“I Thought I Was Losing My Hearing... But It Turns Out I’ve Had a LEGO Piece in My Ear for 20 Years” (4 pics)

Darren McConachie, 30, from Glasgow, woke up in the middle of the night with a feeling of intense pressure in his temple. To his horror, he felt something moving inside his ear.





The Edinburgh Napier University journalism student went to the doctor because he had problems with his hearing. The doctor diagnosed an ear infection and prescribed antibiotics.

However, neither the doctor nor the patient could have guessed what was the real cause of the hearing loss.



Darren says: “I thought my eardrum had burst. The pressure was building and it was unbearable. Then I felt something small and hard pop out. I thought it was a piece of my inner ear and I was terrified. But when I picked it up, I couldn’t believe my eyes. It was a tiny pink Lego piece.”

The pain went away instantly and my hearing returned.





Darren, then 24, recalled: “I hadn’t played with Lego for years. I’d been playing with figures or playing football with my brothers since I was four or five. I don’t remember putting it in my ear, but I think it was there for over 20 years.”

“I’ve had no hearing problems for most of my life. I didn’t even know what was in my ear all that time.”

During a follow-up visit to the GP, Darren pulled a piece out of his pocket and asked if it was the cause of his hearing problems.

The Scotsman said: "My doctor was completely stunned for a minute."



"I must admit, my brothers were amazingly understanding and caring. They even went to get a prescription, seeing how exhausted I was. And after a few days of taking the medicine, Lego popped out."

"The brothers laughed at the situation, but one of them seemed to know something. I doubt I stuck Lego in my ear, but I won't blame my brother either. Today, I have very good hearing, and I even hear things that other people don't, I think the little piece just cleaned out all the dirt," the man concluded.