Wax (Cerumen) Removal

Did you know that the word Cerumen is the proper medical term for ear wax? Having some ear wax in your ears is healthy and normal, but too much wax can cause problems such as hearing loss, ear pain, ear infections, and hearing aid issues.  When someone has an excessive build-up of cerumen in their ears, a visit to your doctor or audiologist is necessary for removal.  Using cotton swabs, rolled up tissue, or bobby pins to remove wax yourself is ineffective and dangerous.

At HearingBeyond, we offer 3 different methods of wax removal, including curetting, irrigation, and micro-suction.

Curetting: The most gentile form of wax removal is curetting.  In this method, an audiologist carefully maneuvers a curette (percision acrylic spoon) behind the impacted wax and then gently eases the wax out of your ear.  It is recommended to use olive oil in your ears around 2 to 3 days before wax removal, to soften the wax which helps with the removal.  Sometimes, wax may be too deep in your ear to perform curetting, and other wax removal techniques can be used.

Irrigation: This technique is most commonly performed by family physicians and walk-in physicians because it is effective and fast.  A syringe or spray nozzle is placed inside your ear and warm water is sprayed into the ear canal to disturb wax and remove it from the ear.  This method utilizes water in your ear, and tends to feel uncomfortable.  It is recommended to use olive oil in your ears around 2 to 3 days before irrigation, to soften the wax which helps with the removal.  Irrigation works well for wax that is very deep in the canal, but generally fails to remove hard pieces of wax in the ear.

Micro-suction: This technique uses a precision vacuum to remove wax in a patient's ear.