Was Mum at risk having her ears syringed?
QMy elderly mother recently had her ears syringed – and was told she had to sign a disclaimer first ‘in case you try to sue us’ should something go wrong. I’ve never heard of such a thing. Is this standard practice?
AAny medical procedure, big or small, requires a consent form to ensure patients know what is being done and the potential risks involved. This isn’t a disclaimer, but a patient consent form you sign once the procedure you are about to have has been fully explained.
It lets us know you understand what we are going to do.
Ear syringing – also called ear irrigation – is a treatment to relieve the discomfort and hearing loss associated with compressed wax in the ear. It involves either an electrical device or hand-held pump, a bit like a turkey baster, being used to direct a concentrated stream of water into the ear.
The pressure dislodges the wax. However, there are risks. The procedure can cause ear infections, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), perforation of the ear drum and even deafness.
It can also be associated with pain, discomfort, dizziness, light bleeding, nausea and vomiting, which all sounds extreme but does happen.
That is quite a list of side effects for a minor procedure for a minor ailment, but illustrates why rigorous consent is so important. It’s less about being sued and more about ensuring patients weigh up all the risks and benefits of treatment.
QI’ve been taking medication for high blood pressure for years and have had no problems at all. But my prescription was changed to losartan and I have had nothing but trouble. My ankles and knees started swelling, which made it very uncomfortable for me to walk. My GP gave me another drug to help combat the effect but I’m still suffering.
The doctor insists losartan is not to blame, but the advice leaflet clearly states it can cause local swelling. Who is right?
ALosartan is a blood-pressure medication known as an angiotensin II receptor antagonist, or ARB. It’s a commonly used drug that works very well in many patients.
The question of side effects will arise with any medication, even a simple paracetamol, and should always be considered when new symptoms develop.
Joint swelling – or oedema – are officially listed in the drug literature, therefore side effects should not be written off as par for the course, they need to be weighed up in terms of the effects on quality of life.
We treat blood pressure to lower the risk of stroke and heart attacks because high blood pressure is a potential cause of both.
If one of the side effects of treatment is someone being unable to walk because of pain, then of course they are once again raising their risks, because lack of exercise can result in weight gain. Consequently the side effects could be negating the intended benefits of the medication.
There are many groups of drugs that treat high blood pressure so there are alternatives, and side effects do not need to be tolerated.
But do take into consideration whether you are suffering from side effects or whether it could be an entirely separate symptom: joint swelling can be caused by other conditions such as arthritis, which may have begun spontaneously when the medication was started.