A patient who had hearing problems visited an ear specialist. He thought it was a simple extraction of earwax, but the opposite was true, writes Expert Neel Raithatha, however, noticed something unusual. “As I started to remove the earwax, I noticed a strange black “object” in it,” he said. It turned out that it wasn’t just sebum blocking the ear canal. “I realized it was a dead bug stuck in earwax,” he explained.
The patient was completely unaware that a creepy intruder had taken up residence in his ear. This particular bug, identified as a black grain beetle, somehow managed to get inside the ear, get stuck there and eventually die. It is common knowledge that earwax repels insects due to its acidic nature, but in this case it turned out to have the opposite effect.
“Earwax usually acts as a natural insect repellent. Most insects are deterred by its acidity,” the doctor explained. But for the beetle, the sticky grease that held it in place, prevented further penetration into the ear canal. Using special tools, Neel managed to remove both the sebum and the dead bug from the patient’s ear. “The patient had no idea that a bug had crawled into his ear,” added the doctor.
“I even used Google Lens to identify the species of beetle and it was a black grain beetle,” Neel explained. “Yes, the patient was completely normal after that, but he was a little worried that another bug might get into his ear during the night,” said the doctor.
Although this patient had no idea of the terrifying bug that had taken up residence in his ear, there are warning signs to look out for. You can notice a bug in the ear right away due to a buzzing sound or the feeling that something is crawling inside. However, sometimes people don’t realize that creepy crawlers have entered their ear, especially if they sleep and later feel pain and discomfort.
Common symptoms of insects in the ear include:
- Hearing loss
- Infection
- Vestibular problems (the vestibular system provides the brain information about movement, head position and spatial orientation. It helps us maintain balance and stabilize our gaze during movement).
You may also feel that it is in the ear a foreign object that causes muffled sounds, or you can record ear discharge, swelling or even inflammation. As scary as it sounds, it’s not entirely uncommon for creepy creatures to enter your ears.
