Fallon Nash

Children can be treated based on level of co-operation. There are multiple methods of examining the ears as well as treating blockages which can be tried on younger children. There is no definitive age range I treat, each patient is assessed individually as tolerance and cooperation varies greatly from child to child. I am happy to discuss what is involved with carers prior to coming for an appointment. 

In some cases the ear wax is unable to be removed.  This can be due to a number of factors.  If this is the case a follow up appointment will be made at no cost to the patient.  If the issue cannot be resolved by a repeat appointment then referral can be made to an ENT specialist. 

15 minutes is the average length for the assessment and procedure but this can vary according to patient individual needs.

Routine Ear Cleaning: 

●  Clean the external part of the ear using a face cloth.
●  Foreign objects: Do not put anything in your ears when attempting to clean them that
will push wax down the ear canal causing further impaction. Cotton buds, pencils, matches and hair clips can cause trauma and damage to both the ear canal and eardrum.
 

Other considerations:

●  Earplugs: The use of earplugs, whether as an occupational requirement or not, can have a similar effect to cotton buds.
●  Hearing Aids: May interfere with the body’s ability to shed wax and dead skin which causes debris to build up in the ear canal.
●  Aging: Older people may have drier wax and may experience increased hair growth in the ears.
 

 Irrigation (also referred to as ear syringing) involves flushing the wax out by a jet of warm water (ideally at body temperature). This is generally safe and effective but does carry the small risk of perforation of the eardrum.  Irrigations should be avoided in certain at risk populations.      

Advantages of manual removal with microsuction is that it is often quicker, allows direct visualisation of the external auditory canal, and does not expose the ear to moisture.