Introduction to a Nightmare
ER nurse Natalie Beeson is spilling the sickening details of one of the worst types of medical emergencies she’s witnessed — and even more troubling, she saw it twice in one week. “I can handle cardiac distress all day — but bugs? No, thank you,” Beeson told The Post.
The Scariest Thing I’ve Seen
“The scariest thing I see as an ER nurse is hands down the number of live cockroaches that crawl into peoples’ ears,” she said in a TikTok video. “This week alone, I had two patients with cockroaches in their ears and, statistically speaking, I don’t love that,” Beeson added.
The Unwanted Guests
Indeed, two cockroaches sounds like two too many, especially since — you guessed it — the only recourse for getting rid of the unwanted guest is to apply an anesthetic cream called lidocaine and wait for the creepy trespassers to crawl out themselves. “The primary goal in these cases is to kill the insect — many providers opt to use lidocaine for this,” she told The Post.
A Desperate Measure
“The scariest thing I see as an ER nurse is hands down the number of live cockroaches that crawl into peoples’ ears,” she says in a TikTok video. chaipanya – stock.adobe.com
“In fact, the patient I had last week had a roach crawl out of their ear after it was submerged in lidocaine. The provider calmly pulled it off their face and tossed it in the trash. I quickly ran out of the ER carrying the insect-filled trash bag,” Beeson said.
Emotional Distress
While not necessarily physically painful, having a cockroach Airbnb your ear canal is as emotionally upsetting as it sounds. “The patient knew the roach had crawled into their ear and could actually hear and feel it moving around,” she said. “Understandably, it was incredibly distressing. While they didn’t report any significant pain, there was clear discomfort and psychological distress,” Beeson noted.
Potential Complications
And the possibility of rupture or infection is certainly not zero. “The ear canal has very thin skin — if an insect is scratching around, it could cause pain or inflammation,” she said.
It’s Not Isolated
Yuck! Think this is an isolated incident? Think again! Following a swim, Zane Wedding from New Zealand experienced a persistent ear blockage, later discovering a live cockroach had taken residence in his ear canal for three days. Doctors in China were shocked to find that a man’s earache was due to a dozen cockroaches that had hatched inside his ear canal. And a Florida woman endured days of discomfort before discovering that a cockroach had crawled into her ear while she slept and remained there. “This week alone, I had two patients with cockroaches in their ears and, statistically speaking, I don’t love that,” she said. bnenin – stock.adobe.com
Conclusion
The thought of having a cockroach in your ear is a nightmare come true. As ER nurse Natalie Beeson shared, it’s a medical emergency that can cause significant emotional distress and potential complications. It’s essential to take precautions, such as wearing earplugs to bed, to avoid such incidents.
FAQs
Q: What is the treatment for a cockroach in the ear?
A: The primary goal is to kill the insect, and many providers opt to use lidocaine for this.
Q: Can having a cockroach in the ear cause physical pain?
A: While it may not be necessarily physically painful, it can cause discomfort and psychological distress.
Q: Is it common to have cockroaches in the ear?
A: According to ER nurse Natalie Beeson, it’s not uncommon, and she had two patients with cockroaches in their ears in one week.
Q: How can I prevent cockroaches from entering my ear?
A: Wearing earplugs to bed can help prevent such incidents.
