Monday, July 30, 2018

Impacted Earwax: "I’m sorry, could you repeat that?"


We have all had congested nostrils before, but have we all experienced congested ears? The goal of this post is to explain how cumbersome ear congestion can be, and how to help anyone caught in this sticky situation.  

Common Reasons for Build-Up: 
Before we talk about what we can do for congested ears, let us first discuss what causes earwax build up. There are many factors that cause earwax build-up in a person including old age and anatomical anomalies.1 The most common cause of earwax buildup for younger individuals is ear hygiene practices, primarily the use of cotton swabs.2 Placing objects into your ear canal pushes earwax back and impedes the natural cleaning mechanism of the ear causing a build-up. Once enough ear wax has collected it can cause: 

    • Ear discomfort (mainly ear fullness & itchiness) 
    • Hearing loss 
    • Chronic Cough 
    • Ear infections 

What’s Next? 
These symptoms can affect one's ability to function in their daily activities, so it is important to treat for quick relief. Cerumenolytic products are the primary option for treating impacted earwax. Cerumenolytics work by either softening the impacted earwax or lubricating the ear canal. Currently there is no evidence suggesting any cerumenolytic product to be superior.2 Therefore, a recommendation based on practice experience or patient preference is the most suitable approach. Cerumenolytic products do not work instantly and may take up to 7 days to provide relief. For those who would prefer their hearing restored promptly, ear irrigation is an option. 

Quick Tip #1: Some cerumenolytic products contain peanut oils, always double check a patient's allergy status before recommending a product. 

Ear irrigation is the finishing move for removing troublesome earwax. It can be difficult to complete without assistance but the technique is relatively simple. Ear irrigation is not recommended for individuals with a current or past perforated tympanic membrane. Although pharmacist cannot view a patient's ear canal to confirm if the tympanic membrane is still intact, a perforated tympanic membrane presents differently than impacted earwax. 

Quick Tip #2Patients can use both cerumenolytic products and water irrigation together. For patient’s that opt for this it is recommended to use a water based cerumenolytic 10-30mins prior to water irrigation. 

Differentiating between the two1: 
Symptoms
Impacted Earwax
Perforated Tympanic Membrane
Pain
Unlikely, unless ear is also infected.
Yes.
Pain is sudden and sharp.
Itchiness
Yes
Refer if rash is present.
None.
Hearing status
Gradually fades, may become better through jaw movement.
Suddenly occurs.
Discharge
Unlikely, unless ear is also infected.
Yes.

If a patient presents with any of the signs favoring a perforated membrane or infection they should be referred.  Using cerumenolytic products and water irrigation should relive most patients' symptoms within 1-5 days. If relief is not obtained by this point a patient should be referred to a physician.  
  
Quick Tip #3: If, a patient already has lost their hearing in one ear prior to current circumstances refer patient immediately. 

Impacted earwax is a nuisance that can disturbs anyone’s ability to function in their daily life. Although physicians can clear out earwax for patients providing, this knowledge can help decrease those visits. 

Thank you & hope to see you next post, 

Derick Oduro 

References:
1) Ely JW, Hansen MR, Clark EC. Diagnosis of ear pain. Am Fam Physician 2008;77:621-8. 
2) Schwartz SR, Magit AE, Rosenfeld RM. Clinical Practice Guideline (Update): Earwax (Cerumen Impaction). Otolaryngology– Head and Neck Surgery. 2017. Vol 156: S1-S29. 

Friday, July 20, 2018

Past, Present, Future: One Student's Tale

Dear rxBriefCase members,

My name is Derick Oduro and I am the current 4th-year pharmacy student at mdBriefCase. Understanding how I ended up here is an interesting tale.

I started my journey as a Kinesiology major in undergrad. In the 3 years I spent as an undergraduate student, I had 3 majors and was on track to graduate ... in another 4 years.

During this time a friend suggested pharmacy school. After some thought, I realized I did not want to continue my undergraduate degree. Transitioning to pharmacy school was an escape from the endless loop of my undergraduate studies, so I jumped at the opportunity.

I managed to get into pharmacy school at U of T, breaking the endless loop I was stuck in as an undergrad. Although the road was lined with trials and tribulations I am well on my way to the finish line. Looking back at my past endeavors, it shocks me how much I struggled to find my niche in undergrad. I think there are 2 aspects that differentiated my success in pharmacy school:

1. Practicality

Practicality is one of the main reasons why I never survived my undergrad. Endless memorization of content that would never be seen outside a classroom. Pharmacy school provided me with material that built upon itself, to create competent and astute pharmacists. A program based on competence as opposed to memorization is one of the reasons why I flourished in Pharmacy school.


2. Flexibility

What guaranteed my stay in the profession was the flexibility offered, once licensed. Community, Hospital, Industry, Advocacy Groups, Government, and many more opportunities await once I graduate. This flexibility is how I ended up at my current rotation. I was curious what a pharmacist could contribute to a company like mdBriefCase.

Although brief, I hope my tale was enjoyable. I will work on producing more content for you soon!

Sincerely,

Derick Oduro