Cerumen Impaction Quiz
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Reviewed By:
Eric A. Gantwerker, MD, MMSC (Otolaryngology (ENT))
Pediatric Otolaryngologist at Northwell Health and Associate Professor of Otolaryngology at Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell. He holds a Master of Medical Science (MMSc) in Medical Education with a special focus on educational technology, educational research, and game-based learning from Harvard Medical School and a Master of Science in Physiology and Biophysics from Georgetown University. He has a special interest in faculty development and has been a speaker or faculty at hundreds of local, national, and international courses and conferences. He is also an active blogger and podcaster for several organizations, including the Harvard Macy Institute (HMI), Harvard Medical School CME Online, and BackTable Innovations. He has been featured in the news and print for media outlets such as USA Today, Businesswire, The Washington Post, Nature Medicine, Fox News, and KevinMD. He was also the Vice President, Medical Director of a medical video game company, Level Ex from 2018 to 2023 that utilized game technology and psychology to create interactive experiences for healthcare professionals. | He is recognized as an expert on the implementation of educational technologies and gaming with a foundation in educational theory for health professions education. He was honored to be inducted as an Associate Member of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Academy of Master Surgeon Educators and as an Associate Fellow of the Association for Medical Education in Europe (AMEE).
Rohini R, MD (Otolaryngology (ENT))
Dr. Rohini R is an ENT, Head and Neck Surgeon, with a Fellowship in Advanced Endoscopic Sinus and Skull Base Surgery and a Fellowship in Aesthetic Medicine and Lasers. Besides clinical practice and working with Ubie, she is actively training and mentoring medical students and residents. She has functioned in various work settings - teaching hospitals, private and free health centers, and worked with patients from all socioeconomic backgrounds due to her experience in free hospitals and volunteering in India and Singapore.
Content updated on Jan 19, 2024
Following the Medical Content Editorial Policy
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Ringing in the one ear
Hearing loss worse on the right
Ear problems
Buzzing in left ear
Hard of hearing in both ears but more on one side
Hearing impairment
Tinnitus in one ear only
Not seeing your symptoms? No worries!
How Ubie Can Help You
With a free 3-min Cerumen Impaction quiz, powered by Ubie's AI and doctors, find possible causes of your symptoms.
This questionnaire is customized to your situation and symptoms, including the following personal information:
Biological Sex - helps us provide relevant suggestions for male vs. female conditions.
Age - adjusts our guidance based on any age-related health factors.
History - considers past illnesses, surgeries, family history, and lifestyle choices.
Your symptoms
Our AI
Your report
Your personal report will tell you
✔ When to see a doctor
✔︎ What causes your symptoms
✔︎ Treatment information etc.
People with similar symptoms also use Ubie's symptom checker to find possible causes
- Hearing issues
- Hearing loss worse on the left
- Can't hear things properly
- Hearing loss worse on one side than the other
- Deafness
- Deafness worse on one side
- Have trouble hearing
- Can't hear well on both sides but one side (left / right) is worse
See full list
Just 3 minutes.
Developed by doctors.
Try Free Symptom QuizWhat is Cerumen Impaction?
Also known as impacted earwax in the ear canal. In many cases, using cotton swabs to clean the ears may worsen the condition instead of improving it due to pushing the ear wax deeper into the ear canal.
Typical Symptoms of Cerumen Impaction
- Hearing difficulty
- Ringing sounds in the ear, i.e. Tinnitus, on one side only
- Significant difference in hearing difficulty between my left and right ear
Diagnostic Questions for Cerumen Impaction
Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this disease:
- Do you have trouble hearing?
- Is your ringing in just one ear?
- Is there a big difference in your hearing between your left and right ear?
Treatment of Cerumen Impaction
Avoid using cotton swabs to clean the ears, as this often pushes wax deeper. Oil drops (mineral or olive) can soften the wax, allowing the ear to naturally expel it. Over-the-counter drops with peroxide derivatives may help as well. If that doesn't work, a doctor can perform simple procedures such as flushing or suctioning to remove the wax.
Think you might have
Cerumen Impaction?
Try a symptom check testSymptoms Related to Cerumen Impaction
Diseases Related to Cerumen Impaction
References
Michaudet C, Malaty J. Cerumen Impaction: Diagnosis and Management. Am Fam Physician. 2018 Oct 15;98(8):525-529. PMID: 30277727.
https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2018/1015/p525.htmlSevy JO, Singh A. Cerumen Impaction Removal. 2021 Dec 15. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan–. PMID: 28846265.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK448155/McCarter DF, Courtney AU, Pollart SM. Cerumen impaction. Am Fam Physician. 2007 May 15;75(10):1523-8. PMID: 17555144.
https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2007/0515/p1523.htmlSchwartz SR, Magit AE, Rosenfeld RM, Ballachanda BB, Hackell JM, Krouse HJ, Lawlor CM, Lin K, Parham K, Stutz DR, Walsh S, Woodson EA, Yanagisawa K, Cunningham ER Jr. Clinical Practice Guideline (Update): Earwax (Cerumen Impaction). Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2017 Jan;156(1_suppl):S1-S29. doi: 10.1177/0194599816671491. Erratum in: Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2017 Sep;157(3):539. PMID: 28045591.
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0194599816671491Cerumen Impaction. Pediatrics. 2017 Feb;139(2):e20163912. doi: 10.1542/peds.2016-3912. PMID: 28138008.
https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/139/2/e20163912/60306/Cerumen-Impaction
What People Say about Ubie?
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My experience was great. I was worried, but the symptom checker helped me narrow down what it might be. I feel a little relieved compared to when I first started, and it gives me a starting point for what my symptoms could mean.
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Female, 40s
I was actually very impressed with the results it provided because, although I didn’t mention it during the questionnaire because I thought it was unrelated, it suggested I may have something I’ve actually been diagnosed with in the past.
(Sep 25, 2024)
Reviewed By:
Eric A. Gantwerker, MD, MMSC (Otolaryngology (ENT))
Pediatric Otolaryngologist at Northwell Health and Associate Professor of Otolaryngology at Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell. He holds a Master of Medical Science (MMSc) in Medical Education with a special focus on educational technology, educational research, and game-based learning from Harvard Medical School and a Master of Science in Physiology and Biophysics from Georgetown University. He has a special interest in faculty development and has been a speaker or faculty at hundreds of local, national, and international courses and conferences. He is also an active blogger and podcaster for several organizations, including the Harvard Macy Institute (HMI), Harvard Medical School CME Online, and BackTable Innovations. He has been featured in the news and print for media outlets such as USA Today, Businesswire, The Washington Post, Nature Medicine, Fox News, and KevinMD. He was also the Vice President, Medical Director of a medical video game company, Level Ex from 2018 to 2023 that utilized game technology and psychology to create interactive experiences for healthcare professionals. | He is recognized as an expert on the implementation of educational technologies and gaming with a foundation in educational theory for health professions education. He was honored to be inducted as an Associate Member of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Academy of Master Surgeon Educators and as an Associate Fellow of the Association for Medical Education in Europe (AMEE).
Rohini R, MD (Otolaryngology (ENT))
Dr. Rohini R is an ENT, Head and Neck Surgeon, with a Fellowship in Advanced Endoscopic Sinus and Skull Base Surgery and a Fellowship in Aesthetic Medicine and Lasers. Besides clinical practice and working with Ubie, she is actively training and mentoring medical students and residents. She has functioned in various work settings - teaching hospitals, private and free health centers, and worked with patients from all socioeconomic backgrounds due to her experience in free hospitals and volunteering in India and Singapore.
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Cerumen Impaction?
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Link to full study:
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.29.24312810v1