In China, a woman known only as Ms. Lee, went to China’s Changsha Central Hospital after complaining about itching in her ear. To all surprise and horror, X-rays revealed that a spider had been living in her ear canal for up to 5 DAYS!
Ms. Lee said that she was recently renovating a new home, and had fallen asleep. When she awoke, she started to feel the itching. Although it is extremely rare for spiders to crawl into ear canals, it does make some sense for why it could happen. Philip Koehler, an entomology professor at the University of Florida said that “The insects are probably entering the canal as harborage, for heat, and/or for moisture.” In other words, it is instinctual, this could happen to you. Surround yourself in a ring of flames before you sleep, and duct tape your ears shut.
The spider was flushed out with a saline solution because doctors feared if they tried using tools, it would just burrow deeper into the woman’s ear, or worse, the barbs on its legs would damage her inner ear.
Ms. Lee was reportedly so relieved the spider was out that she broke down in tears! Wouldn’t you?
