The Curbsiders Internal Medicine Podcast #413: Common Ear Complaints, Ear Exam 101, Cerumen Remedies, and more! Get an EARful with Dr. Angela Peng!
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Oct 23, 2023 Dr. Angela Peng, an ENT expert, shares valuable insights on common ear complaints. Topics include ear exam skills, safely clearing earwax, Eustachian tube dysfunction, cholesteatoma, malignant otitis externa, and cerumen impaction. The episode also discusses itchy ears and open tympanic membrane treatments.
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Learn Ears By Looking At Normal Ones
- Practice otoscopy on asymptomatic ears to learn normal anatomy and detect deviations easily.
- Repeated exposure builds confidence and speeds recognition of subtle abnormal findings.
Simple Eustachian Tube Explanation
- Explain Eustachian tube dysfunction using a plumbing analogy: blocked tubing causes middle-ear backup and pressure.
- Teach patients to chew, swallow, or Valsalva to open the tube during altitude changes.
Treat Eustachian Tube Dysfunction Conservatively
- Start conservative treatment for Eustachian tube dysfunction: nasal steroid spray, topical antihistamine, oral antihistamines, and saline irrigation.
- Consider allergy testing and immunotherapy for persistent allergic contributors.