How do you clean your ears? Do you use cotton swabs? Safety pins? Or worst of all… ear candling? These methods may seem like easy, harmless ways to remove wax on your own, but can potentially be very dangerous and can cause permanent damage to your eardrums or hearing ability.
Wax is a naturally occurring substance in the ear with many health benefits. In fact, it’s good to have some wax in your ears, as it cleans, lubricates, and protects against bacteria. However, a large build-up of wax can lead to certain problems, including hearing loss, fullness or pressure in the ear, pain, tinnitus (ringing in the ear), or even an infection.
If you are experiencing any of the above symptoms, visit your Doctor or Audiologist so they can examine the ear canal for excessive wax build-up. If this is the case, here is what you can expect from a wax removal appointment here at AudioSense:
- The Audiologist will first perform otoscopy (look inside the ears). At AudioSense, we use state of the art technology and use a little camera to look inside the ears. The video is displayed on our monitors, so you can look too (if you want)!
- Depending on the consistency, depth, and amount of wax, the Audiologist will evaluate whether or not it should be removed. Sometimes it is not safe to remove wax at the initial appointment, and the Audiologist will discuss what the next steps should be in that case.
- If the Audiologist determines the wax is safe to remove, she will discuss the different methods of removal. At AudioSense, we have three methods to remove wax:
a. Lighted Curette – this is a little tool with a light that the Audiologist will use to remove wax from the canal by scooping it out.
b. Irrigation – also known as “flushing”. The Audiologist will use warm water to rinse out wax from the canal.
c. Suction – this is a vacuum that will suction out wax from the canal. - The Audiologist will perform otoscopy again, following wax removal, to examine the eardrums. If you are concerned that you might have an excessive build-up of wax, give us a call and book a wax consult with one of our Audiologists.
About the Author
Salima Jiwani is the Founder/Director and Lead Audiologist at AudioSense Hearing, Balance & Concussion, an audiology clinic in Yorkville, Toronto. Salima has a keen clinical and research interest in disorders of the external, middle and inner ear, including hearing loss, auditory processing difficulties, tinnitus, sound sensitivities and post-concussion auditory deficits. Salima is passionate about understanding how the brain responds to sound after injury and in post-surgical management of cochlear implants. Salima works with children and adults of all ages at AudioSense, and provides her patients with industry-leading audiological care by leveraging her clinical, research and industry experience. She firmly believes in a holistic cross-collaborative team approach to audiological care and is always looking for outside-the-box evidence-based innovative ways to offer care to her patients. Outside of work, Salima continues to be engaged in advocacy initiatives to elevate the profession of audiology, give audiologists a voice and promote optimal audiological care for her patients.
