Experience Is Everything

A gradual return to normal

It’s been a busier time than normal with plenty of patients – new and old – coming to see me. I do hope it’s been a positive time for you too with lockdown easing. Seeing loved ones after such a long time apart is a real joy. Lockdown was a difficult time for a lot of people, including some of our team, we are not made to be locked away, but during lockdown our team were working in the shadows, making sure everything was ready for a smooth transition back to opening our clinics.

Do your research

This month’s article was prompted by a piece I saw written in the British Society of Audiology; in the U.K. ear wax removal is unregulated, meaning that it is really important to do your research before deciding who to see.

A lot of what we do in audiology, in theory, is straight forward: hearing tests and procedures such as wax removal are what we do day in day out. The trouble is, ‘in theory’ only gets you so far, it’s experience that makes the difference. You wouldn’t go see a dentist who didn’t understand his or hers entire profession, so why would you consider doing that when seeing an audiologist? Again, you wouldn’t.

A new patient

This really came to the fore recently when I saw a new patient for wax removal. I cleared the gentleman’s wax but he still didn’t think he was hearing clearly. It goes out without saying in nearly all cases you know your own hearing better than me, but my task is to find the problem and then come up with a solution.

I offered him a complimentary hearing test for the following day and the result showed an asymmetric loss. This means that one ear is performing better than the other which, for many people, is completely normal. However, in a very small number of cases I can be a sign of an acoustic neuroma.

Acoustic neuroma

Acoustic neuromas are noncancerous tumours that develop on the acoustic nerve, the nerve which controls your hearing and balance. Although benign, these tumours can grow and it is imperative to have an MRI scan as soon as possible.

This is where not only my experience came in to play but also my connections; working at The Thornbury means I know the ENTs well and was able to refer the gentleman straight away for a scan. When the results came back it turned out that it was, indeed, an acoustic neuroma. Having this experience and also the connections with previous colleagues helped me ensure this gentleman was seen as quickly as possible for his MRI scan, without these connections he might have waited weeks.

The patient was grateful to have been fast-tracked and diagnosed so promptly, especially considering the signs could have been easily missed. Especially by someone who does not have the same level of experience and understanding as myself.

Looking towards the future

The clinic is as busy as ever and I am seeing more patients visit me for balance work which I really enjoy. I continue to ensure the clinic is COVID-safe which I’m sure will remain a top priority for many patients.

Whatever your audiology need, I will always do my very best to help.

See you soon and stay safe,

Peter