my Oesophagus into my stomach, where the acids would destroy it?

Also, as you are an ENT specialist, have you ever encountered any patients with insects in their ears? Is it possible for insects to lay eggs in the ear and if this happened, what would be the implications?

sciatica

Abnormal Smears

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sqad617

Velvee.......the pain in your ear could be due to a furuncle (boil) or an infection of the outer ear or inner ear. Examination would pin-point the problem.

It is not uncommon to have flies or earwigs aand other insects get into the ear. I have never heard of them laying eggs. The insect would either die, or annoy you to the extent that you would seek medical help which would invilve syringing it out.

If you eardrum is intact, it is impossible for insects to get through into ypour throat and oesophagus.

If you had a perforated eardrum, then insects could get through the perforation and into the upper GI tract.

Velvetee

Question Author

Thanks Sqad, I think I'll be sleeping with earplugs in now.

mrs.chappie

Why is an earwig called an earwig?

Razzle09

I'm relieved too after that question. Thanks for answering Vel so promptly Sqad....:-)))

Canary42

According to Wikipedia :- The word earwig is derived from the Old English ēare, which means "ear", and wicga, which means "insect". The name comes from the old wives' tale that earwigs burrowed into the brains of humans through the ear and therein lay their eggs. Earwigs are omnivores that are predisposed to hiding in warm humid crevices and as such, one may crawl into a human ear canal.

mrs.chappie

Thank you Canary.

Velvetee

Question Author

I always thought it was because Earwigs like going into ears.

BeatySwalls

velvetee I hope you are ok. i think a possible cause couldbe that a fly laid eggs in your ear when you were asleep and now the movement of the maggots really hurts...

legoliarse

i threw up a little in ma mouth

Velvetee

Question Author

Beaty, I saw a programme the other night, where a woman went to some Tropical country on holiday. On her return she had a swelling on the scalp, so was sent to the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in London.

It transpired, she'd been bitten by a Mosquito, which had laid some kind of egg in her scalp. The doctor told her it was a big maggot and covered the hole, (it's breathing hole in her scalp) with Vaseline, so it would come closer to the surface, which it did a few days later.

When she returned the doctor dragged the maggot out with some tweezers and the little blighter measured almost an inch. I just don't know what I'd do if I had a maggot living in my body.

BeatySwalls

an inch! wow now that is not a pleasent thought.