The most common reason for a visit to an audiology clinic is for assessment of earwax blockage.
Looking Inside With an Otoscope
First we perform a visual inspection of your ear(s) by looking down the ear canal using an otoscope. We are able to see the ear canal and eardrum and check for any wax in the ear canal. We can also see how far down the ear canal the wax has travelled and if we can still see the eardrum.
Judging How Much Is Blocked
The amount of blockage in the ear canal can be assessed by the amount of sound that is allowed to travel through the canal. As mentioned earlier a partial blockage allows sound to travel through the canal whereas a full occlusion of the ear canal does not allow any sound to travel through the canal. A full occlusion of the ear canal can cause a hearing loss or give a feeling of fullness in the ear.
Checking the Consistency of the Wax
Hard wax is dry and typically needs to be softened with ear drop solutions over several days. These types of wax are then removed with irrigation or microsuction. Sticky wax is soft and typically clears quickly.
Matching Symptoms to What the Ear Shows
The audiologist asks if the patient is experiencing symptoms of muffled hearing, tinnitus or a sensation of fullness. They then compare these with the physical findings and treat them accordingly. This is all done in line with the clinical guidance for ear care and wax removal.
What Happens Next
If the assessment reveals that ear wax is the cause of the hearing loss then it can be removed using microsuction or ear irrigation. If the assessment reveals that the ear canal appears to be clear then there could be a problem with the middle or inner ear. A full hearing test would then be conducted and if necessary a referral to another specialist made.
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This in turn helps to explain each of the separate checks, thereby increasing one’s understanding of them, and thereby enabling an Audiologist’s assessment of his patient’s ears to become far less of a mystery.