Ear Syringing

Ear

Ear Irrigation (Ear Syringing)

Ear irrigation (ear syringing)

Earwax is a normal build-up of dead cells, hair, foreign material such as dust and natural wax. Earwax forms a protective coating on the skin in the ear canal.

Ear irrigation – also known as syringing – is no longer considered the first-line treatment for clearing ear wax. This means the NHS no longer funds it in General Practice as other methods are preferred.

Earwax usually falls out on its own. If it does not, and builds up and blocks your ear, you can try to remove it.

 

Self Help options

To remove earwax build-up:

Lie on your side with the affected ear facing up.

Put 2 to 3 drops of olive or almond oil in your ear – do not use almond oil if you're allergic to almonds.

Continue to lie on your side for 5 to 10 minutes after putting in the oil.

Repeat 3 to 4 times a day, for 3 to 5 days.

Over about 2 weeks, lumps of earwax should fall out of your ear and your symptoms should improve. Surprisingly, you will not necessarily see wax come out.

If you are prone to repeated wax built up, you can continue to use olive oil drops twice a week to prevent recurrence.

If olive oil does not work, you can buy sodium bicarbonate drops from pharmacies.

How to use ear drops

  • Warm the drops to room temperature before using them.
  • Pour a few drops into the affected ear.
  • Lie with the affected ear uppermost when putting in drops.
  • Stay like this for 10 minutes to allow the drops to soak into
    the ear.

Bulb Syringing

Bulb syringing is a safe, alternate way to remove ear wax.
Bulb syringes can be easily purchased from a pharmacy
and allow you to clear your ears from wax in your own home.

Visit a Pharmacy

Your local Pharmacist will also be able to help with earwax. They may recommend a medicine that dissolves the build-up, or possible other treatments.

Ear irrigation is only recommended in the rare occasions where ear drops, and bulb syringing has failed to work. Ear syringing can lead to ear infections, perforated ear drum and tinnitus (persistent noise) and therefore it is only performed in exceptional circumstances.

* If no improvement, please telephone the surgery to book an out of hours appointment or a referral to Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park S9 3TL *

 

Important

If you think you have ear wax, do not try to clean the ear canal with cotton wool buds. This can make things worse, as you will push some earwax deeper inside. It may also cause an ear infection.