Audiology tales

[chocoholic]

I've just started on the forum and look forward to getting involved in some discussions.

I thought I'd start this topic as I think we've probably all got a story or two to tell

So post them here and put a smile on our faces on those days that we need them!

Choccie

(Apologies if frivolity is not encouraged. Admins are very welcome to delete this if so.)

[Guy]

Welcome!
I have no problem with your suggested thread but just keep in mind patient confidentiality and our professionalism!
Especially welcome would be tales that are not only amusing but perhaps also ones from which you actually learnt something useful or important.
I guess that's reflective practice.

Go on then - make me smile.

[chocoholic]

Welcome!
I have no problem with your suggested thread but just keep in mind patient confidentiality and our professionalism!
Especially welcome would be tales that are not only amusing but perhaps also ones from which you actually learnt something useful or important.
I guess that's reflective practice.

Go on then - make me smile.

Erm, not sure what you can learn from this but a mould flew out of my hand the other day and landed at the entrance of my top, luckily it didn't go a few millimeters further across!
At least it amused my patient!

[KAE]

One of my favourites is a patient who told us that they had syringed their own ears. The Audiologist asked how they had managed this - it involved a couple of (gradually narrowing) hoses attached to the kitchen tap and ended with the inner tube of a Bic biro in the ear (we were assured it was thourougly cleaned!).

Despite advising them to see their GP next time, both ears were completely clear of wax. I don't think I'll be trying this one!

[chocoholic]

Gosh, I've had loads tell me this!
One guy had bough an ear syringe in some sort of clear out sale. I believe there is something you can buy in chemists which is something similar too.

[rEliseMe]

I learned about Ear Candling very early on in my undergraduate program and found it so gross I didn't think I'd ever encounter it.

Less than a year later, I went to get my hair done and discovered that the salon actually offers Ear Candling as a service! Not only is that disgusting, it scares me a little that beauticians are being "trained" in this sort of thing. It hit me in all the wrong ways. Yikes!

[David]

A patient recently came in recently for his follow up whith a few pieces of hearing aid his dog had chewed after it fell on the floor, he has thin tubes and the fit was not ideal as he has interestingly shaped ears. I used the hot air heater opticians use to heat and bend frames to warm a thin tube and bent it into a good fit to his ear, to stop the tube closing up while I operated on it it inserted a cleaning thingy, this worked very well. Work up to the right temperature carefully or the tube will be damaged.

[otolith]

At least 3 patient reported their hearing aid to be missing only to find them a few days later near a rat's den with the silicone earmold chewed up.

Another 2 patient had earmolds with strange bite marks, they said might be cockroach.

That's why I keep reminding them to keep the hearing aids in the Dry and Store or at least a Dry Aid Box.

[sue]

My favourite repair was a number of years ago from a man who laid tarmac on the roads. He was a fantastic hearing aid user - no problem normally and came in one day looking upset.
He put his hearing aid in his uniform pocket when working as it was too noisy and used it during breaks to chat to colleagues. He had been given a new uniform at work and did not realise the pockets were not as deep as previous outfits.
His aid had fallen into the tarmac and been run over by the roller too. The pieces were very flat but he had brought them in for me to proove his story!

It's the flatest aid I have ever seen and I was happy to rplace it free of charge, as you could not have made it up.

[DaveO]

I was once talking to a patient about his lost hearing aid..

..seems he was transporting some sheep in a rowing boat to a small un-inhabited island off the North coast of Scotland for summer grazing.. the sea was a little choppy and the sheep were getting agitated.. some of the sheep started barging and head-butting him, until he was pushed against the side of the boat and his hearing aid fell into the sea..

Sounded like a fairly reasonable excuse, although I wasn't sure why he needed the hearing aid in that situation. Anyway, hearing aid replaced without charge

[audio99]

I saw a patient on our drop in repairs service a few weeks ago, he brought along a hearing aid (which we do not issue in our department) and was complaining that the hearing aid was not helping and that everything seemed too loud and distorted. I questioned him on where he got the hearing aid and he then informed me that he bought the hearing aid from ebay - he did not wish to join the large waiting list for a hearing assessment nor did he want to go private. I explained what we do with hearing aids and assured him that the waiting list is not as long as he had thought. It just shocks me that hearing aids are sold on ebay and the hygiene issues that come with that!! I guess it was a learning experience for myself..you don't come across that everyday I guess!

[Rajesh Ravi]

Couple of years back, one of my patients insisted me to make him a 'digital ear mould' that goes with his digital hearing aid....!!

[Guy]

Definition of "digital ear mould": isn't this a dermatological infection of the finger caused by putting your finger in your ear?
Tee Hee.

[David]

Definition of "digital ear mould": isn't this a dermatological infection of the finger caused by putting your finger in your ear?
Tee Hee.

Groan!

Did you get that one from a christmas cracker

[lvscrewloose]

A patient I recently fitted with slim fits took cleanliness a bit too far. When I noticed the condensation in her thin tubes I asked if she had put them in after having recently having a shower - no she replied, she had been steam cleaning her aids!!!

I advised against....