Foreign Body
An object lodged in the airway, ear, nose, eye, throat, or gut
Quick Facts
- Type: Injury / mechanical obstruction
- Common sites: Airway, ear, nose, eye, throat, digestive tract
- Most affected: Young children and people who work with small objects
- Seek emergency care: Choking, can't breathe, swallowed sharp object or battery
Overview
A foreign body is any object from outside the body that becomes stuck somewhere it does not belong. Common examples include food or small toys lodged in a child's airway, a bead or insect in the ear, a piece of grit under the eyelid, a fish bone in the throat, or a swallowed coin in the digestive tract. Foreign bodies can also be splinters or fragments embedded in the skin.
Young children are most often affected because they explore objects with their mouths, ears, and noses. The seriousness ranges from minor and easily removed to a life-threatening emergency, particularly when an object blocks the airway or when a swallowed object is sharp, magnetic, or a button battery, which can cause severe internal injury.
Symptoms
Symptoms depend entirely on where the object is lodged.
- Airway: sudden coughing, choking, wheezing, noisy breathing, or inability to speak or breathe; lips or face may turn blue
- Ear: pain, a feeling of fullness, reduced hearing, discharge, or buzzing if an insect is present
- Nose: blockage on one side, a foul-smelling discharge, or repeated nosebleeds
- Eye: pain, watering, redness, light sensitivity, and a sensation that something is in the eye
- Throat or food pipe: pain on swallowing, drooling, a feeling that something is stuck, or chest discomfort
- Skin: localized pain, redness, and sometimes a visible object or splinter
Causes
A foreign body results from an object entering and becoming trapped in the body, either accidentally or deliberately.
- Inhaling: small food pieces such as nuts, seeds, or popcorn, and tiny toy parts, can be drawn into the airway, especially while laughing, talking, or running.
- Inserting: children commonly place beads, food, or small toys into the nose or ears.
- Swallowing: coins, batteries, magnets, bones, and small objects can be swallowed accidentally.
- External injury: grit, glass, metal fragments, or splinters can lodge in the eye or skin during work or play.
Risk Factors
- Young age, especially toddlers and preschoolers
- Eating while distracted, talking, or moving around
- Access to small objects, button batteries, and high-powered magnets
- Certain jobs and hobbies involving metalwork, woodwork, or grinding
- Developmental or cognitive conditions that increase mouthing of objects
- Dentures or swallowing difficulties in older adults
Diagnosis
A doctor diagnoses a foreign body from the history and a focused examination, supported by imaging when needed.
- Direct examination: looking into the ear, nose, eye, or throat with a light or special scope.
- X-rays: can show metal, bone, and many swallowed objects, including the distinctive look of a button battery.
- Endoscopy: a flexible camera used to find and often remove objects in the airway or digestive tract.
- CT scan: used for objects that are hard to see or to assess deeper injury.
Some objects, such as plastic or glass, may not show on X-ray, so the account of what happened is very important.
Treatment
Treatment is to remove the object safely and treat any injury it has caused.
- Choking first aid: for a blocked airway, back blows and abdominal thrusts (the Heimlich maneuver) may dislodge the object while emergency help is called.
- Removal by a clinician: ear, nose, eye, and throat objects are removed with specialized instruments, often by an ear, nose, and throat specialist.
- Endoscopic removal: objects in the airway or food pipe are taken out with a scope, sometimes under sedation.
- Observation: many small, smooth swallowed objects such as coins pass safely through the gut on their own and are monitored.
- Urgent removal: button batteries, sharp objects, and multiple magnets need prompt removal to prevent serious damage.
Do not try to dig out an object from the ear, nose, or eye yourself, as this can push it deeper or cause injury.
Prevention
- Keep small objects, coins, button batteries, and magnets out of reach of young children
- Cut food into small pieces and supervise young children while eating
- Avoid giving whole nuts, grapes, hard candy, and popcorn to toddlers
- Wear protective eyewear when grinding, hammering, or working with debris
- Choose age-appropriate toys and check them for small detachable parts
When to See a Doctor
Seek emergency care immediately if a person is choking, cannot breathe or speak, turns blue, or has swallowed a button battery, magnet, or sharp object. Also get prompt medical attention for:
- Any object stuck in the eye, or vision changes after an eye injury
- A foreign object in the throat causing drooling or trouble swallowing
- Ear or nose objects that cannot be easily removed, or that cause pain, bleeding, or discharge
- Signs of infection such as worsening pain, swelling, fever, or foul-smelling discharge
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I do if my child is choking on an object?
Call emergency services immediately. If the child cannot breathe, cough, or cry, begin choking first aid with back blows and abdominal thrusts as taught in first aid training. Do not put your fingers blindly into the throat, as this can push the object deeper.
Are swallowed coins dangerous?
Most smooth, swallowed coins pass through the digestive tract on their own within a few days and only need monitoring. However, a swallowed button battery, magnet, or sharp object is dangerous and needs prompt medical removal to prevent serious internal injury.
Why is a button battery so dangerous if swallowed?
A button battery can generate a current and cause severe chemical burns within hours if it lodges in the food pipe. This is a medical emergency, so seek immediate care if you suspect a child has swallowed one, even if they seem well.
Can I remove a foreign object from my ear or nose myself?
It is best not to. Trying to remove an object with cotton swabs, tweezers, or other tools often pushes it deeper or injures the delicate lining. See a clinician, who has the right instruments to remove it safely.
How do I know if something is stuck in my eye?
A foreign body in the eye usually causes pain, watering, redness, light sensitivity, and a gritty feeling. Avoid rubbing the eye and rinse gently with clean water. If the object does not wash out or vision is affected, seek medical care promptly.
References
- MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine. Foreign body.
- American Academy of Pediatrics. Choking Prevention and First Aid.
- Mayo Clinic. Foreign object — First aid.
- American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. Foreign Bodies.