Ears & Hearing

Ear symptoms rarely stay in one lane.

Ear pain, muffled hearing, ringing, and dizziness can all come from the same visit — and they don't always share one cause. Dr. Fewins evaluates the ear itself (infection, fluid, wax, structure), while our audiologist, Kim Miller, M.S., CCC-A, measures how you're hearing and manages hearing aids and tinnitus — often in the same visit.

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What's bothering you

Tell us what you're dealing with

Hearing

I think my hearing has changed

Trouble following conversation, the TV turned up louder than it used to be.

Kids

My child keeps getting ear infections

Recurrent ear infections and fluid are the most common reason kids need ear tubes.

Pain

My ear hurts, or feels full or blocked

Often an infection, fluid behind the eardrum, or built-up earwax.

Ringing

I hear ringing, buzzing, or hissing

Tinnitus can happen with or without noticeable hearing loss.

Balance

I feel dizzy, off-balance, or like the room is spinning

Often inner-ear in origin — and often treatable in the office.

Wax

My ears feel clogged, or I've been told I have wax buildup

Safe, in-office removal — not a cotton swab at home.

How we think about it

An ear problem, a hearing problem, or both

"My ear feels off" can mean the ear itself is the problem — infection, fluid, wax, a structural issue — or it can mean the way you're hearing has changed, which is a different kind of exam entirely. Sorting out which one (or both) you're dealing with is where an ENT physician and an audiologist do different, complementary jobs.

The ear itself

Infection, fluid, earwax, a perforated eardrum, or a balance-organ problem in the inner ear. Dr. Fewins examines the ear directly and treats what's found — medically, or surgically when that's what it takes.

How you hear

Hearing loss and tinnitus are measured, not guessed at. Kim Miller, our audiologist, performs diagnostic hearing testing and fits and manages hearing aids for patients who need them.

Both together

Chronic fluid or infection can itself cause hearing loss; hearing loss and ear disease can share the same visit. When that's the case, Dr. Fewins and Kim Miller coordinate your care rather than sending you to two separate offices.

A patient who describes hearing trouble and a patient who describes ear fullness or blockage often need two completely different exams — and sometimes they're the same person. Sorting out which exam applies is the first step of a visit, not an afterthought.

The clinical picture

Conditions we treat, and where each is handled

Conditions

Ear Infections

Middle-ear infections (otitis media) and outer-ear infections (otitis externa, "swimmer's ear") cause pain, drainage, and temporary hearing changes. Recurrent infections, or fluid that won't clear, may point toward ear tubes.

Earwax Buildup (Cerumen Impaction)

Wax that's pushed deeper or built up enough to block the canal causes muffled hearing, fullness, and sometimes ringing or mild dizziness. Removed safely in the office — cotton swabs at home usually make it worse, not better.

Balance & Dizziness (including BPPV)

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) — brief spinning triggered by moving your head, from displaced crystals in the inner ear's balance organ — is one of the most common, and most treatable, causes of dizziness. Other inner-ear balance disorders can cause more persistent unsteadiness.

Tinnitus

Ringing, buzzing, or hissing that only you can hear, often alongside some degree of hearing loss. Managed through our audiology services — learn why tinnitus happens and how we approach it.

Hearing Loss

Gradual or sudden, one ear or both — conductive, sensorineural, or a mix of the two. See our dedicated Hearing Loss page for the full picture.

Services

Audiology & Hearing Aids

Diagnostic testing · hearing aid fitting · tinnitus care

Comprehensive hearing evaluation and hearing aid services with Kim Miller, M.S., CCC-A.

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In-Office Earwax Removal

In-office · clears blocked hearing safely

Wax removed under direct visualization — not a home remedy, and not guesswork.

BPPV Evaluation & Repositioning

In-office · often resolves in one visit

A brief positional exam can identify BPPV, and a repositioning maneuver performed in the office often relieves it the same day.

Ear Tubes (Pediatric)

Surgical · recurrent infection or persistent fluid in children

The most common childhood ear procedure, including on-site pediatric hearing testing before and after.