Ear wax removal in Albany and Denmark

In certain rare situations, yes. Although we will verify this during your appointment, please inform your audiologist beforehand if you have previously undergone surgery on your ear canals that is not related to skin cancer removal. Other contraindications that may prevent the procedure include individuals who suffer from chronic vertigo.

Ear discomfort, being the feeling of fullness or pressure in the ear. The feeling of something clicking or moving around in the ear. Tinnitus, being the sensation of buzzing, humming or clicking noises within the ears. And hearing loss, because in severe cases of wax build up a conductive hearing loss can occur.

Ear canal anatomy plays a big part, in relation to the bends and width of the canal, which can make some ears more prone to wax blockages than others. That is why people might find one ear blocks routinely more than the other.

As we age, the body is not as effective at removing wax naturally, which leads to frequent blockages in older people. Hearing aid use can increase wax blockages. Genetics also plays a large role, as some people are simply more prone to producing ear wax.

The best way to manage ear wax is to prevent a blockage occurring in the first place. This can be done by using over-the-counter pharmacy wax drops once a day, 1 to 3 times per month. Do not over-use wax drops, as this can excessively remove the important natural oils from the canal.

The method is as follows: tilt the head to the side and fill the canal with the wax drop liquid, holding the ear tilted for at least 2 to 3 minutes. Once completed, allow some water from your shower head to trickle down the ear canal. This helps loosen and remove the already softened wax. If this does not work after 3 to 4 attempts, you will need to have the wax professionally removed by an audiologist or medical professional.

The short answer is no, it is not. Cotton swabs often push wax deeper into the ear canal, exacerbating the issue. If cotton swabs are used, they should only be applied to the outer entrance of the canal, gently rolling the swab around the area. Using ear drops once or twice a month is a more effective way to manage ear wax, so we do not endorse the use of cotton swabs for ear wax removal.

Middle ear infections can be tricky, as even after medical treatment it is not uncommon for symptoms to take upwards of 3 to 4 months to fully resolve.

If you have already seen your doctor and followed their treatment advice, do not be too concerned, the symptoms will nearly always resolve within a few months. However, if your symptoms worsen as time goes on, such as increasing pain, aural discharge, or you feel your hearing is getting worse, it is important to book with your GP or audiologist as soon as possible.

This is unlikely. If you experience this, it needs immediate medical attention to rule out Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss, which will usually also include the abrupt onset of tinnitus and a feeling of fullness, nearly always in one ear only.

SSNHL is only preventable if early detection occurs with immediate steroid therapy, so if you feel this might be the case, please seek urgent medical attention.