Hello doctor, A small live ant has accidentally gone into my nose. I tried to blow it out but not sure about it? Can it enter the brain or lungs? And lay eggs there? What are the symptoms?
Hello. The ant, by all means, will be dead and blown out of your nasal airways because our nose has the following protective mechanisms. 1. Nasal vibrissae (small hairs) which block particles size of an ant. 2. Viscous secretions (mucus) upon which still smaller particles like dust get glued (about the size of 0.5 microns). 3. Sneezing is a protective reflex action whereby foreign bodies irritating nasal mucosa is thrown out vigorously followed by copious secretions which wash out rest of noxious items in the nose. 4. Immunity, specific immunoglobulins, complement proteins, ions, and other molecules.  Hence the ant cannot survive inside the nose. Leave alone laying eggs. Now in case, it does survive, next most possible event is it getting washed and glued to the mucus and then swallowed along with saliva and reaching the stomach where the acid will kill it. Nasal secretions follow a natural path towards the throat, then esophagus and finally stomach. If it does make any attempt to pass anywhere else, it will bite you, and you would wince in pain. There is absolutely no possibility of it entering the brain without your having experienced the pain of its biting. There is no direct communication with mind unless it navigates through the skull base (bone). There is no possibility it entering the lungs through the air you breathe because our protective mechanisms prevent particles as small as 0.5 microns. If you are still worried put a few drops of saline nasal drops on either side of nose and rest in flat sleeping position for five minutes. This will add bulk to the mucus (nasal secretions) and wash off the impurities. You can spit what comes into your throat.