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Susie Torres from Kansas City, Missouri, woke up Tuesday morning with a peculiar sensation in her left ear, similar to the swishing feeling one gets after swimming, as reported by WDAF-TV.
Rather than waiting for the issue to resolve on its own, Torres visited a doctor—a choice that potentially spared her significant discomfort. The medical assistant quickly noticed something was wrong and called for additional help.
“She rushed out and said, ‘I need to get a few more people,’” Torres told 41 Action News. “Then she said, ‘I think there’s an insect in your ear.’” While many might panic at the idea of a live bug in their ear, Torres remained remarkably composed.
The doctors “used a few tools, worked their magic, and managed to remove it,” Torres explained. The “it” turned out to be a spider—and not just any harmless house spider (which, by the way, you shouldn’t kill). It was a venomous brown recluse spider.
“Disgusting,” Torres told WDAF-TV. “Why, where, what, and how.”
Fortunately, the spider didn’t bite Torres. Had it done so, her visit to the doctor would have involved more than just ear discomfort: Brown recluse bites can lead to pain, burning, fever, nausea, and purple or blue skin discoloration, as noted by Healthline.
While Torres stayed remarkably calm during the incident, she’s now taking extra precautions. “Last night, I stuffed cotton balls in my ears,” she told WDAF-TV. “I’m shaking out my clothes and keeping my purse off the floor. I’m being much more careful.”
Is this the first time an insect has taken up residence in someone’s ear? Not at all—here are six more terrifying tales, including encounters with cockroaches, bed bugs, and more.
