3 Things to Expect When Having Your Earwax Professionally Removed

For audiologists, cleaning a patient’s excessive earwax is a routine procedure, one that they do on a regular basis. It’s the safest and most effective way to do it, as trying to do it at home, especially with tools like cotton buds, can often make things worse, such as by pushing the earwax deeper in.

Your audiologist will be able to help you clear any excessive earwax without issue and can get rid of blocked earwax and the symptoms associated with it, such as a feeling of fullness and itchiness. Routine cleanings can also help you prevent excessive earwax from becoming a recurring problem if you tend to produce more than most. While it is a fairly simple procedure for your audiologist, knowing what to expect can help you be a little more comfortable, so here are three parts of the treatment you can anticipate.

Cleaning the Earwax Manually

After you have filled in any necessary paperwork and answered any questions that your audiologists have, they are likely to take a look inside the ear with the help of an otoscope. They may use some eardrops to soften up the blockage at first. For mild blockages, they might use manual tools, which can resemble long, thin scoops that they carefully use to dig out the ear wax that is causing the blockage. This is done safely with the help of lights and magnifying tools that allow them to see exactly where their tool is and what they’re doing.

Applying Some Suction

Your audiologist may use a vacuum to clear your earwax. This instrument are long, thin tubes that are gently and slowly extended into the ear. They provide just enough suction to suck out the earwax after it has been softened with the right drops. They’re typically used for mild to severe blockages, where the manual tools mentioned above might not be enough to dislodge it alone.

Irrigation Techniques

For blockages that are more severe and earwax impactions that cannot be treated with suction tools and manual scoops alone, irrigation is likely to be the solution of choice. Irrigation tools use pressurized waters, which can mixed with oils specifically chosen for their ability to break down earwax. These are used to flush out the ear. It can be an odd feeling to have the liquid flushing in and out of the ear, but it is very effective and likely to dislodge earwax buildups. What’s more, irrigation can also clean your ear of any dust or bacteria that might have been trapped by the earwax, preventing infection.

Make an Appointment

If you notice you have a build-up of earwax call an audiologist to arrange an ear cleaning. All you have to do is call and set an appointment. They can take care of it from there. An audiologist will help you to find the right treatment when you need your ears cleaned. Hopefully, the information above gives you a better idea of what to expect.