Doctors remove deep ear wax using microsuction (gentle vacuum), irrigation (warm water flush) with a syringe, or manual removal with specialized tools like a curette, often after softening the wax with drops (like oil or peroxide) and visualizing the canal with a scope. The specific method depends on the wax's hardness and location, with microsuction often preferred for deep, impacted wax to safely extract it without pushing it further in.
Another method flushes out the wax with a syringe full of warm water and saline or diluted hydrogen peroxide. Your healthcare professional may recommend medicated ear drops to help soften the wax, such as carbamide peroxide (Debrox Earwax Removal Kit, Murine Ear Wax Removal System).
Ear wax removal, when performed correctly, should not be a painful experience. Micro-suction, administered by Registered Nurses, is a safe, quick, and effective method that usually results in a pain-free experience, offering immediate relief for those suffering from ear wax blockage.
During an office visit, we can remove earwax by using a:
Microsuction is one of the best ways to remove earwax. Once our trained advisers have assessed your ear canal, they'll use a gentle suction device to remove any earwax blockages. This suction device acts like a vacuum cleaner, helping to loosen and remove any impacted earwax.
Professional ear cleaning is needed if your ears have an overproduction of ear wax which has led to earwax impaction, itchiness, pain, or discomfort.
Pain during microsuction
The gentle suction device works in a similar way to a vacuum cleaner, and although it can be quite noisy, it is quick and painless. If the object is hard, a removal can be slightly uncomfortable. The person doing your procedure will always tell you if it's going to be uncomfortable.
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.
Impacted earwax symptoms may include:
Given that excess ear wax can cause problems with hearing, ear wax removal is likely to lead to better hearing, as your ears will no be longer clogged with ear wax. You might experience some side effects like: Dizziness.
Ear wax removal costs typically range from $70 to over $160, depending on the provider (audiologist, specialist), method (microsuction, manual), location, and if you have concessions or health insurance. Audiologists using microsuction often charge around $100-$110, while ENT specialists might cost $150-$300. Some places offer lower fees for pensioners or if no wax is found.
Symptoms of earwax build-up
hearing loss. earache or a feeling that your ears are blocked. ringing or buzzing in your ears (tinnitus) vertigo (feeling dizzy and sick)
For example, if you use cotton swabs to remove earwax, you may push the wax deeper into your canal. Over time, this may cause complete blockage. Hearing aids, swimming plugs, and swim molds can have a similar effect with repeated use.
Simple ear massages can help the wax move naturally out of the ear canal. Professional methods, like ear irrigation, micro-suction, and curette, offer effective solutions for persistent buildup.
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.
Build-up of earwax can block the ear canal (impaction) giving a temporary hearing loss and discomfort and can contribute to outer ear infections (otitis externa). Hearing loss due to impacted wax can be frustrating and stressful and, if untreated, can contribute to social isolation and depression.
Types of Professional Earwax Removal
Micro-suction is a pain-free, gentle process that uses a low pressure suction pump to safely remove earwax from the ear canal. Another way professionals remove excess earwax is through irrigation, which involves flushing the ear canal with water.
Treatment Solutions: Professional Earwax Removal
Aftercare & Precautions
Symptoms of earwax blockage may include:
Known Side-Effects or Risks
Coughing / throat irritation: Some people find that microsuction triggers the need to cough. If possible, try not to cough during the procedure – this moves your head and might result in damage to your ear canal from the probe.
A myringotomy is a procedure to create a hole in the ear drum to allow fluid that is trapped in the middle ear to drain out. The fluid may be blood, pus and/or water. In many cases, a small tube is inserted into the hole in the ear drum to help maintain drainage.
Process: For this method, we use special instruments such as a curette to manually remove the earwax. Experience: This procedure can feel like a mild tickling in your ear. It's a precise method that allows us to remove earwax buildup effectively.