Safe, Professional Ear Cleaning
Excessive or impacted earwax can cause discomfort, muffled hearing, and even infections. At Archer Hearing Centre, we offer professional earwax removal in Markham. Our audiologists safely and effectively remove wax using a curette or irrigation, always keeping your comfort in mind.
The Earwax Basics
In normal amounts, earwax is a good thing! The ear canals produce wax, also called cerumen, to protect the ear from dust, debris, and bacteria. New skin regularly grows from the eardrum and displaces old skin, pushing skin cells and wax out of the ear like a slow conveyor belt.
Most people can simply let their ears clean themselves naturally and use a damp wash cloth to gently remove wax when it’s visibly outside of the ear canal or in the bowl of the outer ear cartilage.
What Causes Ear Wax Impaction?
- Using Cotton Swabs and Other Objects to Clean Ears – Can cause injury and pushes wax deeper, leading to cerumen impaction
- Wearing Earbuds, Ear Plugs, or Hearing Aids – May block the natural migration of the wax
- Excessive Wax Production – Some people naturally produce a lot of wax
When is Professional Ear Cleaning Needed?
Professional removal is necessary if excessive wax production becomes a problem and the ear cannot clean itself naturally or if wax buildup causes discomfort or creates a blockage in the ear canal. A blockage can result in:
- Itchy ears
- Temporary hearing loss
- A blocked sensation or feeling of fullness in the ears
- Pain
- Dizziness
- Infection
- Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
- Poor sound quality and feedback if you wear hearing aids
What to Expect During Professional Earwax Removal
Step 1
Preparation
We may ask you to use oil drops to soften the wax before your appointment. You can purchase oil drops specifically for ear wax at the pharmacy or use plain olive oil, baby oil, or mineral oil. Please note: Do NOT use oil drops if you have a history of ear injury, surgery, tubes, holes in the eardrum, or serious ear infections.
Step 2
Assessment
After examining your ear, we’ll use a video otoscope to show you the wax buildup and determine the best removal method.
Step 3
Wax Removal
Using the most suitable technique (curette or irrigation), our audiologist will gently and effectively remove the impacted earwax.
Step 4
Aftercare Guidance
We’ll provide guidance on cleaning your ears at home and give you tips for preventing wax buildup in the future.
Types of Earwax Removal Methods
Irrigation (Ear Syringing)
We use a spray bottle filled with warm water to carefully flush the ear canal. The controlled stream of liquid softens the wax, which then flows out with the warm water. This technique is non-invasive, comfortable, and appropriate for most patients. However, irrigation is not suitable for those with certain conditions like a perforated eardrum or ear infection.
Curette
If irrigation won’t work because your wax is too hard or impacted, the audiologist can use a small, curved tool (curette) to manually remove your earwax. This technique, which should only be performed by a trained audiologist, gives the provider a high degree of control. Though extremely effective, the method may not be right for all patients or types of ear wax.
