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Foreign Bodies
Reviewed by Medicinsk Expert•Last updated: 2026-10-22•Injuries Wounds

Foreign Bodies

A foreign body is any object stuck inside the body where it does not belong, ranging from minor splinters to objects requiring urgent medical intervention.

Overview

A foreign body is an object that is stuck inside you but is not supposed to be there. This can occur through inhalation, swallowing, or as a result of an injury to almost any part of the body. These incidents are particularly common in small children, who may place objects in their mouths, ears, or noses.

Medical Considerations

While some foreign bodies, such as a small splinter, may not cause serious harm, others require professional attention. Inhaled or swallowed foreign bodies can lead to choking or bowel obstruction and may require medical care.

Frequently Asked Questions

Key warning signs include drooling, difficulty swallowing (dysphagia), pain behind the breastbone or in the neck, and the inability to swallow saliva. If the object is sharp or a button battery, it is a medical emergency because these can erode into the esophagus within hours, causing perforation or severe burns. Do not induce vomiting or give food or milk to "wash it down."
For a visible, shallow splinter in the skin, you can clean the area and remove it with sterilized tweezers. However, do not attempt to remove objects from the ear or nose if they are not immediately visible and easily accessible. Using tools like cotton swabs, pins, or tweezers in these areas can push the object deeper, cause bleeding, or damage the eardrum or nasal mucosa. Seek medical care if the object is deep, the area is painful, or there is discharge.
Sudden onset of coughing, wheezing, or stridor (high-pitched breathing sound) after a known choking incident is highly suspicious. Unlike asthma, the symptoms often appear abruptly without a fever or runny nose. If the child is struggling to breathe, has a blue or gray skin color, or cannot make a sound, perform the Heimlich maneuver immediately and call emergency services.
swallowed button battery is a life-threatening emergency. It can cause severe chemical burns to the esophagus within two hours. Do not wait for symptoms to appear. Go to the nearest emergency room immediately. Tell the medical staff it is a button battery so they can perform an X-ray and remove it endoscopically as quickly as possible.
Source: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine

MedlinePlus brings together authoritative health information from the National Library of Medicine (NLM), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and other government agencies and health-related organizations.

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