Patient education: Removing objects stuck up the nose (The Basics)

Does an object stuck up the nose cause symptoms? — Sometimes. People with an object stuck up the nose usually have no symptoms. If people do have symptoms, they can have:

●Trouble breathing through the nostril with the object in it

●Bleeding from the nose

●Pain in the nose

●Bad-smelling fluid draining out of the nose

Should I remove an object stuck up a child's nose on my own? — No. Do not try to grab or pull out an object that is stuck up a child's nose. If you do, you might push the object deeper into the nose or push it to the back of the nose. From the back of the nose, the object can fall into and get stuck in the wind pipe. Or the child might breathe it into their lungs (figure 1).

Is there anything I can do on my own to help the child? — Yes. Have the child try to blow the object out of their nose. To do this:

●Hold the nostril without the object closed.

●Have the child blow air out of the nostril that has the object in it.

If the object comes out, the child's nose might bleed for a short time. To stop the bleeding, pinch the nostrils closed for 15 minutes. Keep your child calm, and have them sit with their head leaning forward until the bleeding stops.

Should I call the child's doctor or nurse? — Yes. Call the doctor or nurse right away.

If your child can't blow the object out of their nose, the doctor or nurse will need to remove it. Depending on the object and other factors, the doctor or nurse might be able to remove the object in the office. If not, they will have you go to the emergency department or to an ear, nose, and throat ("ENT") doctor to have it removed. For example, disc (round) batteries can cause severe burns very quickly, and need to be removed right away.

Even if the child blew the object out of their nose, you still need to see a doctor or nurse. They will do an exam and check that no other objects are in your child's nose or ears. (Children sometimes put objects in their ears, too.)

How will the doctor or nurse remove the object? — The doctor or nurse can use different tools to look inside the nose and remove the object. Before they remove the object, they might put drops in the nose. This can numb the nose and reduce swelling.

Will the child need any other treatment? — Maybe. Objects that are stuck in the nose for a long time can sometimes cause a sinus infection. The sinuses are hollow areas in the bones of the face (figure 2). If your child has a sinus infection, they might need antibiotics.

Disc (round) batteries can cause damage to the lining of the nose, similar to a burn. If your child put a battery in their nose, the ENT doctor might need to look inside to check for damage. They can do this using a special tool called a "nasopharyngoscope."

More on this topic

Patient education: Nosebleeds (The Basics)
Patient education: Removing objects stuck in the ear (The Basics)

Patient education: Nosebleeds (epistaxis) (Beyond the Basics)