What is Ear Wax?
Ear wax is completely normal and is produced to protect our ears from dirt, debris and germs. As it does a great job at protecting our ears, we should leave ear wax well alone if it is not causing us any problems.
However, sometimes ear wax can build up and an excess can cause problems in the ears. When this happens, you may want to think about ear wax removal.
There are two common methods of ear wax removal; ear irrigation (or syringing) and microsuction. Ear irrigation involves rinsing the ear with warm water through an electronic irrigator. Microsuction is where a small instrument is used to suction the ears.
Ear wax often drops out naturally, but in some circumstances it can build up and create blocked ears. There are a number of reasons why you might be more likely to get blocked ears that need ear wax removal.
- You may have narrow or hairy ear canals
- Age
- You may naturally produce a lot of ear wax
- If you regularly put things in your ears, this may push wax back into your ear
Ear wax removal can help with the earache, hearing difficulties and itchiness associated with blocked ears. Ear wax removal can also help with more serious issues such as dizziness, ear infections and high pitched sounds if they are linked to blocked ears.
Please note that not all AIHHP members offer wax removal for under 19yr olds - please check before you book an appointment.
