Let our professional audiologists help you with quick, painless, and affordable ear wax removal services.
Why is Ear Wax Removal Important?
Ear wax plays a strange but highly protective role in our ears. It protects our ear canals and acts as a barrier to harmful particles, preventing them from entering and damaging delicate structures inside the canal. It also serves as a natural cleaning agent that helps to keep bad bacteria away from the inner ear.
Unfortunately, ear wax can also build up and harden, causing everything from pain and discomfort to blockage and hearing loss. That’s why getting your ear wax removed regularly is an excellent and simple way to ensure your ears stay clean and healthy for years to come!
While some believe they can safely remove wax on their own, improper removal or trying to remove too much wax can lead to hearing loss or damage to the ear canals. Seeking professional help for ear wax removal is essential to ensure the procedure is done safely and with minimal invasiveness.
By preventing the build-up of wax and maintaining proper airflow within the ear canal, you can preserve or even restore your hearing capabilities. So, don’t forget to take care of your ears with regular ear wax removal to ensure optimal hearing health!
Professional Ear Wax Removal
As Toronto audiologists, one of the most common inquiries received relates to removing ear wax. Ear wax impaction is a common issue, with presentation worldwide.
Ear wax production is natural and along with the tiny hairs in the ear canal, assists with trapping foreign particles and dust. Ear wax usually secretes itself naturally; however, if an individual secretes an excessive amount of wax and it isn’t cleared properly, the ear wax may become impacted.
Common signs of ear wax impaction include:
Pain in the ear
- Feeling of fullness
- Ringing in the ear (tinnitus)
- Hearing loss
- Feeling of dizziness
Ear wax removal and cleaning is available at Toronto Hearing Consultants. Various different methods are used depending on the wax texture, depth, ear canal condition, and patient case history.
Method 1: Instrumentation
Curettes (little spoons) and forceps can be used to extract ear wax sitting closer to the opening of the ear canal. The curettes can be plastic or metal. Curettes and forceps are used when the wax is easily accessible and are the preferred method if possible as the ear canals are not exposed to moisture and the risk of infection is reduced. Loupes (converged binocular vision glasses) are often used by the audiologist while conducting wax removal to ensure a clear view of the ear canal.
Instrumentation that’s performed by an audiologist is a minimally invasive, painless, and simple ear wax removal procedure.
Method 2: Irrigation
Toronto Hearing Consultants uses a low-pressure irrigation system to flush the wax out of the ear canal. Low-pressure irrigation is safe and effective at removing wax, and will not cause trauma to the eardrum. Irrigation is not used if there is a perforation (hole) in the ear drum, a tube is present, there is a patient history of middle ear trauma or disease, an ear infection, or with patients who experience vertigo. During the procedure, the audiologist will gently spray water into the canal, while checking periodically for the wax to be cleared and emitted from the canal. Irrigation can be a little bit messy, and it is important to note that the patient’s shirt can get wet in certain circumstances.
Method 3: Microsuction
This type of wax removal method is commonly called ear vacuuming. Along with a loupe (converged binocular vision glasses), the audiologist uses a tiny vacuum to gently suction and dislodge the wax in the ears. The patient can feel a slight suction sensation in the ear while this is occurring, and will also hear a crackling or high-pitched squeaking sound being emitted from the vacuum as it is suctioning. Once the ear wax has been dislodged, the audiologist will remove the wax with a pair of forceps. Unlike irrigation, microsuction can be performed on patients with a hole in the ear drum, a history of middle ear surgery or disease, or a very mild outer ear infection. However, some patients do complain about the sound emitted by the vacuum while it is cleaning.
Method 4: Cerumenolytics (Ear Wax Softening Agents)
Ear wax softening agents are usually used in conjunction with one of the other methods above to assist in the removal of ear wax. At Toronto Hearing Consultants, a product called Audiologist’s Choice is available for purchase if patients would like to work on softening the wax at home before the appointment. The softer the wax, the easier it is to remove, and it is recommended that some softening be completed before coming to the appointment regardless. If purchasing Audiologist’s Choice is not an option, some oils may be used to soften the wax or an over-the-counter product from the pharmacy.
Your Toronto Ear Wax Removal Specialists
At Toronto Hearing Consultants, we are committed to your hearing health care. We believe that everyone has the right to crystal-clear hearing. From being able to listen to your favourite music to being aware of what’s happening around you, taking care of your hearing means taking care of your future. That’s why we offer fast, safe, and affordable ear wax removal services that help you reach your full hearing potential!
With a passion to serve, our audiologists focus on reconnecting our patients with friends, family, and the world around them, all while providing a boutique experience for every patient treated at the clinic. We are dedicated to clinical excellence, advocacy for our patients, and early identification of hearing loss. You can be confident you’ll experience a great level of personal care at our Toronto hearing clinic.
If you’re ready to take care of your hearing, Toronto Hearing Consultants is the place to be. Visit our boutique today or click the button below to speak to an expert audiologist now!
Earwax removal was delisted by OHIP in the fall of 2019. There is an out-of-pocket fee of $90 per session for earwax removal. The service can be completed by an audiologist, a hearing health care professional trained in earwax removal, hearing tests, hearing aid prescriptions, hearing aid fittings, and hearing loss prevention.
Earwax removal is not painful. If the earwax is properly softened, it can be removed easily and without pain for the patient. It is important to note in severe cases of blocked ears from earwax, some patients can experience minor discomfort during removal, though this is very rare.
To have the best possible experience with earwax removal, we always recommend softening the earwax at home with oil or softening agents, which can be purchased at the clinic. This will ensure a painless and easy experience with your hearing healthcare professional.
Earwax removal at Toronto Hearing Consultants costs $90 per session. The appointment is completed by an audiologist, a licensed and regulated professional in hearing health care. If you suspect a blocked ear from earwax, the best solution is to find an audiologist and schedule an appointment for the earwax to be removed. At Toronto Hearing Consultants, various methods are used by the professional, including irrigation, microsuction, instrumentation, and drops to successfully remove the earwax during the session.
Occasionally, someone will schedule an appointment and there will be no earwax present. If we find there is no earwax, a hearing test is usually recommended to further identify and assess what is causing the blocked sensation for the patient. All services are completed by a professional audiologist to ensure the best possible care is being provided to address the patient’s concerns.
The safest and best way to have earwax removed is through an audiologist. In addition to preventing, identifying, assessing, and treating hearing loss, audiologists are healthcare professionals trained extensively in the process of earwax removal.
If visiting an audiologist is not a possibility, earwax removal kits available at a pharmacy can also be purchased. Earwax removal kits contain softening agents which can help break down the earwax present. It is important to note that severely blocked ears from earwax will always need professional removal as over-the-counter methods will aid in softening the wax, but not result in full removal or relief from the blockage.
Earwax removal was delisted by OHIP in the fall of 2019. There is an out-of-pocket fee of $90 per session for earwax removal. The service can be completed by an audiologist, a hearing health care professional trained in earwax removal, hearing tests, hearing aid prescriptions, hearing aid fittings, and hearing loss prevention.
