What may increase your risk for problems from an object in the ear?
Many conditions, lifestyle choices, medicines, and diseases interfere with your ability to heal or fight infection. You may be at risk for a more serious problem from your symptoms if you have any of the following. Be sure to tell your doctor.
Conditions
- History of a birth defect, surgery, chronic infection, or injury in or near the ear, mouth, or jaw
- History of significant hearing loss
- A known perforation of the eardrum
- Previous surgery to remove the spleen (splenectomy)
- Prior ear surgery
- Problems with thinking and reasoning, such as an intellectual disability or Alzheimer's disease
- Tubes in the ears
- Younger than 5 years of age
Lifestyle choices
- Alcohol abuse or withdrawal
- Drug abuse or withdrawal
Medicines
- Corticosteroid treatment
- Medicines to prevent organ transplant rejection
- Medicines used to treat cancer (chemotherapy)
- Radiation therapy
Diseases
- Cancer
- Diabetes
- Hemophilia
- Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection
- Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP)
- Malnutrition
- Sickle cell disease
| Author: | Jan Nissl, RN, BS | Last Updated: March 17, 2008 |
| Medical Review: | William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine Donald R. Mintz, MD - Otolaryngology | |
 | ||
| |