This is a simple, safe and effective procedure for the removal of ear wax for people who have a build up in one or both ears. Prior to the treatment a patient is requested to put several drops into their ears over the period of a number of days to try and soften the wax. Then, a saline solution is inserted into the ear canal using a gentle syringe to flush the wax out.
As with any medical procedure there are risks, though these are rare. However patients are warned not to have an ear irrigation if they have a perforated eardrum. A buildup of earwax can cause many problems from dizziness, to ear pain to acute hearing loss. Your audiologist will assess the treatment required and whether irrigation is the optimal method for you. Based on the traditional method of ear syringing, water irrigation is proving more popular and once the canal has been cleaned the audiologist can show the results on a screen using an otoscope to check the ears. One benefit of irrigation over microsuction is that it is useful when the ear wax is sticky and stuck to the ear canal. Gentle ear syringing loosens this easily. It is a fast and safe method of removing ear wax.