COVID-19 Update
We are currently unable to offer Ear Syringing to our patients as it is an Aerosol Generating Procedure and carries a high risk of infection transmission.
If you are having problems with a build up of ear wax, please speak to a pharmacist who may be able to provide over the counter treatments.
***** Please note that ear syringing has been paused due to the pandemic and has not yet restarted. We are keeping this under regular review and will restart this service as soon as it is safe to do so. *****
Ear syringing or irrigating is the process of flushing out the ears with water in an attempt to remove the build up of ear wax.
This process is lengthy but should be relatively painless. It may be a nurse or healthcare assistant that performs the procedure.
Before having ear wax removed it is important to know the following;
- Ear wax is natural and will fall out naturally if left to do so.
- Olive or Almond oil should be a first line treatment to soften the ear wax and allow it to expel itself naturally
- DO NOT stick anything in your ears to try and remove the ear wax. This can push it into the ear further and compact it making it more difficult to expel.
- There is no evidence that ear candles or vacuuming removes ear wax
- There is no way to prevent ear wax from building up, however you can use olive or almond oil regularly to help it fall out naturally