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What is Ear wax?
Ear wax (or cerumen) is a perfectly normal secretion of the ear canal. It is an important part of our ears’ function, lubricating the ear canal and providing natural protection against bacteria, water, dust and other foreign bodies.
Our ears are generally self-cleaning so small amounts of wax will work their way out of the ear naturally. However, a build-up of excess ear wax can occasionally occur, meaning professional ear wax removal is necessary.
Excess ear wax build-up can happen due to things like prolonged use of earphones, earplugs, or extensive self-cleaning of the ears (with cotton buds or other unsafe implements).
How do I know if I need Ear wax removal?
You may need ear wax removal if you’ve been experiencing any of these symptoms:
- Lower or muffled hearing
- A feeling of ‘fullness’ in the ears
- Itchiness
- Pain or earache
- Tinnitus (noises being heard without external source e.g. ringing or buzzing)
If you have any of these symptoms, you may have a build up of earwax and need a trained audiologist to perform earwax removal.
Please note : If you have an ear infection, ear wax removal won’t be a suitable treatment for you, but some of the symptoms could be the same. Make sure you see your GP first if you’re also experiencing:
- High temperature
- Discharge from the ear
- Nausea and vomiting
- Scaly skin in and around the ear
- Low energy or fatigue
- Sore throat
- Severe earache
What is Microsuction Ear Wax Removal?
Microsuction is a water-free, safe and effective way to remove excess ear wax. Microsuction is a compound word referring to two of the primary machines used during this procedure. While ‘Micro’ is derived from the word microscope which is the viewing mechanism used during this procedure, ‘Suction’ refers to a machine used in sucking out wax from the ear. Microsuction ear wax removal then, is a clinical process in which the clinician uses a single-use probe, connected to a suction machine set at low pressure to remove ear wax while viewing the ear canal through a microscope to get a clear view of your ear canal.
Before your appointment
For a week before your appointment, you must use olive oil ear spray (Earol Spray) . This will help soften your ear wax and make it easier and more comfortable to remove.
What to expect in your earwax removal appointment?
- Your clinician will ask you some medical questions to gain an understanding of your ear health and then will explain the earwax removal procedure to you & ask you to sign a consent form before removing the earwax.
- The earwax removal procedure itself may take up to 10 or 15 minutes per ear. I will routinely check with you that you are comfortable during the earwax removal procedure.
- They will use a video device to allow you to see inside your ear for yourself, so you’ll be able to see a clear “before” and “after” any ear wax has been removed.
For a week before your appointment, you must use olive oil ear spray (Earol Spray) . This will help soften your ear wax and make it easier and more comfortable to remove.