Showing posts with label Ear Irrigation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ear Irrigation. Show all posts

Friday, 28 October 2016

A Review of the Acu-Life Ear Wax Removal Syringe from a respected Audiologist.

A fantastic review of the Acu-life Ear Wax Removal Syringe from a professional perspective.

Paul Nand BA (Hons) MSHAA RHAD



The Acu-Life Ear Syringe is used by professionals as well as home users. The Hearing Lab Ltd has been training audiologists, GPs, and nurses in aural Micro Suction ear wax removal since 2013. In fact, the majority of audiologists in the UK have been trained by The Hearing Lab. Micro Suction has long been considered the safest, most gentle and effective procedure for removing wax. However, when the wax is considered too deep to be removed 100% safely by micro suction, everyone we’ve trained, has at some point used the Acu-Life syringe to finish the job, risk free.

As an audiologist, I have seen some horrible accidents that have been caused by home and professional syringing and I was extremely sceptical when a colleague suggested the Acu-Life syringe. After studying the design of the tri-flow tip and using my knowledge of the ear’s anatomy, I knew that this was a great new product. So simple, I wish I’d thought of it myself! After testing it on myself and other audiologists who all concurred with my findings, I introduced it into our training program. We include one in every trainee's standard equipment  pack as we feel that it's such an essential piece of kit.

In my personal opinion, there are only two products that I would advocate for home use ear wax removal for adults. The Acu-Life Ear Syringe and olive oil ear drops. If these don’t work then you need to see a professional and preferably one who is an experienced micro suction practitioner.

Author: Paul Nand, Director, The Hearing Lab Lab. Earworks Limited is our training company and you can find out more at thehearinglabstore.co.uk.

Wednesday, 12 March 2014

New Product Alert - NG Propulse Ear Irrigator

New Product Alert!

Propulse NG


A professional ear irrigation unit that features a water tank, controllable foot-switch for adjustable pressure flow, 10 free "Contrapulse" jet tips, a power adaptor and UK plug.

Mirage group who manufacture the unit have come up with a more patient friendly system that brings benefits over the now defunct metal, manual ear syringe that has been used primarily in the UK for many years until the NHS decided to stop syringing ears due to a rise in liability claims for burst ear drums...ouch.

So along comes the Propulse NG and as you can see from the video below, it is designed to be used by medical professionals, however it can be found in many online retail stores including www.earsyringe.co.uk & purchased for home use.




Parts are widely available to keep it in working order, these include cleaning tablets, valves, batteries, replacement power adapters and switches.

Upon opening the unit I was struck by its size, having seen many images of the unit I had not physically held one until now and it was rather smaller than I had envisaged, to assist you with this I have taken a photo using an Iphone for scale.





One of my concerns stems from the fact there is no safety stop on the jet tips, these are inserted into the ear, they are far longer than the average length of a human auditory canal so over insertion is a danger. This underlines why you should seek the help of a medical professional if you intend to use it at home.



Conclusion

Mirage have done a great job in creating a product that improves on the safety of syringing ears, the product build quality is average, whether it can sustain continued use in a surgery remains to be seen but Mirage offers a complete range of maintenance parts & accessories that are widely available.  In terms of syringing ear effectively it does a great job, however at the price I feel this should remain a professional instrument - there are alternative ear irrigation products that are equally effective at a fraction of the price.

Monday, 11 November 2013

New Product Alert - EariGate

NEW PRODUCT ALERT

www.earsyringe.co.uk

EARIGATE

EARIGATE  is a unique ear cleansing system developed by leading ENT specialist, Dr John MacRae.  It’s a revolutionary ear cleaning system that helps to prevent ear wax build up and promotes healthy ear care.

http://www.earsyringe.co.uk/earigate---patented-reverse-spray-for-removing-ear-wax-148-p.asp

The patented reverse-flow device cleans ear wax from the ear canal safely and effectively by spraying back out of the ear, without putting pressure on the delicate ear drum, as many other methods of ear cleansing do.  By preventing wax build up, Earigate helps reduce the need for syringing and other methods of ear cleansing that can be painful and damaging to ear health in the long term.

