ConditionEar, nose & throat
Foreign Body in the Nose
A foreign body in the nose is any object pushed or breathed into the nostril, most often by a child aged 2 to 5: beads, food, small toys, paper, foam or stones. Many can be removed at home by blowing the nose or using the "mother's kiss" technique. Button batteries and pairs of magnets are emergencies because they burn through tissue within hours. An object that stays in unnoticed typically causes a foul-smelling discharge from one nostril.
Also called: Nasal foreign body, object stuck in nose, something up the nose
At a glance
- Who
- Mostly children aged 2 to 5. Also adults with developmental or psychiatric conditions.
- Common objects
- Beads, food, paper, foam, small toy parts, erasers, pebbles, seeds.
- Emergencies
- Button batteries, magnets (especially one in each nostril) and anything causing breathing trouble.
- Clue to a hidden object
- Thick, smelly, sometimes bloody discharge from one nostril only.
- Treatment
- Home blowing or the "mother's kiss", otherwise removal by a doctor with suction or small instruments.
When to get help
Call 911 or go to the ER
- A button battery or magnet in the nose: call 911 or your local emergency number or go to the ER immediately. Do not wait for symptoms
- Noisy breathing, choking, coughing fits or difficulty breathing, which can mean the object has moved into the airway
- Heavy nosebleed that does not stop with 15 minutes of firm pressure
See a doctor within a day or two
- An object you cannot see or cannot remove after one or two careful attempts
- Sharp objects, or food and seeds that swell with moisture (beans, peas, corn)
- Pain, swelling of the nose or face, or a fever
- A child who will not stay still or who becomes very distressed
Book a routine appointment
- A smelly, discolored discharge from one nostril for more than a few days with no clear cause
- Repeated one-sided nosebleeds or bad breath in a young child
Usually safe to manage at home
- A soft, visible object near the front of the nostril in a calm child or adult who can blow the nose on command
What to do right now
- Stay calm and keep the person still. A crying child breathes in harder, which can pull the object deeper.
- Breathe through the mouth until the object is out.
- Check for emergencies. If it might be a button battery or magnet, or there is any breathing difficulty, go to the ER now.
- Blow it out (older children and adults): close the clear nostril with a finger and blow firmly through the blocked side. Repeat a few times.
- Mother's kiss (young children): explain it as a "big kiss". Press the clear nostril closed. Seal your mouth over the child's open mouth and give one short, sharp puff of air. The pressure can push the object out. Try up to 2 or 3 times.
- Visible soft objects right at the opening may be gently pulled out with blunt tweezers only if you can grip them easily.
What not to do
- Do not use cotton swabs, fingers, or tweezers on objects you cannot see clearly. This pushes them deeper.
- Do not let the person sniff hard or inhale through the nose.
- Do not use water or spray to flush the nose, especially with food or seeds, which swell.
- Do not give anything to eat or drink if you think a doctor may need to sedate the child.
Why some objects are emergencies
| Object | Why it is dangerous |
|---|---|
| Button battery | Electrical current and leaking chemicals burn the lining within hours. Can perforate the septum |
| Magnets | Two magnets, or a magnet and metal, attract across the septum and crush tissue |
| Food and seeds | Absorb moisture and swell, becoming harder to remove |
| Sharp objects | Cut the lining and cause bleeding |
| Any object at the back of the nose | Can be inhaled into the airway (foreign body aspiration) |
Signs of a hidden object
Young children often do not tell anyone. Suspect a nasal foreign body if your child has:
- Thick, yellow-green or gray discharge from one nostril
- A strong, unpleasant smell from the nose or bad breath
- One-sided nosebleeds or blood-streaked mucus
- A blocked nostril, mouth breathing or snoring
- Rubbing or picking at one side of the nose
- Swelling or tenderness over the nose
Ordinary colds and sinusitis usually affect both sides. A one-sided, smelly discharge in a toddler is a nasal foreign body until proven otherwise.
How doctors remove it
A doctor looks in the nose with a light and a small speculum. A decongestant spray, and sometimes a numbing spray, shrinks the lining and makes removal easier. Methods include:
- Positive pressure: the mother's kiss, or a bag-valve mask over the mouth
- Suction with a small tube
- Forceps or small hooks passed behind the object to roll it forward
- A balloon catheter slid past the object, inflated, then pulled out
- Magnets to lift metal objects
Young or very upset children may need sedation, and occasionally removal in the operating room by an ENT (ear, nose and throat) surgeon. After removal, the doctor checks the other nostril and the ears, because children often put objects in more than one place. X-rays are used only when a battery, magnet or metal object is suspected.
Complications
Most objects are removed with no lasting effects. Complications are more likely when objects stay in for days or are dangerous types:
- Infection and sinusitis
- Bleeding
- Burns, ulcers or a hole in the nasal septum (button batteries)
- Inhaling the object into the lungs
- Rarely, a rhinolith: a stone-like mass formed when minerals coat an object left in for months or years
Prevention
- Keep beads, small toy parts, coins, dried beans and craft items away from children under 3 to 4.
- Store button batteries securely and check that battery compartments on toys and remotes are screwed shut.
- Keep magnetic toys and loose magnets away from young children.
- Supervise play with small objects and explain, in simple words, that nothing goes in the nose or ears.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get something out of my child's nose at home?
If the child is calm and it is not a battery or magnet, close the clear nostril and ask an older child to blow hard through the blocked side. For a toddler, try the mother's kiss: block the clear nostril and give a quick puff of air into their mouth. Stop after 2 or 3 tries.
Is a foreign body in the nose an emergency?
Usually not, but it is urgent if the object is a button battery or magnet, if there is breathing difficulty, or if bleeding is heavy. Most other objects can be removed safely at a primary care clinic, urgent care center or ER within hours.
What happens if a foreign object stays in the nose?
The nose becomes inflamed and infected. Within days there is usually a thick, foul-smelling discharge from one nostril, often with nosebleeds or bad breath. Left for months, an object can become coated with minerals and form a rhinolith.
Can an object in the nose go to the lungs?
It can, rarely. An object pushed far back can be inhaled into the airway, especially during attempts to remove it in a struggling child. Coughing, choking, wheezing or noisy breathing need emergency care.
Does a foreign body in the nose cause a smell?
Yes. An object left for several days typically causes a strong, unpleasant smell and discolored discharge from one nostril. Parents often notice the smell or the child's bad breath before anyone realizes something is stuck.
Sources
This guide was written from current patient and clinical guidance, including:
- American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org): Foreign bodies in the nose
- Merck Manual Consumer Version: Objects in the Nose
- NHS: Foreign body in the nose
- National Capital Poison Center: Button battery ingestion triage and treatment guideline
- Canadian Family Physician: The mother's kiss technique for nasal foreign body removal