WATCH | TAIWANESE DOCTORS FIND A SPIDER IN THE EAR OF A 64-YEAR-OLD WOMAN

Sun 29 October 2023:

A spider was extracted from the ear of a 64-year-old woman in Taiwan by doctors.

A woman went to an ear, nose, and throat clinic after experiencing a weird sensation in her left ear, as well as persistent clicking and rustling sounds. The doctors figured it was a spider slithering around her ear canal, according to a case study published in the New England Journal of Medicine. The spider had removed its exoskeleton and sat next to it. The spider and exoskeleton were extracted using a tube by the doctors.

The journal also posted a video on X, saying, “A woman with hypertension presented to the clinic with a 4-day history of abnormal sounds in her ear. On examination, a small spider was seen moving within the external auditory canal of the left ear. The moulted exoskeleton of the spider was also present.”

“She didn’t feel the pain because the spider was about 2 to 3 millimetres,” said Dr. Tengchin Wang, the report’s co-author and the director of the otolaryngology department at Tainan Municipal Hospital.

Dr. Wang said he wrote the report because of the case’s novelty. He had seen ants, moths, cockroaches, and mosquitoes inside people’s ears. However, Dr. Wang had never seen a case where the insect moulted inside the ear canal. In his report, he requested the public to consult a doctor if they ever experience such symptoms.

Doctors in the United States report that while rare, it is not unheard of to find an insect in a person’s ear, the NBS News reported.

Studies suggest that at least 14 per cent of objects found in people’s ears are live insects. Other identified items are cotton balls, beads, and earring backings.

A woman with hypertension presented to the clinic with a 4-day history of abnormal sounds in her ear. On examination, a small spider was seen moving within the external auditory canal of the left ear. The molted exoskeleton of the spider was also present. https://t.co/dye2sbbiL9 pic.twitter.com/SfeNBBGQS8

— NEJM (@NEJM) October 25, 2023

What to do?

According to the National Library of Medical Science, people who suspect they might have an insect inside their ear must not stick their finger inside as the insect could sting them. Moreover, the person should avoid using tweezers or paper clips. Sharp instruments can damage the eardrums and cause bleeding or infection. Doctors also recommended avoiding Q-tips as they could lodge the insect farther in the ear canal.

A safe home remedy is to pour vegetable oil, olive oil, or baby oil into the ear to drown the bug. It will help it slide out easily.

Dr Wang recommends using lidocaine or ethanol to kill bigger insects. These chemicals prevent damage to the ear by stopping them from moving.

People who have successfully removed the insect from their ear should also consult a doctor as a part of a bug could be left behind.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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