Cerumen Management
Your ears are self-cleaning, and earwax is a healthy normally occurring substance that is made to protect the ear. However, if your earwax is not causing symptoms like hearing loss or blocking your ear canal, it is better left alone.
Prior to your ear wax removal appointment it is recommended to insert oil (baby, olive or mineral) or over-the-counter ear drops from the pharmacy to help soften the wax, allowing for an easier removal. In most cases, earwax comes out on its own, and there is no need to remove it. However, if earwax is blocking your ear canal and your ear feels full or plugged, it may require removal using one of methods listed below.
Method 1: Manual Instrumentation (Mechanical removal)
Minimally invasive, simple and painless, specialized instruments such as plastic or metal curette and forceps can be used to manually remove ear wax that is easily accessible and sitting closer to the opening of the ear canal.
Method 2: Irrigation
A procedure that uses a low-pressure irrigation system to flush the wax out of the ear canal using body temperature water. Low-pressure irrigation is safe and effective at removing wax and will not cause trauma to the eardrum. Under the gentle force of the water, the earwax is softened and dislodged, and the wax is carried out of the ear. Irrigation is not used if there is a perforation (hole) in the ear drum, a tube is present, there is a patient history of middle ear trauma or disease, an ear infection, or with patients who experience vertigo.
Method 3: Microsuction /Vacuuming
This type of wax removal method is commonly called ear vacuuming. Along with a loupe (converged binocular vision glasses), the clinician uses a tiny vacuum to gently suction and dislodge the wax in the ears. During the procedure the patient can feel a slight suction sensation in the ear and will also hear a crackling or high-pitched squeaking sound being emitted from the vacuum. Once the ear wax has been dislodged, the clinician will remove the wax with a pair of forceps.
Ear wax removal side effects
Some patients may experience one or more of the following temporary side effects after having wax removed: Dizziness/Vertigo, Echo, Mild feeling of fullness due to the use of water in the irrigation method, Perforation of the eardrum, Otitis externa (inflammation, redness or swelling in the external ear canal), Damage to the ear canal, Pain, Tinnitus, and Bleeding.
Considerations before ear wax removal
- Individuals taking blood thinners and require wax removal, must be aware of a higher probability of bleeding in the ears.
- If you have a history of ear surgery, tubes, or eardrum perforations, don’t use at-home techniques to remove wax from your ears, seek guidance from a medical professional as you could inadvertently exacerbate these issues.
It’s better to be safe than sorry. So when in doubt, seek advice and assistance from an Audiologist, primary care physician, or an Otolaryngologist.