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Child Got Hurt While Cleaning Ear With Q-tip, Later Had Bleeding. Alarming?
i was cleaning my daughter ear then she moved and i think the q-tips hurted her. she cried for a few moment. the next i cleaning her ear i realized that her ear was bleeding . today i checked it again, is lite blood and when i pushed side of her ear she said a doesnt hurt her. where the blood is coming from? should i be worry a lot?
Mon, 7 Jan 2013
Hello and welcome to Healthcare Magic. Thanks for your query.
An external injury while cleaning the ear could be anywhere along the ear canal or even the tympanic membrane (ear drum). In children, the ear canal is set at an oblique angle and so the entire canal cannot be directly visualized. While examining the ear canal or tympanic membrane, the external ear (pinna) has to be pulled outward and backward, in order to get a better visualization.
I would suggest that you refrain from using q-tips from cleaning the ear of children as it can cause such injuries. The safest way would be to use cotton ear buds. Regarding the current injury, if she continues to bleen or develpos any pain or ear discharge or fever, then I would advise you to have her ear examined by a doctor.
Wish you all the best.
Regards,
Dr. Jonas Sundarakumar
An external injury while cleaning the ear could be anywhere along the ear canal or even the tympanic membrane (ear drum). In children, the ear canal is set at an oblique angle and so the entire canal cannot be directly visualized. While examining the ear canal or tympanic membrane, the external ear (pinna) has to be pulled outward and backward, in order to get a better visualization.
I would suggest that you refrain from using q-tips from cleaning the ear of children as it can cause such injuries. The safest way would be to use cotton ear buds. Regarding the current injury, if she continues to bleen or develpos any pain or ear discharge or fever, then I would advise you to have her ear examined by a doctor.
Wish you all the best.
Regards,
Dr. Jonas Sundarakumar
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