Every visit begins with a professional look inside your ear canals. Video otoscopy shows us — and shows you — the health of your ears in real time. It's how we catch what might need attention before we address what needs to be right.
A video otoscope is a small camera at the end of a slim, gentle probe. It illuminates your ear canal and projects a live, high-definition image onto a monitor beside you.
You see everything we see — your canal, your eardrum, any earwax, and any changes we notice from visit to visit. It's the modern replacement for the small handheld scope your doctor may have used years ago.
Anything that might affect your hearing, your comfort, your hearing aid performance, or your overall ear health. Here are the most common findings.
Pearly gray, translucent, with a visible light reflex. What we hope to see — and, most of the time, what we do see.
Some earwax is normal and protective. Excessive or impacted wax can affect hearing and hearing aid performance, and often needs safe professional removal.
Holes in or inward pulling of the eardrum can affect hearing and may reflect current or past middle-ear conditions. All eardrum abnormalities are referred for physician evaluation.
Redness, swelling, discharge, or unusual coloring. Active infection needs a physician's care before a hearing aid is fit — we refer immediately.
More common than most patients expect — insects, cotton swab fragments, hearing aid parts, and various debris. Removal typically requires a physician.
Small bony protrusions in the canal, often from years of cold-water exposure — surfers, divers, cold-swimmers. Usually benign, sometimes need monitoring by an ENT.
We are hearing aid specialists, not physicians. When our screening reveals something that belongs in a doctor's care, we don't try to be the doctor — we help you get to the right one.
The video image goes on the screen. We walk you through it in plain language — what caught our attention, what it might mean, and why it matters.
Your physician receives a written summary of what we observed, saving them time and helping them arrive at your appointment prepared.
Most often an ENT — an otolaryngologist. Sometimes a primary care physician for simpler issues. If you don't have one, we can help you find one.
Because your ear health matters to us — not just your hearing aid appointment. A quick call or email a few weeks later to see how things are going.
Once any needed medical treatment is complete, we're ready to address any remaining hearing needs — with a fresh evaluation and a plan.
Ear health isn't static. Wax builds. Skin changes with age and climate. Infections come and go. What looked clean six months ago may need attention today — and Arizona's dry heat is particularly hard on ear canals.
That's why we run video otoscopy at every appointment — your evaluation, your fittings, and every quarterly clean and check. Images are saved to your file and compared year over year, so we notice changes early and take action while they're still small.
You don't have to be a Sunrise patient to get a professional look at your ears. A family member noticing wax buildup, a swimmer worried about exostoses, a hearing aid user from another clinic wanting a second look — we welcome walk-ins for a complimentary ear health screening. No obligation, no pressure. Just a careful look.
No. Video otoscopy is completely painless. The probe is small, smooth, and never touches your eardrum. Most patients tell us it's their favorite part of the visit.
You don't need it — but many people find value in it. If you've noticed changes in your hearing, ear fullness, itching, drainage, or if you simply want a professional check, our free ear health screening is available to anyone.
Earwax removal falls under the scope of licensed medical providers. We screen for excessive or impacted wax and refer to a physician for safe removal when needed. Never attempt to remove wax at home with cotton swabs or ear candles — both can cause real damage.
We show you what we saw, explain it clearly, provide a written referral to an appropriate physician — usually an ENT — and follow up with you afterward. We are not physicians and do not diagnose or treat medical conditions.
At least annually. If you wear hearing aids, we examine them at every visit — typically every three months. If you experience any change in hearing, pressure, fullness, drainage, or pain, come in sooner.
Yes. Your images are stored in your patient file and covered by patient privacy protections. They are used for your care, not shared without your consent, and available to you at any time.
Video otoscopy at every visit, complimentary walk-in ear checks for anyone concerned, and prompt physician referrals when needed. Book a visit — or just come in.
