Earwax Removal in Aberdeen & Inverness

Cerumen, also known as earwax, is naturally produced by the glands in the ears to lubricate the ear canals and keep dust and debris from getting too far down in the ear canal. It is actually a good thing to have in your ears, people who don't have it tend to suffer with itchy ears.

Earwax typically clears itself from the ears, but in some instances can accumulate and cause a blockage.

Symptoms of an earwax blockage include:

• Earache
• Tinnitus (noise in the ear)
• Hearing loss
• Ear pressure

If an earwax blockage occurs, it will probably need to be removed. 

How Not to Remove Earwax Buildup

People commonly use cotton swabs to try and remove earwax or dislodge a blockage. However, this can sometimes cause more problems as cotton swabs may push the blockage further down into the ear canal, risking even more damage to the ear.

Cotton swabs themselves can also be accidentally inserted too far into the ear canal and can potentially damage your ear, including the possibility of rupturing your eardrum.

the medical profession generally agree that cotton swabs are a bad idea for removing earwax and should only be used on the outer portions of your ear. You should never insert cotton swabs or any small object into your ear canal.

Earwax Removal at our Offices in Aberdeen & Inverness

If the earwax blockage is significant, it may need to be removed in our office. There are two methods to remove earwax that we use, irrigation, microsuction or curettage.

Irrigation Earwax Removal

Irrigation is the most common method used to remove earwax blockages.We can also use the irrigation method for people who are more comfortable with it. We use a spray type ear wash machine, which is commonly used in the medical setting. The irrigation solution is carefully warmed to body temperature, as dizziness can be a common side effect of ear washing or syringing with solutions that are colder or warmer than body temperature. Any other temperature may cause temporary vertigo.

We use the spray type ear washer to gently stream water into the ear. For children the rate and speed that we use is lower.The procedure is simple, we pull the external ear up and back gently, aim the nozzle of the sprayer slightly upwards and backwards so that the water flows along the roof of the ear canal. The irrigation solution flows out of the canal along its floor taking wax and debris with it. Irrigation may need to be repeated a couple of times. When the wax has been removed we use a special mopping apparatus to dry out the ear canal.

Microsuction Earwax Removal

We have now introduced microsuction earwax removal services to our Practice. As part of our commitment to offering cutting edge care to our Patients we were committed to offering this service. We have now finished our qualification procedures and the service is up and running.

Why Microsuction?

Microsuction is the safest most comfortable method of earwax removal, no liquids are introduced during the procedure which is undertaken with a microscope and a finely balanced medical suction device. The fact that we can clearly see the ear canal and what we are doing makes it exceptionally safe. with no liquids involved it is especially comfortable for a Patient and it is usually undertaken in a few minutes. 

The less common method is curettage, which involves the use of a curette. A curette is a long, curved tool that is used along with suction to gently scrape cerumen the ear canal, removing the blockage.

If you experience pain or discomfort as a result of earwax, or suspect you have a blockage, it's important that you come and see us as soon as possible to address the issue. Removing earwax doesn't have to be painful and should bring you relief.