1. Que, Mary Harmony Rivera, Joanna Grace Sioco, Demetrio Roberto

2.  Increasing number of children in the community with impacted cerumen  Finding cost-effective means of addressing this problem

3. Among children with impacted cerumen, is the application of water as a softening agent effective in clearing the ear canal (using a randomized control trial)?

4. A Journal Article on Therapeutics

5.  Population:  Patients with persistent earwax (more than 75% obstruction after 5 attempts of syringing)  Intervention group: 22 patients  Control group: 20 patients

6. Intervention -waterControl -mineral oil  Water (room temp) dropped at affected ear until ear is full and canal covered with a wad of cotton  left for 15 minutes in the waiting area of an actual patient encounter  Irrigation with 100cc syringe  Olive oil dropped on affected ear until ear is full and covered with a wad of cotton  Done every night for 3 days before patient encounter  Irrigation with 100cc syringe

7.  Was it Randomized? Was randomization concealed?  The patients were randomised into an intervention group (n = 22, year of birth was even) and control group (n = 20, year of birth was odd).  Intervention Group – drops of water for 15mins.  Control Group – oil at night for 3 days

8.  Intervention group: 3.0 ((95% CI = 2.4 to 3.6)  Control group: 2.4 (95% CI = 1.7 to 3.1).  The difference between these means (0.6; 95% CI = -0.3 to 1.5)  P value: 0.18 (not statistically significant)

9.  Water can be an alternative softener for impacted cerumen.  Water is very accessible and not costly (can be more practical than spending for oil)  Though syryinging is not the most preferable method by otolaryngologist, the practice can be considered generally safe to apply