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geekhack Community => Off Topic => Topic started by: chongyixiong on Thu, 19 May 2011, 13:08:51

Title: A bug flew into my ear...
Post by: chongyixiong on Thu, 19 May 2011, 13:08:51
I shone a flashlight for almost 15mins. No good.

*Flap flap buzz buzz* goes the bug trying desperately to escape from my ear

Drowned it in olive oil and tried to flush it out with clean water. No good.

*Flap.... buz... pffft* No more buzzing and flapping. Guess it's dead now.

Problem:
Can't seem to get the feeling that the bug is still there as I couldn't see its body as I flushed my ear's contents out.

Question:
What should I do now? Is there a way that the bug will slowly be pushed out by my ear just like earwax does? I want to avoid costly doctor consultation fees.

PS: It's almost 2AM here now so ER is definitely NOT an option as it will cost me a Unicomp Spacesaver just for consultation.
Title: A bug flew into my ear...
Post by: DarthBaiter on Thu, 19 May 2011, 13:12:03
Go to the pharmacy and get a "snot vacum" used to get snot out of baby's noses.  LoL  Not the real name.  You could use a turkey baster to suck it out...
http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&rh=n%3A284507%2Ck%3ATurkey%20Basters&page=1
Title: A bug flew into my ear...
Post by: Lanx on Thu, 19 May 2011, 13:13:22
olive oil and isopryl alcohol are the safest to put in ear if i remember, it might just be "in your head" just whatever you do, don't stick a q tip in there, might "push it in" more.
Title: A bug flew into my ear...
Post by: chongyixiong on Thu, 19 May 2011, 13:29:04
Quote from: DarthBaiter;348582
Go to the pharmacy and get a "snot vacum" used to get snot out of baby's noses.  LoL  Not the real name.  You could use a turkey baster to suck it out...
http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&rh=n%3A284507%2Ck%3ATurkey%20Basters&page=1

A bulb syringe I believe. No 24 hour shops here.
 
Quote from: Lanx;348583
olive oil and isopryl alcohol are the safest to put in ear if i remember, it might just be "in your head" just whatever you do, don't stick a q tip in there, might "push it in" more.

Quote from: ripster;348587
I think I saw this on a Twilight Zone episode.   It didn't end well.

Just fill a bulb with warm water and squirt it in.   That's what the doctor will do as well.

Thanks. I just need to know whether I am paying USD$25+ for the doctor to do something which I could have done at home - and get it out without paying too much.
I'm pretty sure that the bug is still stuck there somewhat. I have a right ear canal with an almost 90 degree sharp turn - it kinda hurt when I was getting my ear impressions done too.
Title: A bug flew into my ear...
Post by: alaricljs on Thu, 19 May 2011, 13:43:58
In Africa they use supersoakers and warm water.  Swear to god, I saw it on the intertubes.
Title: A bug flew into my ear...
Post by: keyb_gr on Thu, 19 May 2011, 13:45:42
While I have nothing much to contribute to this better-suited-for-Head-Fi topic, the search results listed this thread with
    *  Replies: 2
    * Views: 0

How's that work?
Title: A bug flew into my ear...
Post by: chongyixiong on Thu, 19 May 2011, 13:55:44
Quote from: ripster;348595
River Tam just swallowed it.
Show Image
(http://28.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l9rqqdQDwQ1qc4zrko1_500.png)

Quote from: ripster;348607
It's a bug obviously.

Mmmm.. I remember that scene.

Alright, just as a general consensus.
I want to cheap out by NOT going to the doctor and seeing how earwax gets pushed out naturally by the ear, is it safe to assume that the bug's dead carcass will assimilate with my earwax and get pushed out someday?
I believe the bug did not bite me nor was there any ear pain when I was trying my best to flush it out with olive oil and water.

I just want to save more so I can finally buy more of clickclack's keys when they are finally mass produced.
Title: A bug flew into my ear...
Post by: alaricljs on Thu, 19 May 2011, 14:12:36
BTW - I wasn't kidding about the supersoaker.  Volunteer Dr's in poor African nations use supersoakers since they are cheaper/easier to get than the appropriate oversize syringe to fill with water.  It's not an issue to wait a while until you can get the bulb or water gun of your choice.

Low pressure is key tho.  Flush, not a water-jet slicing your head in half.  :)
Title: A bug flew into my ear...
Post by: DarthBaiter on Thu, 19 May 2011, 14:29:43
Quote from: chongyixiong;348591
A bulb syringe I believe. No 24 hour shops here.

