An insect crawling in the ear while asleep is not uncommon and the experience of a crawling bug in the ear is not a pleasant experience. The most common situations in which an insect can enter the ear are: sleeping outdoors and when camping at night.
First of all don\’t panic.
Try to float the insect out by pouring mineral oil, olive oil or baby oil, coconut oil, hydrogen peroxide or simply by water into the ear.
Use a tablespoon of oil at room temperature, and slowly pour into the affected ear canal to drown the bug. Turn the head where the affected ear is in a down position to allow the oil, and hopefully the bug, to drain out of the canal together.
As you pour the oil, you can ease the entry of the oil by straightening the ear canal. Pull the earlobe gently backward and upward for an adult, backward and downward for a child. The insect should suffocate and may float out in the oil bath. Don’t use oil to remove any object other than an insect.
Do not attempt to use a pair of tweezers or ear swab to extract the insect, as this might cause the insect to crawl deeper into the ear resulting in further pain and complications.
As soon as possible consult an ENT Specialist. He will have the best method to take out the insect or fly. He will make a thorough ear inspection to ensure that the canal has no lesions or irritations, in order to decrease the risks of infection.
