Ear Wax Removal

A build up of ear wax can sometimes block the ear and cause pain or temporary hearing loss, requiring careful removal.

The most common symptoms from impacted ear wax are:

[Adapted from NICE’s clinical knowledge summary on ear wax]

Following a detailed history and thorough examination of the condition of your ear canal, we will explain our findings to you and make recommendations for treatment. We will not perform unnecessary treatment, and will only proceed if it is safe to do so. 

The NICE (National Institute of Clinical Excellence) recommended treatment for ear wax removal guidelines have highlighted the risks of syringing to remove ear wax and this method is no longer recommended.

We can carefully and safely remove wax by three approved methods:

1. Microsuction – our preferred method, using a microscope to look in your ears and a very small suction tube to remove any wax and debris. 
2. Water irrigation – low pressure, pulses of water are aimed to flush out the ear canal. This has replaced syringing as an alternative method where no perforation or other reasons are present which prevent its use.
3. Manual extraction – there are instruments with various tips designed for gentle removal of wax close to the ear canal entrance. In this procedure, the instruments are carefully inserted into the ear canal to clear the debris or wax.

Having all methods of wax removal available to us means that we are more likely to be able to remove all your wax safely in one appointment. In the unlikely event we do not get all the wax out of your ear canal we will re-book to complete the treatment (at no extra cost) and on rare occasions may need to refer you back to your GP or ENT Consultant. 

Ear wax removal is provided in the safe and comfortable surroundings of our Darlington clinic, where we also offer a free hearing check as part of this service. 

Contact us if you have any questions or to book your appointment.