FIRST AID IN
FOREIGN BODIES
BASAVARAJ SABARAD
Nursing Tutor/Clinical Instructor
RIMS Govt nursing College, RAICHUR
INTRODUCTION
• An infant or young child may put an object in his or her·
ears, nose or mouth. Objects in the mouth many he
swallowed or breathed (aspirated) into the lungs.
Objects in the ear and nose can make it difficult to hear
or breath and can cause infection. An object that is
swallowed may need general anesthesia and a procedure
to remove it. An object that is aspirated may cause
serious difficult breathing and needs a procedure for
removal.
DEFINITION
➢It is a condition when any particle, material, or object
enters the body through the skin or other natural
opening (nose, ear, throat, eye and stomach) of the body
is called foreign body.
Foreign body in eye
➢Foreign body in the eyes may be dust, small particles of wound,
stone, coal, glass or an insect.
➢Signs and symptoms:
✓Pain, Redness, Burning, Tears, swelling,
✓Discomfort, blurred vision
➢First Aid Management :
✓Reassure the victim.
✓Instruct the victim, not to rub the eye.
✓Pull down lower lid and remove unembedded object with clean
tissue if it lies on the inner surface of lower lid.
Foreign body in eye
Cntd…
✓If object has not been located, pull upper lid forward and down
over lower lid.
✓Object can be removed from surface of upper eyelid by turning
lid back over a swab stick or similar object and lifting off the
foreign body with a clean tissue.
✓Finally, flush the eye with clened water, inner to outer side.
✓If object is suspected to be embedded, apply a dry, protective
dressing over eye, and call physician or take patient to hospital
emergency room.
✓Keep victim from rubbing the eye. For chemical burns, flood
eyes with water.
Foreign body in nose
➢Foreign objects like beads, bitton, food particles, pencil pieces,
etc. When inserted in the nose or nasal cavity requires are
immediate medical attention.
➢Signs and symptoms :
✓The victim is unable to breathe
✓Pain,
✓Discomfort,
✓Feeling restlessness
Foreign body in nose
Cntd…
➢First Aid Management :
✓Reassure the victim.
✓Provide comfortable position.
✓Ask the victim to breathe through mouth to prevent foreign
body to aspirate in to respiratory tract from nose.
✓Make the patient sneeze by passing the end of a piece of thread
in the opposite nostril.
✓Do not attempt to remove it with a pin or a hook.
✓Seek medical help
Foreign body in ear
➢The foreign particles that are mostly found in ear includes flies,
insect, peas, beans, buttons, pieces of corn, wood and chalk. It is
very common in children, because they often put object into ear
out of curiosity.
➢Signs and symptoms :
✓Pain
✓Ringing sensation
✓Itching
✓Discomfort
✓Rupture of ear drum may cause bleeding, tingling sensation
✓Hearing loss
Foreign body in ear
Cntd…
➢First Aid Management :
✓Reassure the victim.
✓Provide comfortable position.
✓Put warm oil in the ear to float out an insect.
✓Do not attempt to remove any other form of foreign body as the
tympanic membrane may be damaged during such attempts.
✓Take the patient to a doctor.
Foreign body in skin
➢Foreign bodies under skin usually occurs accidentally like a
speck of wood/glass/metal etc.
➢Signs and symptoms :
✓Pain
✓Bleeding
✓Discomfort
✓Swelling
Foreign body in skin
Cntd…
➢First Aid Management :
✓Reassure the victim.
✓Provide comfortable position.
✓Wash the area with soap and water.
✓With help of sterile thumb forceps/tweezers hold the object
nearer to the skin surface.
✓If the object is embedded deep, do not try to pull it out.
✓Bandage the area and transfer to a medical facility.
Foreign body in throat
(choking)
➢Foreign body in the throat needs immediate medical attention. A
foreign body in the throat cause choking. Children are prone to such
accidents because they put something in their mouth like a coin,
button, or any irregular object, which get stuck into the throat.
➢Signs and symptoms :
✓Difficulty in breathing
✓Difficulty in swallowing
✓Pain in throat
✓Coughing, sneezing
✓Cyanosis around the lips
Foreign body in throat
(choking) Cntd…
➢First Aid Management :
✓Reassure the victim.
✓Provide comfortable position, facing toward light.
✓If the object is visible, then remove it with fingers if possible.
✓Do not try to remove the foreign particle if it is not visible or
embedded deeply.
✓Make arrangement for the victims transport, transfer him to the
nearest hospital.
Thank you
