What technique helps visualize a foreign body in the ear?

• A. Using a flashlight in a dark room.
• B. Shine bright light into the eye.
• C. MRI.
• D. Palpate the ear.

Answer: (A)

Using a bright light in a dark room lets you illuminate the external ear canal so you can see any foreign body directly. A small flashlight or otoscope provides oblique lighting that makes objects stand out against the canal walls, giving a quick, noninvasive view of what’s inside. The other options don’t visualize the ear’s interior: shining light into the eye isn’t related to examining the ear and can be unsafe; MRI is unnecessary and impractical for a small foreign body in the ear canal; palpating the ear touches only the outer ear and doesn’t reveal objects inside.