CLINICAL EAR CARE
Why Should We Take The Removal of Wax Seriously?
Aston Hearing has provided a Clinical Ear Care service for over 6 years and in that time the number of serious conditions that have been picked up at an early stage has been considerable.
Clinical Ear Care is not simply the removal of wax and debris from the ear canal. One of the most important elements of the service is the visual inspection of the outer ear, ear canal and ear drum using a microscope and video otoscope pre and most importantly post procedure.
After qualifying as an audiologist, I found a real passion for clinical ear care, learning microsuction at Aston University and then undertaking further training in endoscopic wax removal.
I work from our Thame branch and we are all extremely proud of the service we offer. We have grown the service to two consulting rooms 5 days per week, plus similar levels in Amersham and Champneys, nr Tring. Included in our clinical ear care team are Jo and Cassie, both experienced nurses with a special interest in ear health.
We see many clients with complex ear and hearing concerns, so it’s really satisfying for me to be able to see people come in feeling uncomfortable with reduced hearing and watch them leave with a definite spring in their step! It is certainly one of the highlights of my job.
With our high-tech equipment and high resolution camera, we have been able to spot ear conditions which may not be able to be picked up by a standard otoscope.
I have been keen to learn more about ear health and conditions and have been fortunate to spend time with our local ENT consultant Mr Ian Bottrill, watching him work in his clinic followed by evening training sessions with the whole team, where we studied images of different ear conditions and shared experiences.
As a company we work very closely with all ENTs, local GPs and nurse practitioners but in addition to this we have developed a special working relationship with Mr Bottrill. He will often inspect any hi-res images of ears that we are concerned about to advise best course of action. This has enabled us to pick up some fairly nasty conditions at a much earlier stage before they develop into anything more serious.
I really enjoy using microsuction, as it is quick, comfortable, very precise and effective. As we don’t use water, the procedure is suitable for everyone, including those with ear drum perforations or a history of infection. The other advantage is that we do not require the prolonged application of olive oil before the service.
I take photographs of the ears before and after the process, so you can be assured that you are leaving with your ears completely clear. One area that is proving particularly useful is being able to clear infected ears so that the treatment prescribed is far more likely to be successful. Microsuction can also be helpful for clearing debris post infection to aid the healing process and to reduce the risk of re-infection.
