A young man is cleaning his ear by sliding a cotton swab into the external acoustic meatus as far as he can. He is met with some resistance and, thinking the swab has hit earwax, he pushes harder. He feels a sharp, extreme pain. After the initial shock, he notices that all he can hear from that ear is a constant ringing and nothing else. What damage has he most likely done to the ear?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Pushing a cotton swab too far into the ear can result in tearing of the tympanic membrane, which can cause extreme pain, ringing in the ear (tinnitus), and temporary or permanent hearing loss. The stapes is one of the smallest bones in the human body and is located in the middle ear, so it is unlikely to be damaged by a cotton swab. Breaking the skin of the external acoustic meatus would not cause sustained ringing in the ear. Tearing the oval window, which is a membrane that separates the middle and inner ear, is also unlikely as it is located deeper within the ear.

A Young Man Is Cleaning His Ear by Sliding a Cotton