Gain Your Hearing Back
Micro suction uses a tiny medical hoover to delicately lift the wax from the ear canal. We’ve invested in a high powered (20x magnification!) microscope, the type commonly used by ENT consultants. This means we can see the ear canal in detail throughout the procedure.
If you think you may have a problem with ear wax, it’s not a good idea to try physically removing it yourself, especially using a cotton bud: it’s highly likely that you’ll push the wax deeper into your ear or even damage your eardrum. In some cases, the problem can be solved at home, simply by using something to soften the wax – almond or olive oil from a pharmacy, for example – thus allowing the ear to deal with the blockage naturally. If this is ineffective, you should consult a professional to have the wax removed. Click the link for advice on treatment
we can remove excessive ear wax at a cost of £65. If you do not receive Microsuction then we charge a Consultation Fee of £20.
Treatment
Microsuction uses an illuminated microscope and a medical suction device to remove the wax straight from the ear canal, and is widely accepted as the safest and most comfortable method. Patients usually prefer this for several reasons:
- Since no liquids are used, it involves no mess.
- The practitioner is able to see exactly what’s happening in the ear canal, helping make this the safest method of removing wax.
- It is generally more comfortable than syringing.
- Being a safer and gentler process than syringing, it can be repeated more often, making it ideal for people who suffer regularly from excessive wax.
- It can be performed safely on patients for whom syringing is not an option: those with perforated eardrums or who have a history of ear surgery.
Castle Hearing provides a wax removal service by microsuction at our Dumfries clinic. Our state-of-the-art facilities ensure a safe, comfortable environment, where our audiologists can perform an examination and offer professional, impartial advice on the health of your ears. If appropriate, we can remove excessive ear wax at a cost of £65. If you do not receive Microsuction then we charge a Consultation Fee of £20.
We routinely take before and after photographs by video otoscopy, allowing you to see the results for yourself.
Phone us or fill out an online form to book a consultation today.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q. Do I need to use oil in my ears before having microsuction?
A. Putting a few drops of olive oil or almond oil in your ears 3 times a day, two days prior to your appointment is often recommended. Administering the oil before the procedure will effectively remove the wax more quicker and easier.
Q. Who will carry out the procedure?
A. Not all audiologists are qualified to perform wax removal. At Castle Hearing, our audiologists have undergone further training and certification to enable them to provide this service, ensuring our clients receive professional advice and safe, effective practice.
Q. Although I have frequent problems with ear wax, my GP has said that it’s inadvisable to have my ears syringed too regularly. Is this also true for microsuction?
A. With syringing, the stream of water inevitably has to hit the eardrum, which is a sensitive and delicate structure. Some estimates suggest that syringing causes in the region of 10,000 perforations each year in the UK. With microsuction, the suction probe doesn’t have to go near the eardrum: it attaches to the blockage, allowing it to be drawn directly out of the ear. This means less physical trauma, making the procedure more comfortable and safer to repeat regularly. It also makes microsuction a safer option for those with permanent perforations or a history of ear surgery.
Q. My friend went to an alternative therapist to have her ear wax removed using a ‘Hopi candle’. Would you recommend this?
A. Unfortunately there’s a distinct lack of clinical information on the effectiveness of Hopi candles for removing ear wax. Anecdotal evidence seems to indicate that they are essentially harmless, but there seems to be a question mark over how successful the treatment is. The candle consists of a cloth tube which has been impregnated with beeswax or paraffin wax. The tapered end of this is inserted into the ear canal and the other end is lit, the theory being that the flame melts the ear wax and creates negative pressure in the canal which draws the wax out into the candle, appearing as a brown deposit after the procedure. However, it is commonly asserted that this deposit is actually part of the candle itself, since limited experiments seem to show that it appears regardless of whether the candle is burned while inserted in an ear or not. It’s also unlikely that any practitioner of this treatment would be able to offer video otoscopy to prove that the ear wax has actually been removed.