Ear wax removal by microsuction. Done by an audiologist.

What earwax is for

Earwax, also called cerumen, is made by glands in the ear canal. Mixed with dead skin and dust from the air, it protects and lubricates the canal. It forms a barrier that helps keep bacteria, grit and insects away from the eardrum.

Healthy ears usually clean themselves. Fresh wax pushes older wax outward, and jaw movement when you talk or chew helps it along. Problems start when too much builds up, becomes hard, or gets pushed back by cotton buds, earbuds or hearing aids.

When wax causes trouble

Impacted wax can block sound from reaching the eardrum. That is a form of conductive hearing loss: speech sounds muffled, as if you have water in the ear. People often notice it in one ear first, or after swimming, flying or a cold.

A full, blocked feeling, itch, pressure or mild pain are common. Wax can also make tinnitus, the ringing or buzzing some people hear, feel louder. Left alone, a blocked canal is a warmer, damper place for bacteria, which raises the chance of an outer-ear infection.

• Muffled hearing or sudden drop in one ear
• Fullness, itch or pressure in the canal
• Tinnitus that seems worse when the ear feels blocked
• Hearing aids that whistle, feel tight, or stop helping

Microsuction, not syringing

Microsuction uses a fine, low-pressure suction tip while the audiologist watches the canal under a microscope or endoscope. There is no water jet. That matters if you have had a perforated eardrum, ear surgery, grommets, or an infection where irrigation is a poor idea.

Syringing and ear irrigation flush water into the canal. Cotton buds and diggers push wax deeper and can scratch the skin. HearMed's default in clinic is microsuction. When the case needs a clearer view, we use endoscopic microsuction so the clinician can see the tip and the wax on a screen in real time. Narrow canals and awkward wax shapes are easier to clear this way.

Most visits do not need weeks of olive oil first. If the wax is very hard, we may ask you to soften it for a short period and return. We stop if you need a break.

What happens at your appointment

We start with otoscopy so we can see what we are dealing with. Then we clear the wax with microsuction, check the canal again, and tell you what we found. If you came for a hearing test as well, we only run the full test once the canal is clear enough for an honest result.

You can usually drive yourself home. The visit is short for simple cases and longer when both ears are heavily blocked. Call ahead if you are unsure how long to allow.

Where we see you, and how soon

Clinic microsuction is €60. Home wax removal is €100. Book Tullamore, Portlaoise or Portumna for weekday clinics. Same-day slots are often possible at those three when the diary allows.

Pharmacy clinics run on set days only: Newbridge on Tuesdays, Templemore on the first Wednesday of the month, and Athenry every second Wednesday at O'Flaherty's Pharmacy. Those days are by appointment. Do not expect walk-in or same-week availability there unless we confirm a free slot when you call.

Rose Multaney and Rauri Keogh, and the HearMed clinic team, carry out the work. If you also need a free hearing test, book both in one plan so you are not sent away with an incomplete answer.