is now only carried out by the surgery if the above recommendations have proved to be unsuccessful and you meet the following criteria: you are patient who need/use hearing aids, are over 75 or you have learning difficulties. Do not use your fingers or any objects like cotton buds to remove earwax. This will push it in and make it worse. They might recommend medicines to dissolve the earwax. The earwax should fall out on its own or dissolve after about a week. Ear wax needs to be softened for a minimum of 7 days before attempting to syringe. Although the risks are low and our nurses are specially trained to perform this procedure, there is still a small chance (thought to be around 1 in 1000) of complications occurring – such as a perforated ear drum, middle ear infection, external canal infection or causing ringing in the ear (tinnitus).

wear a hearing aid, ear plugs or use in-ear speakers for i-pods or similar – as these can all interfere with the natural process of wax expulsionEar wax is normal and is produced to form a protective coating over the skin in the ear canal. Ears are normally self-cleaning – the movement of your jaw whilst eating and talking helps to move the wax along the canal where it will usually fall out naturally without you noticing. Ear wax only becomes a problem if it causes deafness, discomfort or if your Health professional requires a clear view or your ear drum. Over about 2 weeks, lumps of earwax should fall out of your ear, especially at night when you're lying down. There's no evidence that ear candles or ear vacuums get rid of earwax. A pharmacist can help with earwax build-up

If you experience any of the following, you should seek advice from your GP or Nurse Practitioner at The Old School Surgery: It is recommended you use a dropper while lying your head on one side for a few minutes to let the oil work its way through your ear canal(s). Afterwards, wipe away any excess oil but do not plug your ear with cotton wool as this simply absorbs the oil In most cases, after 14 days, the wax will have softened sufficiently to encourage the wax to come out without further intervention. However, if you feel your hearing is still impaired, please make an appointment with the practice nurse for further advice and management.