Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Many people are familiar with irrigation (also known as ear syringing), but have never experienced microsuction (also known as ear wax suction) and naturally want to know more about this procedure. Here are some frequently asked questions about microsuction:
- Where Can I Get Microsuction Near Me?
- Do I Need A Medical Referral?
- What Is The Difference Between Microsuction and Syringing/Irrigation
- Does Microsuction Hurt?
- How Successful Is Microsuction?
- How Much Does Microsuction Cost?
- Is Microsuction Completely Safe?
- Do You Offer Dry Instrument Removal?
- Will Microsuction Definitely Restore My Hearing?
- Can Microsuction Cure My Tinnitus?
- Can I Get Free Microsuction On The NHS?
- Can Children Have Microsuction?
Where Can I Get Ear Wax Removal Near Me?
At the Microsuction Earwax Removal Network, we currently have 8 clinics around London and Hertfordshire, with plans to open more clinics in London, Surrey, Essex, Kent and Berkshire later this year.
Our ear wax removal clinic locations are:
Central London
North London
West London
Northwest London
Hertfordshire
Do I Need A Medical Referral For Microsuction?
If you take the NHS route, you will need a medical referral from your GP to have microsuction performed in a hospital Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) clinic. As this costs the practice a lot of money, they may be reluctant to refer you on your first visit, and many GP practices have a protocol whereby they will recommend olive oil drops for 2 weeks, and if that doesn’t work change it to sodium bicarbonate drops for a further two weeks, and if that doesn’t work, change it to hydrogen peroxide or urea peroxide to two weeks before referring to the next stage. Depending on where you are, waiting times for microsuction on the NHS may range from 6 weeks to 6 months. Apart from these stronger ear drops possibly making the ear sore, many people can’t wait 12 weeks or more to be able to hear again.
The alternative is to self-refer yourself to one of our clinics. You can book an appointment online here, or call us on 0800 1 337 987. We can often see you on the same day.
What Is The Difference Between Microsuction And Syringing?
Syringing uses a syringe to squirt water into the ear, while irrigation uses an electric irrigation pump. A small handheld magnifier with a built in light called an otoscope is used to locate the ear wax blockage. The idea is that by squirting water past the wax blockage the water pressure will build up behind the wax and push it out. As the ear is full of water during the flushing process, it is not possible for the nurse to accurately see what is happening throughout the whole procedure. It is usually necessary to loosen the wax by applying olive oil for around two weeks prior to an irrigation procedure to make sure that the wax comes out easily. In a way, the method is slightly counter-intuitive as you want to get the wax out, but they push high pressure water in in the hope of getting the wax out. No wonder some people call the irrigation method “spray and pray”. The danger is that wax can get pushed further into the ear canal.
Also, if there is a complete blockage, it is not possible to examine the ear drum for a potential perforation or middle ear infection before performing an irrigation procedure. Irrigation should never be performed when the ear drum has been previously perforated, when the ear drum is currently perforated, or if there is a current or recent middle ear infection. Doing so could re-perforate a previously perforated ear drum, or perforated an ear drum that is weakened from a middle ear infection. Then water and ear wax can get flushed past the perforated ear drum into the middle ear, causing pain, dizziness and ear infection.
When an irrigation procedure goes well, it can provide instant relief, however when it goes wrong, some of the potential side effects are:
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