Wax Removal….within our wheelhouse

Something that has recently caught my eye would be cerumen management. From my understanding, not everyone realizes things like the fact that Q-tips are dangerous inside your ears or that an audiologist is capable and qualified in cleaning your ears. It was certainly something I was shocked to learn when I got into the Au.D, Doctor of Audiology program. We get no real hands-on experience with cerumen management as an inherent part of our college program. That is why I was thrilled that I would be able to get to learn this and even practice it myself here at Family Hearing and Balance Center. 

     This is particularly important to me because I believe it best suits and serves our patients. I have had several times in the past where my patients had cerumen impaction or too much cerumen for ear impressions which inevitably led to referrals, reschedules, and delayed time for everybody! Looking back now, the vast majority of those patients were at a level that I would be able to handle. As such, I feel that the ability to capably manage cerumen is not just a tool of convenience for the patient, but a service well within our wheelhouse that we should absolutely be capable of to efficiently serve our population and their needs. For these reasons, I am ecstatic to be able to practice and improve this skill for our patients!

Thank you to Ryan Phillips, our 4th year Au.D Doctoral intern, for sharing this. Part 2 is coming soon….