• Ear discomfort - the feeling of fullness or pressure in the ear.

• The feeling of something "clicking" or moving around in the ear.

• Tinnitus - the sensation of "buzzing", "humming" or "clicking" noises within the ears.

• Hearing loss - in extreme cases of wax build up, a conductive hearing loss can occur.

• Ear canal anatomy plays a big part - in relation to bends and the width of the canal, which can cause some ears to be more prone to wax blockages than others. That's 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. This leads to frequent blockages in older people and is a widely known issue in the elderly.

• Hearing aid use can increase wax blockages.

• Genetics pays a role in wax blockages - some people are simply more prone to producing ear wax, while others are not.

• 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, 1-3 times per month.

• Don't over-use wax drops, as they can excessively remove the important natural oils from the canal.

• The method for procedure is as follows: tilt the head to the side and fill up the canal with the wax drop liquid, holding the ear tilted for a further 2 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 procedure does not work after 3 repeats, you will need to have the wax professionally removed by an audiologist or medical professional.

• The best wax drops to use are called "Ear Clear", which comes in both a drop or spray application. It is available at most pharmacies as OTC.

• The short answer to this 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. However, utilising ear drops once or twice a month serves as a more effective way to manage ear wax. Consequently, we do not endorse the use of cotton swabs for ear wax removal.

• If you are experiencing an infection in the ear canal but do not have any of the following symptoms: pain around the ear (external sensitivity), fever, sudden significant-one sided hearing loss, or issues with balance, we advise you to schedule an appointment with us for a removal procedure. Alternatively, if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms above, please book in to see your GP.

• Keep your ears dry—make sure to avoid getting water in your ear canal while showering or swimming.

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

• If you have already seen your doctor and have followed their treatment advice, don't be too concerned, the symptoms will 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's important to book with your GP or audiologist as soon as possible.

This is unlikely. If you experience this, it necessitates immediate medical attention to rule out Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss (SSNHL), which will often include abrupt onset of tinnitus, and/or a feeling of fullness (usually only in one ear).

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