 
That's what my wife called it, me and my kids called it the snotsucker. :D

A rubber ball or a tennis ball with a hole drilled out, pressed against the ear works too.
Title: A bug flew into my ear...
Post by: panda-R on Thu, 19 May 2011, 14:56:24
TELL IT TO GET DA FACK OUT!! I'm a monday morning lunatic.
Title: A bug flew into my ear...
Post by: Lanx on Thu, 19 May 2011, 15:19:29
some googles
What to do:

    If there is a live insect in the patient's ear, simply fill the canal with mineral oil (e.g., microscope immersion oil). Lay the patient on his side and drop the oil down the canal while pulling on the pinna to remove air bubbles. This will suffocate the intruder, so it can be removed using one of the techniques below. The least invasive methods should be tried first.
    Water irrigation is often effective for safely removing a foreign body that is not tightly wedged in the ear canal. This can be accomplished with an irrigation syringe, Water Pik, or a standard syringe and scalp vein needle catheter cut short (see above). Tap water or normal saline at body temperature can be used to flush out the foreign body by directing the stream along the wall of the ear canal and around the object, thereby flushing it out.
    If the object is light and moves easily, attempt to suction it out with a standard metal suction tip or specialized flexible tip, whichever can make a vacuum seal on the foreign body.
    If a hard or spherical foreign body remains in the ear canal, and the patient is able to hold still, you can attempt to roll it out with a right-angle hook, ear curette or wire loop. Stabilize the patient's head and fix your hand against it, holding the instrument loosely between your fingers to reduce the risk of injury should the patient move suddenly. Under direct visualizaton through an ear speculum, slide the tip of the right-angle hook, ear curette or wire loop behind the object (rotate the hook to catch) and then roll or slide the foreign body out of the ear.
    Alligator forceps are best for grasing soft objects like cotton or paper. The wooden shaft of a long cotton swab can be armed with one drop of cyanoacrylate (Super Glue) to adhere to a smooth, clean, dry foreign body. Touch it to the foreign body, hold for ten seconds, then pull. Try not to glue the stick to the wall of the ear canal, but if you do, be thankful for cerumen (above).

What not to do:

    Do not use a rigid instrument to remove an object from an uncooperative patient's ear. An unexpected movement might lead to a serious injury of the middle ear.
    Do not attempt to remove a large bug or insect without killing it first. They tend to be wily, evasive little creatures well equipped for fighting in tunnels. In the heat of battle, the patient can become terrorized by the noise and pain and the instrument that you are using is likely to damage the ear canal.
    Do not attempt to irrigate a tightly wedged bean or seed from an ear canal. The water may cause the bean to swell.
    Do not attempt to remove a large or hard object with bayonet or similar forceps. The bony canal will slowly close the forceps as they are advanced and the object will be pushed farther into the canal. Alligator forceps are designed for the canal, but even they will push a large, hard foreign body farther into the ear.
Title: A bug flew into my ear...
Post by: DarthBaiter on Thu, 19 May 2011, 18:10:19
Yhea...I guess using a bayonet would be a bad idea...LoL
Title: A bug flew into my ear...
Post by: EverythingIBM on Thu, 19 May 2011, 21:31:24
You could just get some high powered suction device to suck out your little buddy...
A vacuum & funnel?
Title: A bug flew into my ear...
Post by: audioave10 on Thu, 19 May 2011, 22:34:28
Was it this one?   (sorry)

(http://0.tqn.com/d/paranormal/1/0/9/V/1/giant-earwig.jpg)
Title: A bug flew into my ear...
Post by: curzen on Thu, 19 May 2011, 22:55:45
Kill it with fire!
Title: A bug flew into my ear...
Post by: TheSoulhunter on Fri, 20 May 2011, 12:45:34
Quote from: chongyixiong;348591
I just need to know whether I am paying USD$25+ for the doctor...
So, let me get this straight...
You have a insect inside your head but its too expensive to get it removed? O.o
Man, thanks god I live in a country with a proper health care system where such things are for free!
Title: A bug flew into my ear...
Post by: chongyixiong on Fri, 20 May 2011, 12:58:38
Well, thanks for all the suggestions.

Went to a GP and she 'claimed' that she did not see any insect inside my ear canal and my eardrums looked OK.
However, there was a cut in the ear canal and quite some bleeding.

Hmm, maybe this is a mini Osama bug. Can't seem to find the dead carcass or body as evidence.
Doctor believes that I made up the story and that I actually dug my ear until it bled.

Damn this.

Thanks guys!
Title: A bug flew into my ear...
Post by: Mazora on Fri, 20 May 2011, 13:03:19
aint there some type of insects that penetrate under the skin? These bugs can live there for quite some time. That might be your case ?

good luck with this and have a nice weekend,

regards,

Misery
Title: A bug flew into my ear...
Post by: sinis on Fri, 20 May 2011, 14:30:37
get well soon!
Title: A bug flew into my ear...
Post by: speakeasy on Fri, 20 May 2011, 15:30:56
Quote from: chongyixiong;349033
Well, thanks for all the suggestions.

