Earwax Removal

Earwax, medically known as cerumen, serves an important protective function for your ears. This naturally occurring substance helps trap dust, debris, and bacteria before they can reach the delicate inner ear structures. While earwax typically moves out of the ear canal naturally, some individuals experience excessive buildup or impaction that requires professional removal.

Understanding Earwax Impaction

Earwax impaction occurs when cerumen accumulates and hardens in the ear canal, creating a blockage. This condition affects millions of Americans each year and can develop for various reasons. Some people naturally produce more earwax than others, while certain factors can increase the likelihood of impaction.

Common causes of earwax buildup include the use of cotton swabs or other objects to clean the ears, which often pushes wax deeper into the canal rather than removing it. Hearing aid users frequently experience increased wax production and impaction due to the devices blocking the natural migration of cerumen. Age also plays a role, as earwax tends to become drier and harder over time, making it more likely to become impacted.

Signs You May Need an Audiologist's Help

Recognizing the symptoms of earwax impaction can help you determine when professional removal is necessary. Many people experience a gradual decrease in hearing that they may initially attribute to other factors. This hearing reduction often affects one ear more than the other, creating an imbalanced listening experience.

Other common symptoms include a feeling of fullness or pressure in the ear, similar to the sensation experienced during altitude changes. Some individuals report hearing their own voice more loudly in the affected ear, a condition known as autophony. Tinnitus, or ringing in the ears, may also develop or worsen when earwax becomes impacted.

Dizziness or balance issues can occur in some cases, particularly when the impaction affects the inner ear's equilibrium mechanisms. Pain or discomfort in the ear, while less common, may indicate significant buildup or secondary complications.

Our Professional Cerumen Removal Process

At HearSense, we provide safe and effective earwax removal using professional techniques and equipment. Our audiologists have extensive experience in cerumen management and use methods specifically designed to protect your ear health while thoroughly addressing the impaction.

We begin each earwax removal session with a comprehensive examination using specialized otoscopy equipment. This allows us to visualize the ear canal and eardrum, determining the extent and nature of the wax buildup. What we find guides which removal method we use.

• ‍Irrigation. We use the professional Earigator system, which delivers precisely controlled water pressure and temperature to safely flush out wax accumulations. It is comfortable, efficient, and a good fit for most patients.‍
• Manual removal. Irrigation is not appropriate for everyone. A perforated eardrum, a history of ear surgery, an active ear infection, or hard impacted wax can all make flushing unsuitable. In those cases we remove the wax manually, using a headlamp for direct visualization along with curette tips and other specialized instruments. This gives us precise control and lets us treat patients who are not candidates for irrigation.

In some cases we combine both approaches. The removal process typically takes 15 to 30 minutes per ear, depending on the extent of the impaction and the method used.

Schedule Your Earwax Appointment

If you're experiencing symptoms of earwax impaction or simply want to ensure your ears are clean and healthy, our experienced audiologists are here to help. We provide professional earwax removal services in a comfortable clinical environment, using both irrigation and manual removal techniques so we can match the method to your ears.

Contact HearSense today at (803) 567-2533 to schedule your earwax removal appointment. Our team will evaluate your specific needs and provide the professional care necessary to restore your hearing comfort and clarity.