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I highly recommend you don't! I've seen shocking examples of people who have tried to remove wax themselves by using gadgets and gizmos they have purchased online.
The ear canal is a sensitive and delicate part of the body. Attempting to get rid of wax yourself runs the risk of accidental damage or injury. Inadequate visibility and an inability to judge depth can result in cuts, abrasions or even perforation of the ear drum. These injuries can lead to infection or cause hearing loss and long term damage.
It's much safer to book an appointment with Ear and There and allow me to gently and professionally remove the wax.
Yes. It is a perfectly safe and gentle way to remove wax. It is highly advised so as to prevent ear wax being pushed further into the ear.
Due to safety, litigation, infection, and capacity issues, the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK has reduced or stopped providing ear syringing as a service.
Ear syringing and irrigation involve flushing the ear canal with water, which can potentially cause damage to the eardrum and push the earwax deeper into the ear canal. Additionally, ear syringing can be ineffective at removing impacted earwax.
As an alternative to ear syringing, I offer microsuction, a safe and effective technique that uses a small suction device to remove earwax.
Microsuction is done by trained professionals and is thought to be a less painful and more effective way to get rid of earwax than ear syringing. However, the wait for an NHS microsuction appointment, if available, can be extremely long.
Private ear wax removal clinics, such as Ear and There York offer ear wax removal via microsuction, which can often provide a faster service compared to the NHS - thus meaning you feel content and comfortable sooner.
Ear and There only provides ear wax removal via microsuction. This is because this method is the gold standard in wax removal. Although in some circumstances and often in the past syringing / irrigation was used, this can in fact increase the risk of infection and carries many risks - especially if someone has a perforated ear drum - which is unable to be seen in advance, due to wax build up.
However, even though microsuction has many benefits, it may not be right for everyone. For example, people with narrow or deeply clogged ear canals may not be able to have it done. In such cases, an Otoscopy check would be conducted in your appointment and you would be referred back to your GP for onward referral.
For most people, the procedure is simple and pain free. Some people can find it quite noisy and liken the sound to standing near an aircraft.
At Ear and There York, we always advise that at least 3 days prior to your appointment, you use Earol olive oil spray (or similar). This will help to soften and loosen the wax in preparation for removal. This is especially important if the wax is old and hard. It will also increase the chance of all the wax being removed in the first appointment.
There is always a risk that old, hard wax could pull on the soft, thin skin in the ear canal, which could cause bleeding, or the ear to feel sore. Olive oil spray used before and during the procedure will help to minimise the risk of this.
If you are booking in for ear wax removal and have an ear infection, the procedure may feel a little uncomfortable. However, it's worth persevering as in the long run, removing debris from the ear will reduce the risk of future infections.
If you are someone who does have a very low pain threshold, you are always welcome to take pain relief of your choice, such as paracetamol, in the hour before your appointment.
You might experience some side effects like:
These impacts are temporary and should subside soon after.
Once ear wax is removed, the feeling of fullness you might have been suffering from beforehand is highly likely to disappear.
Given that excess ear wax can cause problems with hearing, ear wax removal is likely to lead to better hearing, as your ears will no be longer clogged with ear wax.
At Ear and There York, we recommend that after ear wax removal, it is important that you remain vigilant. This means you should take care to avoid:
However, as mentioned previously, some individuals are simply genetically predisposed to an overaccumulation of ear wax, and might require frequent ear wax treatment once or twice a year.
Everyone is different!
Some people may only require microsuction once in their life, whereas other people may be genetically predisposed to an overaccumulation of ear wax, and might require frequent ear wax treatment once or twice a year.
Microsuction is an effective ear wax removal method, so it is likely to remove all hardened ear wax inside your ear.
In some cases, if some ear wax is left behind (due to being very old and hard), it is recommended that you use oil drops to help soften the wax before coming in for another treatment. This is to reduce the risk of any discomfort or nicks in the ear canal. The remaining wax will most likely be able to be removed in a second appointment.
If however, the ear wax is not affecting your hearing or daily life, you might be advised to simply continue using oil drops to soften the ear wax and allow it to fall out naturally.
Yes, microsuction is considered very safe when performed by a trained professional. It minimizes the risk of damage to the ear compared to other methods like ear syringing, as there’s no contact with the ear drum or canal walls. However, it’s important to make sure the procedure is done by someone qualified, such as myself!
Otoscopy is a medical procedure used to examine the ear, specifically the ear canal and eardrum (tympanic membrane), using an instrument called an otoscope. It's commonly performed by healthcare professionals like doctors or audiologists to assess ear health and identify conditions such as ear infections, earwax buildup, and other ear-related issues.
Why is Otoscopy important?
Otoscopy is a simple, non-invasive procedure and is often the first step when a patient reports ear pain, hearing issues, or discomfort.