HealthInfo West Coast-Te Tai Poutini
Object in nose
Children often put small objects in their nose out of curiosity about what will happen. It may be some time before parents realise there is a problem.
There is a danger that the object could travel into the child's throat and potentially block their airway.
Important
Phone 111 and ask for an ambulance if someone complaining of something up their nose starts choking or having difficulty breathing.
How can I help someone who has something stuck in their nose?
Don't use cotton buds, tweezers, or any other kind of tool to try to remove something that is stuck high up in their nose. You are very likely to just push it in deeper.- Only try to remove objects you can see clearly and grasp easily.
- Ask the person to breath through their mouth.
- Block the nostril that isn't affected by pressing on it. Then ask the person to blow gently through their nose – this may help to push the object out.
- If this doesn't work, get medical help.
When should I get medical help?
You should get medical help if the object is stuck and won't come out, or if the person has difficulty breathing.
Written by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Page created December 2016.
SourceReview key: HIFAD-141030
