Ear wax doesn’t seem like a useful substance, but it does in fact serve a particular purpose. It’s typically orange, yellow or gray in colour and functions as a cleaning substance for the ear by trapping dust, dirt and other irritants, effectively preventing them from creating a blockage in the ear drum. However, ear wax itself – produced by glands found in the skin lining of the ear canal –can cause a blockage in the ear drum. This occurs particularly among people who tend to naturally produce a lot of ear wax, have narrow or hairy ear canals, work in dust-ridden environments, or who might try various ‘at-home’ extraction methods that only serve to push the impacted ear wax in further. At Victorian Hearing, we offer affordable and effective ear wax removal services at our local Melbourne clinics. Find out more about how we can help you.
Typically, if an ear canal is blocked by impacted ear wax, the blockage is relatively easy to remove and won’t cause many problems. Some of the potential symptoms that ear wax can lead to include:
Professional ear cleaning can reduce or eliminate some of these symptoms, but it’s important to choose the right method of professional ear wax removal.
At Victorian Hearing, we perform ear wax removal under microscope or Voroscope (headworn microscope developed by Melbourne based ear, nose and throat specialist John Vorath) via micro-suction and curette. The microscope / Voroscope allows full, unrestricted viewing of the inner ear, while the wax is extracted using either a micro ear suction device (considered to be the safest method, and far more efficient than the traditional syringing method), or a curette which scrapes away at the impacted ear wax.
Yes, the micro ear suction and curette methods we use to remove ear wax are considered to be very safe. However, it’s important to note that attempting to remove impacted ear wax yourself can come with certain risks, especially if using a Q-tip that can cause damage to the eardrum. For this reason, professional ear wax removal is recommended.
A standard ear cleaning appointment at our clinic to eradicate a wax blockage costs $120 for 30 minutes. Please book in advance to ensure you’re given the due care and time that you need for an effective treatment. To make an appointment with Victorian Hearing in the CBD or suburbs, call 1300 736 995.