Shocking! Here’s why your ear cotton buds could cause you life-threatening infection.

Image result for man using cotton buds

A man in England ended up battling a life-threatening brain infection after using cotton buds to clean his ears.

Doctors believe that part of the bud got stuck in his ear for five years without any symptoms.

Image result for man using cotton buds

However one day the 31-year-old suddenly collapsed after suffering from some complications. The man was rushed to the accident and emergency department at a hospital in Coventry after falling unconscious.

He was rushed to the accident and emergency department at a hospital in Coventry after falling unconscious.

The 31-year-old was rushed to hospital in Coventry

Doctors found that the patient had a bacterial infection, that started in his ear. The bacteria then spread to the base of his skull, before infecting the lining of his brain.

One of the specialists, Dr Alexander Charlton, who was treating the man said he started suffering dangerous neurological symptoms. Dr Charlton’s team sent the man for a CT scan to examine his brain.

Image result for man using cotton buds

It showed two abscesses, inflamed patches full of pus in the bones at the base of his skull, next to his left ear canal.

It suggested to doctors that the infection had started in his ear, before spreading. They diagnosed him with necrotising otitis externa, an infection of the soft tissue in the ear canal.

Surgeons operated to remove the infection and found the missing tip of the cotton bud. It was impacted and surrounded in ear wax, suggesting it had been there for some time, Dr Charlton’s team noted in a  medical case report.

Image result for man using cotton buds

The patient was hospitalised for a week before taking two months worth of antibiotics to clear out the infection. He was told never to use ear buds again.

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