Care Sodium Bicarbonate Ear Drops 10ml, Softens Ear Wax

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Ear wax drops and sprays are liquid solutions which help to soften, disperse and sometimes dissolve ear wax. This process is called ‘cerumenolysis’. Although ear wax drops and sprays can be an effective standalone treatment for ear wax, they are more often used prior to undergoing some other form of treatment for ear wax, such as ear syringing or ear irrigation. Older people are more likely to present with progressive sensorineural hearing loss (i.e. hearing loss in which the root cause lies in the inner ear), the most common form of which is known as presbycusis. This hearing loss is known to affect half of adults by the age of 75 years and nearly all adults aged over 90 years [7] If you have itchy ears without an infection, then corticosteroid ear drops can help ease your symptoms. If you have an infection, you’ll also need antifungal or antibiotic ear drops. Some ear drops contain both anti-infective medications and corticosteroids. While making a diagnosis can be challenging, given the limited number of examinations possible by a pharmacist, it is certainly possible. This article provides a framework to aid the diagnosis and appropriate management of hearing loss and tinnitus in the community pharmacy.

There is anything else wrong with your ear (such as pain, swelling, discharge, infection or tinnitis)

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Richard AM. Otitis media with effusion. In Kerr AG, Adams DA & Cinnamond MJ. Scott Brown’s Otolaryngology: Paediatric Otolaryngology. 6th edn. London:Hodder Education Publishers; 1996

One UK health economic evaluation was identified, which was carried out as part of an NIHR health technology assessment. This compared 3 options: no treatment; treatment using softeners for a week and self-irrigating (using a bulb irrigator) if the wax does not clear; using softeners for a week and returning to a GP if the wax does not clear. The study described its results as “exploratory and should not be used as a basis for changing policy and practice”. The questions pharmacists and their teams can ask patients presenting with hearing loss and tininitus are included in the Table. A patient may complain of a specific symptom, but by asking about any co-existing issues, the pharmacist will be able to determine the most likely cause and, therefore, the most suitable course of action. The patient’s complaint However, eardrops aren’t suitable for everyone andsome canirritate the skin. For example, eardrops shouldn’t be usedif you have a perforated eardrum(a hole or tear inyour eardrum). A review of the person’s medication may be useful since their GP may wish to stop any medicines known to cause tinnitus. Although it is usually only reported in fewer than 1 in 1,000 people taking a medicine and may be dose-dependent (e.g. patients taking high-dose aspirin, quinine and loop diuretics [furosemide, bumetanide and ethacrynic acid]) [14]

Sanchez TG, Mak MP, Pedanlini MEB et al. Tinnitus and hearing evolution in normal hearing patients. Int Arch Otorhinolaryngol 2005;9(3):220-227

If referral is not required, reassure the patient that tinnitus is common and usually improves with time and with habituation (whereby the conscious awareness of the tinnitus reduces with exposure), thereby reducing the impact of tinnitus on their life. Giving the patient advice or a leaflet on the correct method to instil ear drops is valuable to ensure they have effect. The committee also noted that giving advice on measures that may help prevent the build-up of wax is often welcomed by patients. A dry ear is unlikely to become infected, so be sure to dry your ears thoroughly after swimming or bathing. NHS England. Stay Well Pharmacy campaign. 2018. Available at: https://www.england.nhs.uk/primary-care/pharmacy/stay-well-pharmacy-campaign (accessed November 2019)Microsuction can be used in many cases where ear irrigation is contraindicated such as tympanic membrane perforation, some foreign bodies, mild otitis externa and in some cases of previous ear surgery. The training and experience of the person performing the procedure will dictate the cases they are competent to manage.

Age-related hearing loss is gradual, whereas children with glue ear often have fluctuations in their hearing, with reduction associated with colds in the winter months. A2013Cochrane review did not find any difference in the efficacy or side effects between water-based and oil-based ear drops [11]You have a history of ear problems, unless under close supervision of your doctor, nurse or pharmacist They might recommend medicines to dissolve the earwax. The earwax should fall out on its own or dissolve after about a week. No, antibiotic ear drops aren’t available over the counter. These medications require a prescription from a healthcare provider.