Additional self-care advice
Additional self-care advice
- Advise customers who are worried about their hearing to go for a hearing test, offering signposting where necessary
- Suggest that ear protectors are used in noisy environments
- When flying, to prevent the adverse effects of air pressure changes on the ears, customers can:
- Yawn
- Swallow frequently (chewing gum or sucking on sweets can help with this)
- Equalise pressure by pinching the nose, closing the mouth and gently breathing out through the nose until a ‘pop’ is felt in the ears
- Bottle feed babies or give them a dummy during take-off and landing.
Parents/carers of children with an ear infection can be advised to:
- Give a painkiller such as paracetamol or ibuprofen if the child is distressed
- Hold a warm or cold flannel to the ear, depending on the child’s preference, to help soothe the pain
- Gently wipe the ear with cotton wool to remove any discharge
- Protect the ear from water and shampoo.
To help prevent inner ear infections, parents/carers can:
- Make sure the child is up to date with all of their vaccinations
- Avoid smoky environments
- Use ear plugs, a swimming cap and/or protective ear drops when the child is swimming
- Avoid using a dummy after the baby reaches six months.
Did you know?
Hearing loss may cause cognitive decline, possibly because it can lead to lowered mental stimulation, isolation and depression.
When to refer
In addition to your pharmacy protocol, refer to the pharmacist:
- Anyone who has symptoms such as ringing in the ears, dizziness, loss of balance, discharge from the ear, hearing loss, severe or persistent pain, nausea or fever
- Babies and children
- Anyone with concerns that there is an object in the ear
- Customers who have tried products that haven’t been effective
- Those affected by other medical conditions (e.g. tinnitus)
- People with grommets or hearing aids
- Ear pain and taking certain medicines (e.g. bisphosphonates).
Signposting
For more information, you can:
- Use your Counter Intelligence Plus training guide
- Visit the NHS website:
- Earwax: nhs.uk/conditions/earwax-build-up
- Ear infections: nhs.uk/conditions/ear-infections
- Visit the British Tinnitus Association: tinnitus.org.uk
- Visit Action on Hearing Loss: actiononhearingloss.org.uk