Wax Removal
Paul Scigala was one of a small group of 4 Hearing Aid Audiologists chosen to be trained by the British Society of Hearing Aid Audiologists (BSHAA) to be Clinical Ear Care Practitioners and then to go on and become BSHAA Clinical Ear Care trainers to help educate and train other Audiologists in this field. Sound Advice Hearing offers a very comprehensive clinical ear care wax removal service, expert ear care and advice on wax management.
What is ear wax?
What should you do about ear wax build up?
What clinical methods are used to remove ear wax?
One of the most frequent ways to remove wax in general practice is by ear irrigation. This is generally a quick and painless procedure but cannot be carried out if the person has had any ear surgery, recent infections or a perforation of the ear drum.
During this procedure, the person sits in a chair and the ear is rinsed with warm water from an electronic irrigator. The wax and water is collected in a small tank which the patient holds under their ear. In the past clinicians used a large metal syringe; however the new electronic irrigators, which have controlled pressures, are gentler and safer. Ear irrigation does make some noise but this is not excessive or uncomfortable. Most people who have irrigation find it to be a fairly pleasant procedure.
Wax can also be removed by micro-suction. This is a less invasive procedure compared to irrigation and can be carried out on people with whom irrigation is not suitable, or for those that prefer not to have water in their ears. For this procedure the ear canal is suctioned via a small nosel connected to a vacuum pump which gently suctions the earwax. The procedure is quick, safe and painless, and doesn’t involve putting water into your ear. Like irrigation, there is some noise but it is not excessive or uncomfortable.
E-suction™ gently vacuums ear wax out of the ear under direct vision using a specially developed iCLEARscope™ endoscope. This provides an alternative method of visualising the ear wax with an endoscope rather than using loupes or an operating microscope commonly used for micro suction
N.B This procedure is currently only performed at our Clinic in Washingborough, Lincolnshire.
Wax may also be removed by a clinician using a headlight / endoscope and instruments. Instrumentation may be used in conjunction with the above procedures to provide an effective method in removing earwax.
