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A Season to Celebrate Our Doctors!

Learn more about our ENT physicians in Anchorage, AK.

Spring is a time for new beginnings, whether that means receiving a life-changing hearing aid, overcoming a health scare, or turning back the clock a few years at our on-site medical spa.

At ACENT, we wanted to share your excitement around these changes and felt there was no better time to celebrate than National Doctors’ Day! We honored our team of physicians by taking some time to say “thank you.” Dr. Lorenz was out of the office, but we celebrated him, too!

3 ACENT doctors on National Doctors' Day wearing crowns and royal capes

We really are fortunate to have such a stellar team of physicians, each board-certified in otolaryngology (head & neck surgery) and each with a unique background and skill set, from pediatrics to plastic surgery. They are all excellent leaders, teachers, and friends to our staff. If you aren’t familiar with their backgrounds, we invite you to check out their bios on our website. You can surprise them with your personal knowledge during your next visit!

Spring Cleaning: The Latest Buzz About Earwax
Audiologist looking into a patient's ear with otoscope

Although it plays a role in keeping your ears free of dust and dirt, too much earwax can affect your hearing and cause dizziness, discomfort, and even pain. Just in time for “spring cleaning,” Tammie Taylor, our audiology assistant, recently shared some advice on the topic with our staff. We found it so helpful we thought we’d pass it on to you!

Tammie says…

“Using Q-tips to try and clean your ears may not be safe. You can puncture the eardrum or push the wax even further into the ear. Earwax then becomes impacted close to the eardrum. See your doctor if you think you may have any symptoms of an earwax impaction. Other conditions may cause these symptoms and it is important to be sure earwax is the culprit before trying any home remedies.

3 common techniques for earwax removal at the doctor’s office work best, with no single method outshining the others. These include:

  • Flushing the ear out with a water solution.
  • Manually removing the earwax under a microscope using medical instruments.
  • Sending the patient home with ear drops.

If your doctor does recommend that you try earwax removal methods at home, they may include these 2 options:

  • Over-the-counter wax softening drops such as Debrox® or Murine® may be put into the affected ear and allowed to drain out after about five minutes while holding the head to the side, allowing the drops to settle. Sitting up again will let the drops drain out.
  • A bulb-type syringe may be used to gently flush the ear with warm water. The water should be at body temperature to help prevent dizziness.

Ear candling is not recommended. The procedure uses a hollow cone made of paraffin and beeswax with cloth on the tapered end. The tapered end is placed inside the ear, and an assistant lights the other end, while making sure your hair does not catch on fire. In theory, as the flame burns, a vacuum is created, which draws the wax out of the ear. Limited clinical trials, however, showed that no vacuum was created, and no wax was removed. Furthermore, this practice may result in serious injury. Don’t be embarrassed by a little earwax. It is totally fine and normal!”

From Our Blog: Hearing Aids Ride the Technology WaveStefan Harris, board certified hearing instrument dispenser, explains the evolution of hearing aids in his latest blog post.

Stefan Harris BC-HIS, our board-certified hearing instrument dispenser, brings his training and valuable first-hand knowledge to our blog this month. Stefan was born with severe hearing loss and has worn hearing devices his entire life. You know you’re getting the inside scoop from Stefan! In his latest blog post, he explains:

  • How hearing aids have evolved over the past 2 decades
  • Why recent advances focus on more than just cranking up the volume
  • Which option may be best for you
If you’re a car lover, you’ll especially love Stefan’s analogy using an old Mustang! To read the post, click here. If you think it may be time for you or a loved to have a hearing screening, we invite you to contact our Anchorage office online or call us at (907) 279-8800.
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