Ear wax removal
Struggling with blocked ears? Are your ears feeling dry, itchy or painful? Experiencing earache or slight hearing loss? It’s likely that you have a build-up of excessive ear wax, which can be quickly and easily resolved with professional ear wax removal.
Harley Street Hearing offers safe and effective ear wax removal in London, performed by highly skilled clinical audiologists who specialise in microsuction and irrigation.
Our team of ear care practitioners are available for same-day ear wax removal, appointments from £80. To book an appointment, please call us using the button below.
Same day ear wax removal
Ear wax is a perfectly normal secretion of the ear canal which is important to our ear’s functions. As our ears self-clean, this wax will naturally be pushed out which means, for the most part, ear wax should be left alone. However, in some cases, excess build-up can occur which requires professional ear wax removal.
As excessive wax can lead to pain and discomfort, and sometimes, hearing loss, it’s important to remove any old wax that is causing these issues in order to provide immediate relief.
Ear wax removal should always be performed by a professional audiologist in order to guarantee a safe procedure and effective results. Harley Street Hearing offers two ear wax removal techniques:
Microsuction ear wax treatment
The gold standard technique in ear wax removal, microsuction is quick, safe, painless and doesn’t involve putting liquid into your ear. Our team of ear care practitioners are fully qualified clinical audiologists who carry out microsuction with precision and accuracy.
Using high-spec examination microscopes with x20 magnification, our audiologists can work safely in the ear canal with full visibility and depth perception. Using a gentle suction device, any moderate ear wax build-up can then painlessly be removed from the ear canal providing instant relief.
Ear irrigation
If ear wax build-up is more profound and a larger quantity of wax needs to be removed, irrigation is a safer, gentler and much more effective alternative to the outdated ear syringing method.
This method is not advised if you have an ear infection or history of ear infections.
Using a specialised ear irrigator, our audiologists gently apply a low-pressure flow of body-temperature water to the upper ear canal wall which slowly flows out, bringing the wax with it.
Ear wax Syringing
Ear syringing is an old-fashioned method of wax removal that is no longer considered to be best practice or safe. The modern alternative is electronic irrigation.
Book professional ear wax removal in London
Ear wax removal should never be performed at home. Whilst it can be tempting, trying to pull the blockage out using your hands or a cotton bud can cause further damage and exacerbate the problem.
Quick, painless and immediately effective, ear wax extraction carried out by a professional is the best and only solution to providing relief. Get in touch with Harley Street Hearing to book an appointment at one of our London hearing clinics using one of the buttons below.
“Having had microsuction on numerous occasions from both private and NHS practitioners, some of which have included some fairly esteemed ENT consultant doctors – I can genuinely say that the care, attention and precision was without parallel. I will definitely be making a return visit to the clinic! Kind regards Arthur Woodward BA ACA”
Ear Wax Removal FAQ’s
a 30 minute wax removal appointment cost is from £80, for any method of wax removal, whether it’s for two ears or one.
microsuction is now the preferred method as it doesn’t involve putting liquid into your ear. A gentle suction device is used to remove earwax under a microscope. The procedure is quick, safe and painless.
no the wax removal process shouldn’t be painful.
once the wax is removed the sound will be able to travel well towards your eardrum and through your acoustic system improving your ability to hear. If this is not the case a hearing test is recommended.
you may notice the following symptoms if you have a build-up of ear wax: blocked sensation or earache, feeling of fullness or pressure, hearing loss, tinnitus, dizziness.
we advise against putting anything in your ears at home, including wax removal tools.
ear wax removal drops soften your wax allowing wax removal to be more comfortable and successful. In some cases, if there is only a small amount of wax the drops are enough for the wax to come out by itself.
a trained microsuction and irrigation professional. This could be, however is not limited to, an audiologist, ENT specialist, nurse or GP. At our clinic you will see one of our fully trained, HCPC registered audiologists that have been trained in both clinical ear care and microsuction
your audiologist will investigate the initial reasons for your visit, whether that’s because you feel that your ears are blocked, or your hearing is down. This may involve further hearing tests to see if you require an onward medical referral.
we recommend using olive oil for 2 days prior to your appointment to soften the wax and make it easier to remove. It is only on the very odd occasion that patients will come back for a follow up appointment.
syringing is no longer performed as a method of wax removal as it is deemed unsafe. It has been replaced with ear irrigation, which uses a machine to gently pulse a low pressure water into your ear. The water is carefully directed towards the upper ear canal wall to gently flow out, bringing the wax with it.
ear wax can cause whistling, ringing, or a range of different sounds to be perceived in the ears. This is known as tinnitus, and is caused because the blockage reduces the amount of sound reaching your ear drum. Normally if the wax is causing the tinnitus, it should disappear once it has been removed.
we recommend using olive oil drops or Earol 2 days before your appointment to soften the wax and make it easier to remove.
with any wax removal procedure, even when performed with the utmost care, there are small risks involved including damage to or infection of the skin of the ear canal or eardrum. There is also a slight risk of tinnitus during or after the procedure. We will always assess the most appropriate form of wax removal for each patient.
we recommend not putting anything in your ears other than occasional olive oil drops to loosen the wax and aid self-cleaning. Ears naturally clean themselves.
Yes, untreated build up of ear wax can cause hearing loss. When wax builds up it can become stuck in place and create a barrier that stops sound from travelling into the ear.
please call the practice on 0207 486 1053. We normally keep appointments free each day for wax removal emergencies.
yes, however we would recommend that you see your GP first. There is the chance that if we remove the wax the ear may fill up with discharge again from the infection.
this very much depends on the individual. Some patients have it removed every couple of years, others can be every 12 months. There are people that we see once and then they don’t need to come back at all.
no, we are able to see you for one appointment to assess the condition of your ear and perform the most appropriate form of wax removal all in 30 minutes.
following ear wax removal you may notice temporary tinnitus; this should subside within a few hours or a few days.
