Ear Irrigation Service

Ear wax normally just fall out on it’s own. When it’s blocking your ears, we can help.

Symptoms of ear wax build up include:

• Hearing loss
• Earache or a feeling that your ears are blocked
• Ringing or buzzing in your ears (tinnitus)
• Vertigo (feeling dizzy and sick)

Important

Do not use your fingers or any objects like cotton buds to remove earwax. This will push it in and make it worse.

Earwax usually falls out on its own. If it does not and blocks your ear, out 2 to 3 drops of medical grade olive oil or almond oil in your ear 3 to 4 times a day. Do this for 3 to 5 days.

It is recommended you use a dropper while lying your head on one side for a few minutes to let the oil work its way through your ear canal(s).

You may find it easier to do this first thing in the morning and then just before you go to sleep. Over about 2 weeks, lumps of earwax should fall out of your ear, especially at night when you’re lying down.

There is no evidence that ear candles or ear vacuums get rid of earwax.

• Your symptoms have not cleared after 5 days
• Your ear is badly blocked and you cannot hear anything (you can get an infection if it has not cleared)

We can:

• Flush the wax out with water (ear irrigation)

Or refer to a clinic to:

• Suck the wax out (microsuction)

These treatments are usually painless. You will have to pay to have them done.

• You have narrow or damaged ear canals
• You have lots of hair in your ear canals
• You have a skin condition affecting your scalp or around your ear
• You have inflammation of your ear canal (otitis externa or “swimmer’s ear”)

You cannot prevent earwax. It’s there to protect your ears from dirt and germs.

But you can keep using eardrops for a few days to soften the wax. This will help it fall out on its own and should prevent blocked ears.

To find out more about ear irrigation, contact us on 01268 206408.

Information from the NHS website as at 14/04/2022.

Information from the NHS website is licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.