Ear Wax Removal

The skin lining the ear canal contains glands that produce cerumen. This yellow or brown substance changes over time and protects the tissues, and helps prevent infection by trapping micro-organisms, dirt, and other irritants.

The ear canal cleans itself with a waxy secretion called cerumen. Cerumen is resistant to water, sticky (to trap dust) and migrates out of the ear canal to self-clean the ear. 

Wax travels towards the outer ear where it can come out. Actions of the jaw, such as talking and chewing, help to move the wax out of the canal. The ear wax you see is a combination of cerumen, shed skin cells and dirt.

Sometimes, the wax builds up and causes symptoms, including mild deafness, itching, vertigo, tinnitus, and a sensation of fullness inside the ear. In some cases, the wax build-up loosens and falls out by itself without the need for intervention. 

Some people are more prone to ear wax blockage than others. Reasons for this include:

• A tendency to produce a lot of ear wax
• narrow ear canals
• hairy ear canals
• cleaning with fingertips or cotton buds, which pushes wax further down the canals
• working in dusty or dirty environments
• inflammatory conditions of the skin or scalp

Our clinic offers ear wax removal to all clients.