Schedule An Appointment
Trusted Hearing Care for Generations
If you, or someone you love, feel like there’s something in your ears and your ears causing stuffiness, muting sound, or making them ache, the problem could be impacted earwax.
Also called cerumen, earwax is produced in the ear canal in order to attract and capture dirt & dust, as well as prevent irritation and infection thanks to its natural antibacterial and antifungal qualities.
Having a buildup of earwax or impacted earwax can cause things such as dizziness, balance problems, headaches or ear pain. Unfortunately, the most common cause of impacted earwax is home remedy-type ear cleaning, and often involves people using cotton swabs to try to clear out the earwax.
The Myths & Misconceptions Surrounding Earwax
We’ve heard so many myths and treatment suggestions for cleaning out earwax, so we thought we’d talk about some of them here.
"My ears just make too much earwax!"
Nope, most people’s ears make just the right amount of earwax. But, if you clean them too often, it can cause the cells that make the earwax to step up and make more.
"I can just watch some online videos"
Take it from us, these DIY tutorial videos from people who are not experts in audiology, or have any experience in hearing health care are NOT worth your time, and may actually cause more harm than good if followed.
"Q-tips will do the trick"
No they won’t, as they can be very dangerous and are not recommended for proper ear cleaning. They push earwax farther down the ear canal until it gets impacted. This can damage the eardrum irreparably.
"My ears will sort it out themselves"
Ear pain and the feeling that they’re blocking sound are both signs that something is wrong and suggest an intervention is required. Have a professional look into the problem so that you get the right treatment early on.
What Happens At An Earwax Removal Appointment?
We have three Doctors of Audiology trained to perform this service and we’re happy to say that we have been able to remove earwax in 90% of cases without having to refer the person on, which can be a long and expensive process.
We Talk About What You’ve Been Experiencing With Your Ears
So that we can make sure we’re looking after every part of your hearing health, we’ll ask about your symptoms and about any past hearing health difficulties.
We Clean Out All That Earwax
Now for the fun part! We use a curette for earwax extraction, scooping out any buildup that may be present, which can feel like a very mild tickle. Sometimes, if the earwax is very dry, we may need to use some drops to soften the earwax before removing it, which only ads about 5 minutes to the appointment.
Before and After the Removal of Earwax
A diverse group of passionate professionals, each bringing unique skills and experiences to drive innovation and excellence in every project we undertake.
