No, professional earwax removal typically does not hurt and is often painless, with patients feeling slight pulling, tickling, or pressure, but significant pain usually indicates irritation or severe impaction, which a skilled professional manages gently using methods like microsuction or irrigation for quick relief. While it's generally safe and quick, minor discomfort can occur with very sensitive ears or hard wax, but severe pain or damage is rare when performed by an expert.
Yes, earwax removal is generally safe during pregnancy, with professional methods like microsuction, irrigation, and softening drops (like Waxsol or Otex, after checking with a doctor) being effective and safe options, but always inform your healthcare provider about your pregnancy so they can ensure the most comfortable and appropriate treatment for you, as traditional home remedies like cotton buds are discouraged.
The procedure can take anywhere from a few minutes to half an hour, depending on the buildup and your comfort level. If you have a lot of earwax, the doctor may take longer to remove it. The doctor will clean out your ears with solutions and then use an instrument called an auriscope to look inside your ear canal.
You should never, under any circumstances, put anything inside your ear canal — including cotton swabs. Not only can using cotton swabs damage your eardrum, but it can also encourage your ears to make more earwax.
Also, because your inner ears play an important role in your sense of stability and balance, earwax impaction can also lead you to feel dizzy, as though your surroundings are spinning or a bit off-kilter.
When too much earwax builds up (gets impacted), it can cause symptoms, such as temporary hearing loss. It is more common in older adults. Certain health conditions make it more likely to have impacted earwax. You might need special drops to help remove your earwax.
GP surgery treatment to remove earwax
Some can: flush the wax out with water (electronic ear irrigation) suck the wax out (microsuction) scrape the wax out using a very small device.
Yes, after the earwax is removed, you are likely to start hearing better immediately. A study found that 75% of ears tested could hear 1 to 3 more frequencies after ear irrigation. This improvement in hearing is because removing the blockage allows sound to travel more freely to the eardrum.
Please continue to care for your ears. Keep ears dry for a minimum of 24 hours after your appointment. Avoid using cotton buds or putting anything in your ears to scratch or try to remove wax. This can make the problem worse and cause damage to your ears.
When microsuction is performed by a trained professional, it is one of the safest ways to remove wax from your ears. Your appointment at Specsavers will typically last 30 minutes to ensure we have enough time to go through our questionnaire and to perform the procedure.
There's no way to know if you have too much earwax without having someone, often your healthcare professional, look in your ears. Having signs and symptoms, such as earache or hearing loss, doesn't always mean you have wax buildup. You may have another health condition that needs attention.
Dry earwax is not as effective as wet earwax in trapping foreign particles and is more likely to cause blockages in the ear canal.
Irrigation: Ear irrigation is a widely used technique for ear wax removal. It involves gently flushing warm water into the ear canal to dislodge and flush out the softened wax.
The body naturally produces earwax to help protect and lubricate the ear canal. You may be more prone to earwax buildup if you wear hearing aids, earbuds, or earplugs frequently. Dust, pollen, cold weather, and skin conditions can also trigger an increased production of earwax.
You should always let your waxer know you're pregnant. “It helps them adjust the treatment to your skin, which can be more sensitive during pregnancy,” Sadrolashrafi says. “Plus, they can avoid any products or techniques that might not be safe for you.
Once the wax is loose and soft, all that is usually needed to remove it from the ear canal is a gentle, warm shower. Direct the water into the ear, then tip your head to let the earwax drain out. Use a towel to gently dry your ear. If the warm mineral oil and shower do not work, use an over-the-counter wax softener.
Some people experience vertigo — a spinning or dizzy sensation — after earwax removal. This is more common if the procedure involves water irrigation or suction, which can temporarily disturb the balance-sensitive structures within the ear.
Cotton swabs can be bad for your ears
Using cotton swabs can: Disrupt the tiny hairs that protect the ear canal. Push wax deeper into the ear canal. Traumatize the fragile ear canal skin and lead to infection or bleeding.
The ear canal is home to a plethora of sensitive nerve endings. When ear wax builds up, it exerts pressure on these nerves, leading to a dulling of sensation. As the wax is gently removed, it's like a massage for these nerves, awakening them from their dormant state.
Apply Heat. Some people report receiving relief by using heat to soften and dislodge the excess wax. This might involve applying a heating pad to the affected ear and leaving it there for a half-hour or so.
Ear Canal Irritation: Earwax removal procedures can sometimes cause minor irritation or inflammation or the eat canal, which can result in muffled hearing after syringing/microsuction. This is usually temporary and should subside over time.
Ear wax removal costs typically range from $70 to $250 for a single session, with most audiologist-led microsuction services around $90-$120, but prices vary by location, provider (audiologist vs. ENT), and if you're a pensioner or have insurance. Concession rates can be lower (e.g., $60-$90), while ENT visits might cost more ($150-$300), and some clinics offer Medicare rebates or have different fees for no wax found.
Yes, deep earwax may eventually come out, but too much will mean you will likely need ear drops from a pharmacy to remove the wax at home. And if that doesn't work, then you will need to see a professional for microsuction. Don't suffer any longer than you have to — both solutions are quick and painless.
At Specsavers, we use microsuction, which is the quickest and safest method of removing earwax. The tool gently sucks the wax from your ears, and has no contact with the eardrum or the sensitive skin of the ear canal.
The safest way to remove ear wax is by a physician using a microscope to see into the ear canal. This allows the doctor to use both hands to carefully remove wax with small micro-instruments and avoid injury to the skin of the canal or eardrum.