Ear Injury

Causes of ear injury include:

  • Foreign objects – insects, debris or dirt

  • Trauma – blows when playing sport or in accidents

  • Ruptured eardrum – Inserting cotton swabs, toothpicks, pins etc

  • Illness – Ear infection, wax build up, infected piercing etc

Signs and symptoms

  • Bleeding from the ear

  • Loss of hearing or noises in the ear

  • Dizziness, nausea and vomiting

  • Earache or severe pain

  • Swelling, bruising, redness

  • Clear liquid coming out of the ear

  • Sensations of an object in the ear

  • Visible object in the ear

  • Rise in temperature (may indicate infection)

First aid

For ruptured ear drums, if part of the ear has been cut off, or if fluid is coming out of the ear:

  • Call the ambulance, reassure and monitor

  • DO NOT block any drainage coming from the ear

  • DO NOT try to clean or wash the inside of the ear canal

  • DO NOT put any liquid into the ear

Meirav Dulberg