Our clinics are now open by appointment only. We’re following government guidelines and are constantly updating our services and protocols in-line with these. Please contact us to book an appointment.
How to tell if you have excessive earwax
The main symptoms of an earwax problem are dizziness, ear ache, coughing, a ringing noise in your ear, the feeling that your ear is blocked, or an awareness that you have hearing loss.
Cotton wool buds are not the answer
Many people believe they can remove earwax from their ear canal using cotton wool buds. However, this is not true as the ear canal is narrower than the width of the bud. This means they only serve to aggravate the problem, by pushing wax further down the canal. What’s more, cotton buds can damage the skin inside your ear, especially in the bony portion of the canal, as it’s easy to cause an abrasion.
A safe and simple resolution
At Sevenoaks Hearing, we use state-of-the-art equipment for the removal of earwax, including irrigation and microsuction. So if you think you may be suffering from earwax build up, book your earwax removal today and we can discuss safe removal and alleviate your symptoms.
Once the procedure is complete, your hearing can be amplified by as much as 20db.
Irrigation
Irrigation uses a small nozzle to insert water into your ear and flush out any excess wax. Unlike the old method of syringing, we carefully control the flow of water during irrigation so we can remove your excess wax without discomfort.
The procedure typically lasts between 15 and 30 minutes. Before your wax removal appointment, we recommend that you soften the wax. You should use a single drop of olive oil or Earol® Spray, following the manufacturers’ guidelines. Incorporate this routine into your daily care at least twice a day, ideally for a minimum of five days before your appointment. By following these steps, you can improve the comfort and effectiveness of your wax removal.
Microsuction
As the name suggests, microsuction employs a tiny suction tube to gently remove excess wax from your ear canal. We also use a microscope to target locations where wax has built up.
Because we have a better view of your ear, microsuction is faster than irrigation, typically lasting just a few minutes. Before your wax removal appointment, we recommend that you soften the wax. You should use a single drop of olive oil or Earol® Spray, following the manufacturers’ guidelines. Incorporate this routine into your daily care at least twice a day, ideally for a minimum of five days before your appointment. By following these steps, you can improve the comfort and effectiveness of your wax removal.
As we don’t use water, microsuction is also safe if you have a perforated eardrum.