Ground floor, Ilam Health Building, 110 Memorial Avenue, Burnside, Christchurch : Ph 03 351 6198 :
Home > Ear Syringing
Ear wax is a naturally occurring substance in healthy ears, but it’s quite common for wax to build up in the ear canal and can impair hearing. Sometimes you may not even know you have a wax build up, or you may have a feeling of fullness in your ears, or you may have difficulty hearing. Some people build up wax very quickly and require regular wax removal. If you have a build up of wax that you would like to be removed our nurses able to perform Ear syringing. It is important to have you ears check by the Doctor first to rule out other issues. Your doctor may diagnose excess earwax by inserting an instrument called an otoscope into the opening of your ear. The otoscope shines a light into your ear and magnifies the image.
We recommend putting oil (cooking oil works well) or wax softening drops (waxsol can be purchased form the pharmacy) into your ears for a couple of days prior to having the syringing completed, this soften any wax and assists with removal.
If wax buildup is the issue, one of nurses will perform the irrigation in their office using a syringe-like tool. This tool will be used to insert water into the ear to flush out the wax. You may feel slight discomfort from the water in your ear, or from holding your ear in place.
Ear irrigation is not always successful, if this is the case for you the nurse will discuss other option. Please call and ask to speak with a nurse prior to booking an appointment for children.
We strongly recommend that you do not use cotton tips to clean your ears. Cotton tips can push wax further into the ear canal where it can get stuck. They can also scratch the delicate lining of the ear canal. The best way to clean your ears is to wash the outside of the ear with a flannel. For most people, leaving your ears alone is the best way to keep them clean. The skin inside your ear canals is like a conveyor belt moving from the inside of your ear to the outside, with the wax sweeping up the dust and debris.
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