ear conditions

• Ear Wax?

  • Hearing may be temporarily impaired
  • Discomfort/pain within the ear may be present
  • Itchiness
  • Sensation of ear being blocked(ear wax/cerumen)

• Both syringing and micro-suction carry the risk of ear infections
• Otitis Externa

  • Skin infection of the outer ear canal that leads into the ear drum (suspect bacterial cause)
  • Itching, pain/discomfort in the ear canal
  • Watery discharge can be secondary to inflamed skin becoming infected
  • Dry, flakey skin around the outside of the ear/along the canal
• causes of ear wax build-up?

  • change in wax of environment in ear canal
  • dust/foreign particles trapped in wax/tiny hairs in ear canal passage
• ear wax referral

  unusual discharge from the ear canal

  persistent pain from within the ear

  tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
• Treatment for ear wax using drops?

  ear drops ( soften ear wax to aid removal)

  > water based products (sodium bicarbonate)

  >Oil based products (olive oil, almond oil, cerumol, earex)

  >Peroxide based products (otex, exetrol, urea containing products)
• Ear wax treatment that's NOT using drops?

  • syringing/ ear irrigation
  • Micro-suction - ear wax is removed via suction
  • irrigation- water is used as a vacuum to remove wax
  • both carry risk of ear infections
• Counselling points for Ear advice?

  • Advice against the use of cotton buds, matchsticks, pens (these can push the wax in further)
  • wax should ideally be allowed to clear natural
  • audiclean is available OTC to help clean the ears
  • Cerumol ear drops contain peanuts- allergy status should be checked
• referral for otitis externa?

  • Deafness, persistent pain from within the ear
  • Tinnitus (ringing in the ears), vertigo
  • blocked ears, bloody
  • discharge, bleeding, nausea, vomitting
  • children <12 yrs old
• Otitis externa treatment?

  Ear Calm spray (acetic acid 2%)

  • treatment of superficial ear infections for patients 12 yrs old and over
  • continue treatment for 2 days after symptoms have disappeared (max 7 days use)