Earigate is a 100ml pressured spray can with a unique nozzle, this is the business end, it is flared at the base (to prevent over insertion) and has 2 vents allow debris to flow out of the ear, the tip of the nozzle enters around 1.7 cm into the ear canal.  Once in place you depress the cap, the "seawater" is then sprayed in reverse, clearing out wax between the tip of the nozzle and your ear opening. Imagine spraying a high pressure hose into a glass bowl and you should get a feel for the unique design feature of this tip.

 Earigate is made from 100% natural sea water.  It is isotonic, hypoallergenic and preservative free, and the innovative use of ‘bag on valve’ prevents wastage, whilst allowing us to ensure the product remains 100% natural as it is never in contact with the aerosol canister, making it superior to its competition. 



In a world of hearing aid, earplugs & headphones, Ear wax presents a bigger problem than ever before, if Earigate is used regularly it can help the ear to keep it's natural draining options open, reducing the risk of ear wax blockages and the need for syringing, however this product is not designed to treat or remove stubborn ear wax blockages.

Tuesday, 20 August 2013

IS GLYCERINE BETTER THAN OLIVE OIL, SALINE OR CARBAMIDE PEROXIDE FOR REMOVING STUBBORN EAR WAX?



IS GLYCERINE BETTER THAN OLIVE OIL, SALINE OR CARBAMIDE PEROXIDE FOR REMOVING STUBBORN EAR WAX?

After reviewing Kyrosol, I was asked to look closer into why Glycerine has been used as a way to remove stubborn ear wax, as this was not commonly used in the UK market place.
Olive Oil, Carbamide Peroxide & Saline were the main ingredients in all the products we reviewed and retail on www.earsyringe.co.uk.  Until Kyrosol came along I never knew Glycerine could be used to remove wax so after speaking with the manufacturer to see what background data they could provide, I was given the following – happy reading.

“Glycerin is a natural (organic) derived liquid with alcohol molecules – Kyrosol uses Glycerine (notice the extra “e” on the end) so this format is diluted with water to make it less viscous. The alcohol is what actually dissolves the wax. But more importantly, the Glycerine get’s in between the wax and the skin of the ear canal, helping to ensure the wax is easier to remove – so there is a “double action” treatment resulting in two benefits.  This is why Kyrosol is supplied with an ear syringe, so that after 30 minutes any impacted, hard wax is far easier to remove as the wax plug has detached from the skin and is now lubricated, ensuring water can surround and slide out the blockage.

I have read articles and commentary’s that Carbamide Peroxide is actually bad for the skin, particularly young people so we avoided using that."

Hans – Squip Inc

------
This useful snippet from the net is credited to Nadia Benavidez a hearing instrument scientist based in the USA.

"Normally, the human ear is self cleaning. Wax is naturally moist and oily, but over time ear wax build-up can harden and become stuck in the ear. Glycerin is a clear liquid found in many lotions and soaps, as well as in foods and medicines. Glycerin lubricates, softens, and moisturizes whatever it comes into contact with. Accordingly, Glycerin is often used to remove stubborn ear wax.

Removing Ear Wax

o    According to the American Academy of Otolaryngology, most cases of ear wax blockage respond well to home treatments used to soften wax. Glycerin is considered a safe home treatment for softening ear wax. Only three to four drops are needed at a time. When putting drops into your ear, according to Dr. Timothy C. Hain, let the drops stay in your ear for two to three minutes, then lie down on a towel to let any excess Glycerin drain out. Dr. Hain also warns patients that this should not be performed if you have, or there's the potential that you have, an eardrum perforation.

Expert Insight

o    There are several commercial brands of ear wax drops. Some claim that they dissolve ear wax, others state that they are for softening. Most of these brands contain Glycerin, as well as peroxide, water and oil. Commercial drops are no more effective at removing ear wax than plain Glycerin. Glycerin can be found at most pharmacies and purchased in a bottle with a dropper.

Softening Ear Wax

o    The American Academy of Otolaryngology also recommends using Glycerin drops prior to ear syringing or flushing. Ear syringing is more effective if you soften the ear wax and lubricate your ear 15 to 30 minutes prior to syringing. Ear syringing---commonly used to remove ear wax---involves using a bulb syringe to squirt warm water in the ear and flush out ear wax.

