Should I remove earwax?

Earwax is a normal build-up of dead cells, hair, foreign material such as dust, and natural wax which forms a protective coating on the skin in the ear canal. The quantity of earwax produced varies greatly from person to person. A doctor or nurse can look into the ear canal and confirm a plug of earwax has formed. A plug of earwax is not a serious problem, more a nuisance. You only need to remove earwax if it is causing symptoms such as dulled hearing or when fitting a hearing aid.

Appointments for ear syringing due to earwax build-up are available with our practice nurses but often this is an issue that can be dealt with at home. If you do need an appointment please use eardrops or drops of almond, olive or baby oil into the affected ear up to 7 days prior to syringing. This will soften the wax and make it easier to remove . As an alternative to making an appointment to see one of our clinicians, you may wish to consider managing the problem yourself at home. More information is available in the lealet below on how to manage the problem yourself.

How often should I remove ear wax?

Impacted or hard wax that has not been displaced by drops alone may need to be removed by the practice nurse with either a probe or through ear irrigation . It is generally necessary to use drops (preferably olive oil) for a week prior to irrigation, this is important as the oil is required to soften the wax sufficiently to allow it to be flushed out by irrigation. At the consultation you should discuss with the nurse any previous ear problems such as ear surgery or discharge. The nurse will assess if irrigation is necessary and appropriate for you. Previous surgery to the ear, recurring ear canal infections or a recent perforation of the ear drum may make irrigation inappropriate.

It is natural for ears to produce wax to form an adhesive layer in the ear canal, protecting against dust, germs and bacteria. However, when ear wax builds up it can lead to blockage of the ear, leaving you feeling uncomfortable and affecting your hearing ability. If you suffer from blocked ears and have failed to resolve it with over the counter ear drops then our ear wax removal service can help. One of our specially trained members of staff will assess your ears, remove any wax from both ears and offer advice on general ear health. Contact us today or visit us in-store for more details.

Our ears are usually very good at cleaning themselves. When you find bits of ear wax in the outer opening of your ear this is actually the ear removing the ear wax by itself. When this happens we can simply remove it by using a cloth or rinsing the ear wax away in the shower. However sometimes our ears can produce too much ear wax and it ends up creating a blockage, when this happens help is needed to remove the excess.

What are the health benefits of hearing aids?

​earwax, or cerumen, is a normal, naturally occurring substance that helps your ear stay healthy. Earwax can vary in colour, in shades of yellow, white, brown, and even black. It can be soft, hard, or flaky. Earwax blockage can occur when your body produces too much earwax or when existing wax is pushed too far into your ear canal. Your ears may be blocked because; you are prone to producing too much ear wax you have narrow ear canals you use cotton buds to clean your ears you use hearing aids, ear plugs, cotton buds or ear phones you are elderly a feeling of fullness in your ear an earache ringing, buzzing, or other odd noises in your ear.

What can a hearing aid do for me?

Nurses and clinicians can be trained to clean ears quickly and safely. Audiologists and hearing aid dealers can now clean ears within their own practices. No more outbound referrals!.

The amount of ear wax produced varies from person to person; some people produce excessive amounts which can lead to a blockage in the ear canal. You are more likely to develop a blockage of wax in the canal if you: use cotton ear buds to clean the ear as this pushes the wax deeper into the canal wear a hearing aid, ear plugs or use in-ear speakers for i-pods or similar – as these can all interfere with the natural process of wax expulsion have abnormally narrow ear canals have a particularly hairy ear canal are elderly – because the ear wax you produce is drier and harder.

But earwax, also known as cerumen, is not only normal, it’s necessary. “people think that earwax is dirty and needs to be cleaned, but earwax has both anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties,” says ear, nose and throat specialist anh nguyen-huynh, md. “it also protects ears from things that could hurt the eardrum, such as dust, hair or small insects. ”factors that can affect your amount of earwax include previous ear surgery or trauma, recurrent ear infections, or wearing hearing aids or deep earplugs.

Microsuction earwax removal usually takes between 15 to 30 minutes. As well as being safe and quick, it’s comfortable and hygienic. Of course, your hearing aid audiologist will explain what they are doing throughout the procedure.

Step-by-Step Guide to Ear Irrigation

Some people are troubled by repeated build-up of earwax and require ear irrigation every so often. In this situation, to prevent earwax building up and forming a plug, some doctors recommend using ear drops regularly - for example, olive oil ear drops. You may also consider buying a bulb syringe which can be used at home to perform your own irrigation. However, there is no clear research evidence to guide on this issue. For example, it is not clear how often the drops should be used. Different doctors advise different things - from daily, to once a fortnight. It is also not clear if regular use of ear drops does actually prevent earwax from building up.