Q: What is earwax?

Everyone has earwax—it's normal, natural, and necessary. Earwax is produced by glands in the ear canal to protect and lubricate your ears. It traps dust, debris, and microorganisms, preventing them from reaching the eardrum. It also plays a crucial role in cleaning the ear by helping to remove dead skin cells and other debris. However, excessive earwax buildup can lead to discomfort and hearing issues - For common symptoms, see the next Q&A. Interestingly, some people may not experience any symptoms at all—these individuals are considered asymptomatic. Even without noticeable issues, it's still important to address earwax buildup. Sometimes, it only becomes apparent during an ear examination for another reason, and removing the excess wax allows the eardrum to be fully seen and assessed. This is crucial for accurate diagnosis and further investigation.

Q: What are the symptoms?

• Feeling of fullness or pressure in the ear • Ear pain • Blocked sensation (gradual or sudden) • Muffled or blocked after a shower • Itching or irritation • Slight (or not so slight) hearing loss • Muffled hearing • Tinnitus (ringing sensation in ears) • Vertigo or balance issues It could just be wax! You might not have experienced any symptoms but been told by your GP (or a healthcare professional) that you have earwax which needs removing. In which case, we can still help.

Question 1

What is earwax?

Accepted Answer

Everyone has earwax—it's normal, natural, and necessary.
​
​Earwax is produced by glands in the ear canal to protect and lubricate your ears. It traps dust, debris, and microorganisms, preventing them from reaching the eardrum. It also plays a crucial role in cleaning the ear by helping to remove dead skin cells and other debris.
​
However, excessive earwax buildup can lead to discomfort and hearing issues - For common symptoms, see the next Q&A. 
​
Interestingly, some people may not experience any symptoms at all—these individuals are considered asymptomatic. Even without noticeable issues, it's still important to address earwax buildup. Sometimes, it only becomes apparent during an ear examination for another reason, and removing the excess wax allows the eardrum to be fully seen and assessed. This is crucial for accurate diagnosis and further investigation.

Question 2

What are the symptoms?

Accepted Answer

• Feeling of fullness or pressure in the ear​​
 • Ear pain
 • Blocked sensation (gradual or sudden)
 • Muffled or blocked after a shower
 • ​Itching or irritation ​​
 • Slight (or not so slight) hearing loss
 • Muffled hearing
 • ​​​Tinnitus (ringing sensation in ears)
 • Vertigo or balance issues​​​​
​
It could just be wax!
 
You might not have experienced any symptoms but been told by your GP (or a healthcare professional) that you have earwax which needs removing. In which case, we can still help.

Question 3

Which method of earwax removal will you use?

Accepted Answer

The method of earwax removal we choose will depend on several factors, including (but not limited to) your past medical history. Some methods may not be suitable for you for clinical safety reasons. For example, if you’ve ever had a perforated eardrum, we wouldn’t use irrigation, but we could opt for microsuction or manual tools instead.
We offer three main methods of earwax removal:
 • Microsuction: This uses a small suction device to gently and effectively remove wax. (See FAQ: “What is Microsuction?” for more details.)
 • Irrigation: A controlled stream of water is used to flush out the wax. (See FAQ: “What is Irrigation?” for more details.)
 • Manual instruments: Specialised tools can be used to carefully manipulate and remove tricky pieces of wax.

If a particular method isn’t appropriate from a clinical safety standpoint, it will be ruled out. For the remaining options, each method has its pros and cons.

Deciding on the best approach will involve a thorough assessment, a discussion with you, and an informed clinical decision to determine the safest and most effective method, or combination of methods. We are committed to ensuring you are fully informed and involved in the decision-making process.

While all these procedures are extremely safe, they are medical procedures and carry some risks. Please refer to our FAQs for more information on the specifics of each method.

Question 4

Our earwax removal process in detail

Accepted Answer

BEFORE YOUR APPOINTMENT:
Preparation:
 • Apply olive oil drops to affected ear(s) for 2-3 days prior to appointment if necessary. See FAQ's on how and when to apply it.
 • ​​We will provide you with a consent and risks information document for you to read through.
 • Call or jot down any questions you may have and we will be more than happy to answer before we carry out the earwax removal procedure.

DURING YOUR APPOINTMENT: 
 • We'll take a short history of your symptoms/concerns.
 • ​We'll go through the risks, benefit and consent.
 • We'll briefly demonstrate our equipment and technique. 
 • We then take before photos and videos of your ear canals.
 • Then it's on to the main event - EARWAX REMOVAL; this will be either by microsuction, irrigation, manual instruments or a combination of all. 
 • After the wax has been removed, we check the health of your ear and finish with after photos and videos of your ear canal/s and eardrum/s.
 
 • In most cases we will be able to fully clear your ears in one visit. However, sometimes for a number of reasons including if the wax it too impacted (hard) or too deep, we may need to return for a second visit after you have applied more ear drops. We will advice which to use on the day.

AFTER YOUR APPOINTMENT:
Aftercare is as important as preparation:
 • It is very important to keep ears dry for a minimum of 48 hours after the procedure (or 5-7 days after irrigation) to reduce risk of infection.
 • ​​Occasionally we will ask for specialist advice from audiologists/ENT consultants as a second opinion if we have any concerns about the health of your ear. If this is the case we will discuss this with you and will pass their findings on to you in an email a few days after your appointment.
​​
​If you have any concerns after your appointment please get in touch or speak to you local pharmacy or GP.

Question 5

Why is ear health so important?

Accepted Answer

Excessive earwax can lead to a range of uncomfortable symptoms. Even without symptoms, it may still cause a blockage that obstructs the view of the eardrum, preventing important examinations from being conducted.

Removing earwax is essential not only for symptom relief but also for accurate diagnosis. If earwax isn’t the cause of your symptoms, it’s crucial to remove it to rule out other potential issues. A clear view of the eardrum is necessary for further assessment.
​
An ear fully blocked by wax may also affect hearing which can be very difficult for the person experiencing hearing loss but also those around, in addition to other problems such as reducing the effectiveness of hearing aids, making proper earwax management vital for maintaining optimal hearing health.

The impact of hearing loss can lead to social isolation, lower quality of life and increased risks of falls and dementia which is why keeping on top of ear health is so important. Removing excessive and problematic earwax is a key part of that, yet for many, accessing clinic-based services can be a struggle which is why we have focused on building an affordable mobile earwax removal service to help bridge that gap.

​Removal of excessive earwax can be a great relief, improve hearing, slow cognitive decline and improve quality of life.

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