Ear wax removal
Professional ear wax removal in Cardiff, Taff’s Well, & Cowbridge
Professional ear wax removal
If a build-up of ear wax is the cause of your hearing problems, we can perform safe and effective ear wax removal using gentle microsuction or ear irrigation (sometimes referred to as ear syringing or ear cleaning) to get them clear again.
Ear wax build-up isn’t fun and, for some, can cause hearing loss, balance problems, tinnitus, and discomfort. At Cardiff Hearing, we can gently remove any excess ear wax and bring your hearing back to a healthy level.
Our ear wax removal is just £69 for both ears, with FREE follow-up appointments, should we be unable to remove all of the excess wax on your first visit.
Book online today, or contact us for in-clinic appointments in Cardiff, Taff’s Well, and Cowbridge.
Your ear wax removal appointment
We offer ear wax removal appointments at our hearing clinics in Cardiff, Taff’s Well, and Cowbridge. In most cases, our fully qualified hearing care professionals will remove excess wax from your ears using gentle ear microsuction.
Microsuction is a safe and effective form of ear wax removal, which uses a sterile suction tube, connected to a medical vacuum, to gently remove excess wax out of the ear. Where indicated, our qualified professionals may also utilise ear irrigation (sometimes referred to as ear syringing; it still uses water but is gentler and safer than ear syringing), or manual tools to safely remove excess ear wax.
Head-worn, binocular microscopes allow our hearing care professionals to have a clear view of the ear canal and eardrum at all times during the ear wax removal process, which usually takes between 15-30 minutes to complete.
Occasionally, a variety of problems can make you feel like your ears are blocked with wax when there isn’t any excess wax to remove. In such cases, where possible, our hearing care experts will examine your ears, provide a hearing screen, and, where appropriate, offer you a full diagnostic hearing test referral.
Should we find any signs of pathology or ear infection, we will either request a referral to ENT from your GP, or ask you to book an appointment with your GP for treatment and/or medical opinion, as appropriate.
All of our ear wax removal is performed by fully trained and experienced clinicians, so you can be sure your ear health is in the safest hands possible. Please note that where we find that there is no excess wax to remove, you will only be charged a £35 consultation fee.
Before your appointment
To get the best out of your ear wax removal appointment, we want to ensure that we can comfortably remove as much excess wax from your ears as possible. To do this, your ear wax needs to be nice and soft.
We will therefore ask you to “marinate your ear wax”, by applying medical grade olive oil drops to your ears for approximately 2-3 days before your ear wax removal appointment. Don’t worry – should we be unable to remove all of your excess ear wax on your first visit, follow-up appointments are FREE!
Learn more about how marinating your ear wax properly can ensure successful removal.
Ear wax removal FAQs
Find the answers to some of our most frequently asked questions about microsuction ear wax removal, ear irrigation, and ear syringing.
At Cardiff Hearing, our ear wax removal is just £69 for both ears. We also offer FREE follow-up appointments, should we be unable to remove all of your excess ear wax on your first visit.
When clients come to us with the symptoms of ear wax build-up, occasionally we may find that there isn’t any excess wax to remove. In such cases, you will only be charged a £35 consultation fee and, where possible, our hearing care experts will examine your ears, provide a hearing health screen and, where appropriate, offer you a full diagnostic hearing test referral.
When performed by an appropriately trained professional, microsuction ear wax removal is accepted as the safest and most effective method of ear wax removal, and is suitable for all kinds of ears, including those that have undergone surgery.
Unlike ear syringing, no liquids or chemicals are put into your ears during microsuction. This means that there is a lot less mess and the procedure has fewer risks associated with it.
Microsuction also allows your audiologist or registered nurse to use a head-worn microscope, providing a clear view of the ear canal and eardrum, and good depth of vision at all times during the ear wax removal process.
Appropriately trained professionals have the skills and experience to perform microsuction safely. However, it’s worth noting that, being unregulated, ear wax removal services may be advertised by those who do not hold an appropriate clinical qualification.
Ear syringing uses a syringe and water to clean your ears of excess wax. You can’t control the water pressure during ear syringing, meaning that the procedure poses a greater risk of perforating an eardrum. Ear syringing is not used in any of our clinics.
Ear irrigation also uses water to clean your ears of wax, but uses controlled pressure that gently and safely pulses water into your ears, allowing safe and comfortable ear wax removal.
Yes, our senior paediatric audiologist, Sonja Jones, is able ear wax removal for children aged six years and older, at our Taff’s Well hearing clinic.
Whilst many may regard children as simply being mini humans, their ear anatomy is a little different to that of adults and so careful consideration of this is required when completing ear wax removal on children.
Ear wax removal should only be performed on children by experienced clinicians with paediatric training, which is why it may be hard for you to find an appointment privately for this treatment. Our clinical director, Sonja Jones, is a qualified clinical audiologist and hearing aid dispenser and has been a senior paediatric audiologist in a variety of community paediatric centres across England for many years.
When working with children, we not only have to consider their wider health and development but we must work with safety as our top priority. If it is deemed clinically necessary to remove ear wax, i.e., your child is mishearing and so it is affecting their academic achievement, or they are in pain, then wax removal will be completed, providing your child can remain calm and still. If your little one finds the process scary or is too wriggly, it may not be safe to proceed and we can suggest alternative treatments.
Occasionally, a variety of problems can make you feel like your ears are blocked with wax when there isn’t any excess wax to remove. In such cases, your child may need further audiological assessment, and we will discuss the private and NHS options available you.
We would always advise that you have any known ear infection treated before seeking ear wax removal. You may find that treating the ear infection resolves any symptoms that you’re experiencing.
Should we identify an ear infection during your ear wax removal appointment, we will remove as much wax as is safely possible, and then refer you to your GP to obtain suitable treatment.
During your ear wax removal consultation at Cardiff Hearing, our fully trained clinical audiologists and nurses will always examine your ears using an otoscope.
If we identify any signs of pathology that we have concerns about, even if it’s something as basic as an ear infection, we will either (depending on the circumstance) write directly to your GP requesting a referral to ENT, or we will provide you with the full information and ask you to book an appointment with your GP for treatment and/or medical opinion, as appropriate.