Went to a GP and she 'claimed' that she did not see any insect inside my ear canal and my eardrums looked OK.
However, there was a cut in the ear canal and quite some bleeding.

Hmm, maybe this is a mini Osama bug. Can't seem to find the dead carcass or body as evidence.
Doctor believes that I made up the story and that I actually dug my ear until it bled.

Damn this.

Thanks guys!


Haha, that blows. Similar thing happened to me senior year, except I was able to find the body of the bug when I felt it fall out of my ear. Bagged it up and brought it to class to be IDed. My instructor sent me upstairs to see a doctor, I waited around for 2 hours for her to look around with an otoscope and pretty much tell me a bug got in my ear and it made my ear sore but now it's gone so I'll be OK. No ****.
Title: A bug flew into my ear...
Post by: curzen on Fri, 20 May 2011, 16:39:39
should have killed it with fire. now in two weeks the larvae will start eating your brain :/
Title: A bug flew into my ear...
Post by: audioave10 on Fri, 20 May 2011, 22:59:02
The Twilight Zone really did have a show about "Earwigs".
Title: A bug flew into my ear...
Post by: chongyixiong on Sun, 22 May 2011, 01:46:50
Quote from: speakeasy;349102
Haha, that blows. Similar thing happened to me senior year, except I was able to find the body of the bug when I felt it fall out of my ear. Bagged it up and brought it to class to be IDed. My instructor sent me upstairs to see a doctor, I waited around for 2 hours for her to look around with an otoscope and pretty much tell me a bug got in my ear and it made my ear sore but now it's gone so I'll be OK. No ****.

Hmm, do you still have a feeling like there's water blocked in your ear afterwards?

I still seem to have this while I'm chewing some food.

And thanks for all the 'advice' - I think I will have a good nights' sleep tonight
Title: A bug flew into my ear...
Post by: speakeasy on Sun, 22 May 2011, 04:00:49
Actually, yeah, my ear felt blocked up for a little while longer. The only reason it felt out of my ear in the first place was I assumed I had water or a big ball of wax in my ear and slept on my side to drain it. But even after it fell out I still felt like I had water in my ear. It was annoying but not enough for me to even bother filling the prescription the NP gave me. Just keep your mind occupied with other things and you'll forget about it, that's what I did.
Title: A bug flew into my ear...
Post by: canon.tk on Sun, 22 May 2011, 09:09:24
I had a moth fly into my ear once.  It kept trying to fly out but it was just flapping and rubbing against my ear drum.  Needless to say it started to hurt.  Not knowing what to do I went to the ER.  I was between jobs at the time and had no insurance, so it cost me over $400 to get it out.

The DR poured mineral oil in my ear and then used what looked like bent needle nose pliers to pull it out, and he made sure it hurt while he did it.

Then he told me all I needed to do was poor baby oil in my ear and it would die and fall out eventually.
Title: A bug flew into my ear...
Post by: audioave10 on Sun, 22 May 2011, 14:37:44
LOL...Wat?

(http://www.erichufschmid.net/Neanderthals/big-ears-on-monkey.jpg)
Title: A bug flew into my ear...
Post by: audioave10 on Sun, 22 May 2011, 14:49:14
Oh, I see, its a Tanya Roberts movie!

(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_NqSPS-4a6Y0/SqVlDhwYDLI/AAAAAAAAAwc/ESh5GuWTqXQ/s400/Tanya-Roberts-1.jpg)
Title: A bug flew into my ear...
Post by: HaveANiceDay on Sun, 22 May 2011, 16:10:42
Quote from: ripster;349922
This Roger Corman flick is supposed to have bugs in the ear.

Maybe I'll watch it to get warmed up for Conan remake.   Plus I think it will have boobs.
[video=youtube;cGEigptwPOU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGEigptwPOU[/video]

Beastmaster was awesome! But I watched it as a kid, so it is probably all nostalgia.
Title: A bug flew into my ear...
Post by: keyboardlover on Sun, 22 May 2011, 16:15:52
This one is a Corman classic:

[video=youtube;IDIBUNRE4ec]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDIBUNRE4ec[/video]
Title: A bug flew into my ear...
Post by: iMav on Sun, 22 May 2011, 16:35:50
Just have someone put their mouth over your ear, form a good seal, and suck.
Title: A bug flew into my ear...
Post by: audioave10 on Sun, 22 May 2011, 22:16:00
Quote from: iMav;349981
Just have someone put their mouth over your ear, form a good seal, and suck.


(http://www.clipartguide.com/_named_clipart_images/0511-0702-2316-3517_Businessman_Laughing_Hysterically_clipart_image.jpg)