Ear Wax Removalin Central London

Ear Wax Removal

Ear wax buildup leading to ‘blocked ears’ can cause discomfort, muffled hearing, and even pain, making everyday activities inconvenient and frustrating.

For most people, excess ear wax will naturally fall out. Some people, however, produce too much wax that can build up and cause problems, such as hearing loss or tinnitus. The tendency to have waxy ears can be influenced by genetics, older age or the shape of the ear canal, and is often exacerbated using cotton buds, ear plugs or hearing aids. 

If you think you might have a wax build-up, you can try removing it with olive oil drops from a pharmacy, these can help the ear to self-clean by softening the wax so that it falls out naturally. This usually takes 1-2 weeks.

If this doesn’t help, you don’t want to wait, or your symptoms are causing you pain or complete hearing loss, you should make an appointment with an ear care specialist for removal.

There are two main methods of removal: Microsuction and Irrigation. 

What is Microsuction?

Microsuction is a safe and effective method for ear wax removal, offering a few key benefits over traditional methods.

No water or liquids are used during the process, reducing the risk of infection and making it suitable for most individuals, including those with perforated eardrums. 

The procedure involves using a gentle suction device to remove impacted ear wax. There is a wind-like noise when the probe is in the ear canal; some people find this makes them need to cough. If the wax is soft, a sucking, or cracking sound can be heard as the debris is sucked up into the tube. If the wax is hard, it can be a little uncomfortable, but not painful. If tinnitus is present due to the ear canal being blocked, this is often alleviated when the blockage is cleared. The procedure usually lasts between 10 and 20 minutes. 

What is Ear Irrigation?

Ear irrigation, formerly known as syringing, uses lukewarm water to dislodge softened plugs of ear wax, which then fall out with the water.

The device uses an electrical pump that directs a gentle pulse of water behind the wax. It is generally a painless procedure, although it can feel a bit strange. If ear wax is hard, there is an increased risk of perforation, so it is essential that you pre-soften the wax by using ear drops 2-3 times a day for at least 5 days prior to your appointment. 

Ear irrigation isn’t suitable for everyone, this includes those with a known perforation, grommets in situ, past ear surgery or a current or recent ear infection.

Our Patients Speak for Us

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Grace G

The travel nurse was lovely and very efficient with giving me vaccines. She even took the time to nurse a wound I had whilst I was there. Really great care.

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Chris Starling

Always an excellent service whether on personal or business matter. The team go out of their way to be helpful and accommodate needs and treat each matter with importance whilst taking a pragmatic and responsive approach to situations to put patients first.

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Nicholas Grundy

I recently sought treatment at Fleet Street Clinic for painful ears; I was quickly diagnosed by Dr Hartmann. He prescribed ear drops and arranged an appointment for me a week later with Lucy Mildren. Within a week my ears were better. Everything was very efficient and I was treated with care and skill.

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Jenny Gibson

We booked, we arrived and we had our vaccines. Everything as expected. What really stood out was the level of medical advice from the nurse giving us our injections. It was explained very clearly to us to the level of protection our vaccine would give. As this was a new vaccine the results of medical trials were also highlighted. There was no push to sell more products, just clear advice on what to avoid and what to do to prepare for our trip to the Far East.

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David Butler

Very easy to set up the appointment, warm and professional welcome - very transparent medical advice on a vaccine. They were all fabulous!

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P Croft

I went for a covid booster vaccination and my experience was excellent. I arrived 10 minutes early for my appointment, the lady doing it (Lucy) immediately swallowed the last of her doughnut and took me through. She put me at my ease by chatting pleasantly while she prepared things, and then the jab itself was so quick and painless – I literally didn’t feel a thing, including her applying the plaster afterwards! It was a first class experience, all in the delightful setting of the quaint shop in historic Fleet Street.

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Charles Lee

Fleet Street were excellent. Saw me at short notice and provided a good diagnosis of my condition. Their prescriptions were on the money because my infected ear began to clear up soon afterwards.

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Connie

After I was let down with little notice by another pharmacy, I called Fleet Street Clinic and was booked in for the next day for my remaining travel jabs. Staff were very welcoming, professional and efficient. I had a great experience and would highly recommend using their travel vaccination services. The prices are very competitive and they had stock of the rabies vaccine when it was out of stock elsewhere!

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Vlad Cochintoiu

Had a great experience booking and getting a last minute rapid rabies jab with Fleet Street Clinic! They even booked me in out of hours for my jab because it was the only way to do it before my travels! Thank you to everyone who assisted me.

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Mr Richard Butcher

I attended the Clinic for two dengue vaccinations. Unlike some other clinics, there was no upper age restriction. The staff were extremely polite, friendly and knowledgeable. I was very impressed (and I have never written that in a review before now!).

FAQs

Although microsuction can remove hard, impacted earwax, it is much more comfortable and effective if the wax is pre-softened.

If irrigation is used, it is essential that wax is pre-softened. 

We recommend medicated olive oil ear drops to soft the wax pre-treatment.

We recommend that you use medicated olive oil drops, once per day in the affected ear and repeat for five days before your appointment.

Allow the olive oil drops to sit in your ear for 10 minutes, while lying on your side. 

Microsuction may feel a little uncomfortable, especially if the wax is hard. To ease any discomfort, we recommend pre-softening the wax with olive oil drops.

Ear irrigation isn’t painful, but it is a very strange sensation that some people find uncomfortable.

It is important you keep your ears dry for at least 24 hours, ideally 48 hours, after the procedure.

Avoid using cotton buds or putting anything in your ears to scratch.

Some people develop inflammation in the ear canal which can be itchy. 

Some people may require, or choose, to have their earwax removed at regular intervals. Typically these people make a visit every 6-12 months.

Alternatively, you could try using olive oil drops on a regular basis, perhaps once per week, to help keep the problem at bay.

The procedure can last up to 20 minutes for both ears – wax can sometimes be stubborn to remove.

Our nurse will let you know if any follow up treatment is advised. This can sometimes be the cause for large build ups or stubborn hard wax.

Yes, you can have microsuction with an ear infection.

It’s likely that a build-up of wax is complicating the infection, so it’s important to remove it to allow for effective treatment.

It’s worth bearing in mind that pain from the ear infection may make the procedure too uncomfortable to continue. Do let your clinician know if the treatment is painful and they can advise on the most appropriate steps to take in this case.

Yes, but only via microsuction. Those with perforated eardrums must not have their ears irrigated with water.

It is possible, but at Fleet Street Clinic we do not see children under the age of 18 for this procedure.

As with any medical procedure, both irrigation and microsuction carry a small risk of adverse events and side effects:  

  • Dizziness. Some people experience a feeling of vertigo. This temporary side effect can happen with both microsuction and irrigation and will pass quickly after the procedure. 
  • Irritation or damage. Both procedures can cause minor discomfort or irritation in the ear canal, but this is generally mild and resolves quickly. If the wax is hard, the act of pulling it out of the canal can also cause microabrasions or bleeding. The risk of perforation from either procedure is very small; the least risky of the two is microsuction. 
  • Infection. The ear canal may be prone to infection for 4 to 5 days after your procedure, until more wax is produced to protect it. All tools used with microsuction are single use and discarded after each procedure making the chance of infection extremely remote. 
  • Hearing changes. Temporary tinnitus, or ringing in the ears, is another possible side effect of the procedure and occurs in approximately 5% cases. This usually resolves within a few hours to a few days. In rare cases, it can also cause temporary hearing loss.