Prevention

o    Glycerin can also be used to help prevent ear wax build up. As a preventative measure, use 2 to 3 drops in each ear once a week. Keep in mind that ear wax is produced to help prevent ear infections. Your goal shouldn't be to eliminate wax, but just to avoid a blockage. If you suspect a blockage---symptoms include---fullness in the ear, earache, diminished hearing and itching in the ear---you may want to see a doctor first. Ear infections can present these same symptoms, and an ear infection needs medical treatment.


Saturday, 27 July 2013

NEW PRODUCT - KYROSOL


NEW PRODUCT ALERT 

KYROSOL EAR WAX REMOVAL KIT

 

Product Facts

Manufacturer: SQUIP
Price: £10.49

Helps Soften and Dissolve the most stubborn, impacted dry ear wax blockages using a new solution that contains Glycerin, Sodium Bicarbonate & Purified Water.

Uses the Otoclear Tri-Stream Tip by Bionix for Safe and Effective ear Irrigation.

1 x Earplug is provided to enable mobility during the 30 minutes required for the solution to soften and dissolve the wax.

10 x Pipettes are provided in each box, refills are available online at £9.14 for a pack of 20.
Ear Syringe body has a 20ml capacity and is supplied with a hygienic storage case. For future use.

Box Contents:

  • 1 x Otoclear Tri-Stream Tip
  • 1 x 20ml Syringe
  • 1 x earplug
  • 10 x Pipettes
  • 2 x hygienic cases
  • Full user instructions in colour with diagrams


Description

“The Kyrosol Eax Wax Removal Kit was developed to dissolve excess ear wax, soften ear wax plugs, or to prevent the recurrence of ear wax plugs.
Kyrosol is also recommended for dissolving and flushing out hard, dry or impacted wax build-ups.
Each Kyrosol single dose pipette contains glycerine – an excellent natural dissolver of ear wax and completely safe for use in applications that require contact with sensitive skin, such as the ear canal.
The patented rinsing system was designed for optimum safety and effectiveness.”

I will be trying this out next time I get a blockage and will publish an addendum to this reflecting an honest review.


Tuesday, 23 July 2013

Ear Picks, Curettes, Q-Tips vs Ear Wiz

 

Don’t tell me that you have never been told by your family doctor, or a good friend that sticking anything larger than your elbow into your ear is a big NO NO!  Sarcasm aside, they do have a point, sticking objects into your ear canal is putting your hearing at risk for sure - This includes Q-tips, Ear Picks & Curettes.

Q-Tips will just push the wax deeper into the ear canal, at some point the wax will start to put pressure on the ear drum and this is painful, see your local ENT surgeon or Audiologist immediately.
Ear Picks should only be used by healthcare professionals who can clearly see into your ear and how far the pick is probing, never try to do this yourself or with a friend.

Curettes are similar to ear picks but have a scooped end, for digging out ear wax but still pose the same dangers as Ear Picks.

To my astonishment none of the products I have mentioned above seen have a safety stop to prevent over insertion; it would be a simple addition and prevent many injuries across the world.

Commonly the picks & curettes available are made from metal, so you also  need to be very careful about scratching the walls of the ear canal, these walls are lined with tiny hairs that are important for bacterial defence, probing and scratching the walls can damage not only the hairs but the skin that holds them in place, increasing the risk of infection and the further stimulation of more Cerumen.

Metal Ear picks should be avoided, instead opting for the softer plastic type with a softer tip.

Let’s take a look at the EarWiz, a simple tool that incorporates a safety stop, easy grip handle and has a soft tipped scoop on a curved arm that allows you to remove wax from the ear canal in a simple twist & scoop action.

At only £4.49 I believe this product is a far safer, more effective ear wax removal device than any other similar product currently available & is great for those who use hearing aids, earplugs or earphones on a regular basis as this product can help to keep the ear canal free from compressed wax aiding the natural flow of Cerumen and helping to prevent the need for syringing.