About Us

We are a team of audiologists with over 10 years of experience in micro suction earwax removal and have been ENT trained to conduct the procedure safely and efficiently for all our patients.  We cover clinics all across the West Midlands and dedicate ourselves to ensuring best practice in microsuction procedures.  We also train fellow audiologists at our training school providing ear wax removal qualifications and certification for colleagues wanting to add this to a skill set in their practices.

 

At the Ear Wax Specialist , we pride ourselves on providing exemplary customer care and satisfaction, and use the latest state of the art equipment in helping our patients with their ear-related issues.  Please do take the time to read our reviews to help you feel at ease when you choose the experts in earcare.

Micro suction wax removal

Micro suction ear wax removal is the gold standard of ear wax removal. It offers a safer and more gentle way to remove ear wax than traditional irrigation methods. The technique involves using a endoscopic microscope or TTL surgical loupes and a medical suction aspirator with a suction pen.The procedure is quick and painless – it can take as little as a few minutes to extract the wax safely from the ear.

How to prepare for micro suction

Although micro-suction requires very little intervention we always advise a few drops of olive oil in the ear to help soften the wax. We often find the softer the wax  the easier it is to remove out of the ear.  However in saying that the over use of drops can turn the wax in to a viscous sticky liquid in the ear which can slide on to the eardrum so try not to use drops excessively.

We would recommend olive oil drops for 1-2  days or Otex  but this is dependant very much on an individual to individual basis

What about water irrigation methods?

We also provide water irrigation for the ears. For some patients microsuction is not always stable especially when dealing with particularly soft wax as a consequence of over use of drops. In such cases we use the irrigation method which involves the controlled pressure of water at body temperature in the ear in order to remove stubborn deposits of wax which deposit themselves on th eardrum. Your clinician will determine which would be the better procedure on the day of the appointment

How do earwax removal drops work?

Ear wax removal drops usually peroxide based including name brands like Otex and Sodium bicarbonate drops are great for breaking down hard abrasive wax in the ear ready for ear wax removal. In some instances they can break down wax sufficiently to the extent were by earwax removal may not be required as the wax has sufficiently dissolved, however we find that this in most cases depends on the size of the cavity. We usually deal with a lot of cases were by the wax has turned in to a semi liquid which slides down the ear canal and settles on the drum completely sealing the canal. and causing complete deafness, our advise is to use drops for 2-3 days before coming in for an earwax removal

Who should i go to for ear wax removal?

We always advice a qualified Audiologist or a practitioner nurse with experience in ear nose and throat. Any other practitioner with a background not in Audiology simply wont have the experience to deal with complex difficult cases and you usually want a audiologist with 100’s of ear wax removal procedures under their belt. We say this because unfortunately due to the unregulated nature of the training you could potentially be having a invasive procedure undertaken by a non audiologist with no previous experience in audiological medicine.

When to get ear wax removal?

Every PX is different and every circumstance we see is different. Some px’s need regular ear wax removal every 6-12 months however it is difficult to identify when a px requires it as they usually cannot see inside their ears to establish of they need to bring forward intervention.
A good trick would be to buy a small ear endoscope which can be purchased from Amazon for £5-10 pounds which will allow you to look in you ears regularly and gage when it might be a good idea to come in to have wax removed rather then wait for ears to completely block.

Are ear wax removal tools safe to use?

We would not recommend Q Twists, hopi ear candles or any of its derivatives as we have found these to cause wax to be pushed right to the back of the ear.  This can cause the eardrum to perforate or at the very least cause trauma to the ear.

Is ear wax removal painful?

Ear wax removal using micro suction is far safer than the old ear syringing method and is now the preferred method of choice under the current NICE guidelines. That said sometimes as you remove the wax from the cavity you do feel a slight tugging as the ear wax is removed. Generally speaking you rarely feel any discomfort and the procedure does not take any longer than 5 minutes per ear.

Can ear wax removal help with Vertigo?

Ear wax removal can help with vertigo. Your balance organ (vestibular saccule) is connected to your ears and any blockage of the ear canal can affect the compliance of your eardrum and in turn affect middle ear pressure which can make you disorientated and cause vertigo. We often find when removing ear wax from the eardrum itself px can suddenly become very dizzy as the pressure is released of the eardrum which can cause some very temporary rotary dizziness which lasts for a 1-2 mins before fatiguing.

How much does Ear Wax Removal cost?

The price varies depending on your location

Kings heath – £40/60

Sutton – £50/70

Solihull – £40/60

cost varies dependant on location rates

Can ear wax cause tinnitus, headaches, or ear pain?

The ear canal or meatus is rich in nerves from the cranial nerves, vagus nerves, and  the last third of the canal is made from temporal bone with the lining of the skin only being 0.1mm thick.  Abrasive wax which can be quite sharp and jagged consequently putting pressure in the meatus can cause severe pain that can run through the ear and cause headaches tinnitus and jaw pain.

Do you offer same day appts?

We always endeavour to get patients seen sooner rather then later.  We understand the distressing nature of ear wax!  We run 2-3 clinics a day so the option is always available to come in on the same day.  However sometimes this is not always possible due to very busy clinics, however no px waits more the 1-2 days for an appt.

Do you charge if i have no wax in my ears?

We have a consultation charge of £20 if no wax is found in your ear.  We will always refer if we find other underlying issues with the middle ear.  If you feel you are struggling with your hearing and you cannot see a GP we can certainly provide a professional opinion on any underlying issues after examination.

Our vision

At the Ear Wax Specialist , we pride ourselves on providing exemplary customer care and satisfaction, and use the latest state of the art equipment in helping our patients with their ear-related issues.