Even though the primary role of an audiologist is to diagnose and treat hearing loss, we are concerned with your overall hearing health. Therefore, anytime you are seen by an audiologist, we will look in your ears with an instrument called an ‘otoscope.’ This instrument allows us to examine various things that are important to your overall hearing health and even success with your hearing aids.
- Ear canal
- Swelling, redness, dryness, etc. that may be caused by hearing devices
- Excessive cerumen – some ear wax is beneficial to our ear (refer to https://gardneraudiology.com/ear-wax-aka-cerumen-friend-foe/ for more information about ear wax) but too much can cause a temporary hearing loss
- Foreign bodies and/or objects such as bugs, domes from hearing aids, beads, etc. Overall health of your eardrum
- Is any fluid present behind the eardrum?
- Does the eardrum look red, inflamed, and/or retracted as these could be a sign of eustachian tube dysfunction?
- Is there a tube present in the eardrum, if so, is it open or blocked? If it is blocked, it can prevent any fluid from draining within the middle ear space.
So, don’t be alarmed when you attend the audiologist and he or she wants to look in your ears! We are making sure we are providing the most optimal patient centered care! Have more questions about hearing health? Contact us at 1-800-277-1182 or gardneraudiology.com.
