A 21-year-old girl living in Nepal went to the doctor because of severe pain in her ear. During the examination, doctors found an unusual cause of the problem – a mite stuck in her ear canal.
Doctors described this case in detail in a new publication. According to the report, the young woman came to the hospital complaining of severe pain in her right ear, sudden hearing loss, dizziness and tinnitus. These symptoms came on suddenly and worsened throughout the week. During the medical examination, the diagnosis was revealed – there was a dead tick in her ear.
How did a mite cause hearing loss?
According to doctors, the tick caused an inflammatory reaction in the inner ear. Enzymes and toxins in tick saliva irritate tissues and promote infection. Such inflammation, called labyrinthitis, can cause severe pain, temporary hearing loss, nausea and tinnitus.
Treatment and restoration of health
Doctors carefully removed the dead tick with a special instrument and tweezers. Next, in order to reduce the inflammation, the patient was prescribed antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs. After a month, the girl’s hearing function was completely restored, and all unpleasant symptoms disappeared.
What is the threat of tick bites?
Although the occurrence of ticks in the ears is relatively rare, these parasites can pose a number of risks. In addition to mechanical irritation, they are also carriers of various diseases, such as Lyme disease or tick-borne encephalitis virus.
Doctors point out that although the stories about spiders laying eggs in people’s heads and similar myths are not true, occasionally such incidents, when insects or arachnids enter a person’s ear, still happen.
A similar case was described in 2019, when New England Journal of Medicine magazine featured a story about a 9-year-old boy from Connecticut who complained of ringing in his ears. As it turned out, he also had a tick stuck in his eardrum.
Such cases once again remind people to take care of their hygiene, to protect their ears from insects and other parasites, especially in nature. Although it is rare, proper prevention measures can help avoid unpleasant consequences.
Photo associative @Canva.
I am Rasa, the editor of the page, interested in various topics: world news, health, people, beauty, relationships and other interesting topics relevant to readers of different ages. I hope that my articles will enrich and help to have a good time for those who want knowledge.
