Frequently asked questions

What about ear candling?

Cerumen commonly known as earwax is an organic, natural substance produced in the ear. Although ear candles are sold at your local pharmacist next to the other earwax solutions, ear candling is not recommended by audiologists or Ear, Nose and Throat specialists. There are significant risks associated with this method, including generating more wax, burns, ear infections and hearing loss. 

We cannot stress the importance of refraining from this practice. The official statement from Audiology Australia is “Ear candles have no benefit in the management of cerumen and may result in serious injury” (source). The burning of an ear candle outside the ear, once opened will produce the same appearance as one burned in the ear, thus giving the impression that your ear wax has been successfully removed when it hasn’t. No doctor or surgeon at a hospital will use ear candling to remove wax. The safest and most effective methods of wax removal include curette (a small medical loop-tool used) or microsuction conducted by trained professionals.

Can I use cotton buds?

Contrary to popular belief cotton buds are not designed for use inside our ear canal. Please do not use cotton buds, especially in children's ears whose ear anatomy is still developing. Simply looking at a cotton bud, there is no mechanism on it to guarantee the safe and successful removal of wax. You cannot see what the cotton bud is pushing up against inside the canal. A common outcome of cotton bud usage over time is wax impaction, pushing wax deeper into the canal disrupting our body’s natural shedding mechanism that migrates wax out of our ears. 

In our years of clinical practice, we have seen cases of cotton bud use that resulted in permanent hearing damage, vertigo, imbalance, dizziness, recurrent ear infections, bleeding, in addition to cotton buds having snapped and become lodged in ears. The best advice for ear cleaning and taking care of your ears is to leave the ear alone and seek a professional audiologist’s advice for ear and hearing related issues. 

What is tinnitus?

Tinnitus describes the experience of perceiving sound that is not present in the external environment. It is not a disease but a symptom of underlying changes in our hearing and listening system. It is commonly experienced as a high-pitched ringing, buzzing, ocean roaring, wind or squealing sound. Some individuals may also experience multiple types of tinnitus that vary in intensity over time.

Can tinnitus be cured?
Firstly, there is hope! Although there is no single one-size-fits-all cure for tinnitus, there are a vast array of management strategies and appropriate solutions to minimize the adverse effects and intrusive nature of your tinnitus. You are unique and so is your tinnitus, thus treatments for one person may not be as effective for another person. As a result, it is important to book in with your audiologist for an in-depth consultation to understand your tinnitus and the steps to take to reduce its presence so that it is no longer significant, or at best, unnoticeable. 

We believe in everyone having access to accurate and medically-supported tinnitus assistance. There is a lot of information online that make great claims for tinnitus treatments. Not all of these are honest or helpful.

We have selected three tinnitus resources available to you at no cost. They are listed below in order of ease of reading. Information is power; understanding drives peace. Contact your audiologist for a tailored treatment plan.

The Tinnitus First Aid Kit: This is developed by the Ida Institute and British Tinnitus Association. The website is simple, clear, well presented and user friendly.

How to Manage Your Tinnitus: A Step-by-StepWorkbook: This covers understanding your thought patterns behind tinnitus and journaling steps towards positive tinnitus acceptance. This is the combined research from the National Center for Rehabilitative Auditory Research (NCRAR) at the VA Medical Center and Department of Otolaryngology, Oregon Health & Science University;  the VA Connecticut Healthcare System and the Department of Psychiatry, Yale University.

The MindEar app combines a series of tinnitus management techniques to provide customized tinnitus care. Developed by a team of expert audiologists, engineers, researchers and a neuroscientist they aim to help you understand your relationship with tinnitus, by provide the tools to manage it. Whilst the app is free, there are in app purchases to access more extensive features. 

Disclaimer: The above content is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Honest Hearing is not responsible for the claims of external websites.

What is telehealth?

Telehealth is a means of providing health care remotely, away from a physical clinic, where you are not in the same location as your clinician. It may be achieved with video consultation platforms or telephone calls. Although the services are not in person they are still required to meet all the quality controls of face-to-face services and comply with privacy regulations. We follow the Audiology Australia Telehealth Guidelines and the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) Telehealth Guidance for Practitioners.

What technology do I need to complete telehealth consultations?

Telehealth consultations can be very simple. It is recommended that you use a secure and stable Internet connection and a device with a camera and microphone function so that you can communicate with your audiologist. Devices can be your computer, tablet or smartphone. For best outcome, find a quiet indoor setting with good lighting and minimal background noise. At Honest Hearing consultations do not need extra software installed onto your devices. You will be sent a secure link via email or text message, and all you need to do is click on the link to open the session. Depending on the service requested, your audiologist may request documentation be submitted, along with a signed consent form via email prior to your appointment.

Can my family come to my consultation?

Absolutely. We believe in holistic, patient-centered care and family support is vital in the hearing journey. Depending on which telehealth platform you choose,  we can accommodate for family and friends to join the session.

Are telehealth consultations secure?

We take great care to protect the information shared during our sessions. No patient data is stored during the consultation and end-to-end encryption is used. Our clinical notes will be conducted post telehealth consultation in our secured practice management software.

Will my session be recorded?

For security and privacy reasons, sessions will not be recorded. If you require further follow up or clarification on the content provided please email your audiologist.