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Why Do We Have Earwax?

Ear wax (medical name cerumen) is made by specialised glands in the outer two thirds of the ear canal. It helps protect the ear by moisturising the skin in the ear canal, providing a physical barrier against infection, and by being acidic it has antibacterial properties. Because it is sticky, it helps to catch dust, pollen and small insects and prevent them from establishing themselves in your ears! The skin in your ear canal grows differently to the skin that covers the rest of our body, and grows along the ear canal from the ear drum to the canal entrance. It acts like a conveyor belt, bringing the ear wax, and any dust, pollen or other debris with it, out of the ear. This way, the ear canal cleans itself naturally.

Why Do Ear Wax Blockages Happen?

Typically, ear wax blocks the ear canal and becomes impacted when it is pushed back against the natural outward movement that is part of the natural cleaning process. This can be done using cotton buds, matchsticks, paper clips, rolled up tissue, hair pins amongst other objects. Other causes of ear wax impaction can be narrow or winding ear canals, excessive, excessively dry or excessively sticky ear wax production. Everybody has an S bend in their ear canals – this is to reduce the chance of twigs and other objects from perforating the ear drum. However, ear wax can build up on very sharp bends in the canal. Where the ear canal is very narrow, there is less space for ear wax to accumulate, and this can lead to frequent ear wax blockages. Excessive, sticky, or dry ear wax production can also lead to impacted ear wax. The most obvious symptom of a blocked ear is a partial or total loss of hearing, but other symptoms can include pain, itching, a feeling of fullness, or hissing, whooshing, buzzing or ringing sounds.

How To Get Rid Of Ear Wax

Unfortunately, the size and shape of your ear canal, as well as the amount and type of ear wax is genetically determined. In order to reduce ear wax build up we recommend applying one squirt of Earol (a sterile, sealed olive oil spray) into each ear once or twice a week. If you have a blocked ear, we recommend you apply two squirts of Earol twice or three times a day for three or four days and then attend one of our expert microsuction ear wax removal clinics. You can book an appointment at our london microsuction ear wax removal clinic here. Please don’t put cotton wool in after applying Earol, as it will just absorb the olive oil and stop it from doing its work. We don’t recommend self-syringing as this can push the ear wax further into your ear. We particularly recommend you avoid ear candles, as these do not remove ear wax and can potentially cause serious problems. We have an article on ear candles and their pitfalls here.

If you’d like to read about the various methods of ear wax removal, including syringing and microsuction, we have an article on different ear wax removal methods here.

If You Wear Hearing Aids

If you wear hearing aids, to prevent oil and wax from blocking up your hearing aids just apply the Earol at night, and then wipe out the entrance of your ear canal with a tissue in the morning before you put your hearing aids in. You’ll ideally need to use Earol for five to eight days before your microsuction appointment.

Ear Wax Microsuction In London

So, after reading the above if you have wax in your ear and would like it removed safely without any water being syringed or jetted into your ear, you may want to choose to have your ears microsuctioned.

We provide the most affordable ear wax microsuction service in London, provided by HCPC-registered Audiologists. We take payment for the appointment up front – we are sorry that we have to do this, but many patients have booked and not turned up, which is frustrating for other patients who cannot get an appointment.

Our Audiologist will inspect your ears using surgical loupes or an otoscope to determine whether your ear canals are full of wax and if microsuction is therefore necessary.

If there is no ear wax, we will give you advice and/or a hearing test as appropriate.

If there is wax, we will remove the ear wax expertly using a low power medical suction unit with a tiny, sterile 2 mm suction tube on the end. This is so gentle, it feels like barely even a kiss on the cheek. Sometimes, despite applying Earol for several days, the ear wax is too stubborn to be removed by microsuction, so we may use special disposable instruments, such as a Jobson Horne Probe, or a St Barts or Rosen Cerumen Hook. Whatever method we use, you safety is our top priority at all times. If you would like to book a microsuction appointment in London, click here.

We never use a Propulse Ear Irrigator, which has now largely replaced the ear syringe, as according to the British Medical Journal (article here) irrigation or syringing is associated with a high risk of complications, such as failure of wax removal or further impaction of the wax, ear infection, trauma to the ear canal, or perforation of the ear drum. Other complications of syringing that have been reported are pain, tinnitus, vertigo (dizziness), and loss of balance or hearing.