NHS ear syringing has largely been withdrawn across the UK, leaving many people with blocked ears and nowhere to go. Microsuction is the safer, more effective, and now NICE-recommended alternative. We perform it as a quick same-week appointment with no preparation needed in most cases.
Educational information — not a substitute for clinical assessment
This page describes earwax build-up and blocked ears in general terms to help you decide whether assessment may be helpful. It is not a diagnostic tool. If you recognise yourself in what follows, please book a consultation.
Earwax (cerumen) is produced by glands in the outer ear canal. It plays an important protective role — trapping dust, repelling water, providing antibacterial defence, and gradually self-clearing through normal jaw movement. For most people, the ear self-cleans without any intervention needed.
Earwax becomes a problem when it builds up enough to block the canal or affect hearing. Common reasons this happens:
of UK adults have problematic earwax at any time. Higher rates in hearing aid users and older adults. Most are treatable in a single appointment.
Earwax becomes problematic when it blocks the canal or sits against the eardrum. Common symptoms:
Symptoms may come on gradually or suddenly, particularly after water enters the ear (swimming, shower) and the wax swells.
Most earwax doesn’t need removal. Treatment is appropriate when:
Do not use ear candling, cotton buds, or unsupervised water jets. Avoid attempts at removal if you have:
• Pain in the ear
• Discharge (pus or blood)
• Known eardrum perforation or grommets
• Previous ear surgery
• Significant dizziness
These warrant professional examination first.
Microsuction is the procedure of choice for earwax removal, recommended by NICE NG98 as the safer alternative to ear syringing. It uses a microscope (or magnification loupes) and a fine suction device to gently remove wax under direct vision — the clinician sees everything they’re doing throughout.
Microsuction is loud (the suction makes a vacuum noise close to your ear) but not usually painful. Some people find it tickly or briefly uncomfortable. A few feel transient dizziness which settles quickly. Most patients describe it as “weird but easy.”
Often no preparation needed. For very hard or impacted wax, we may recommend olive oil drops for 3–5 days beforehand to soften the wax. You can buy these over the counter or use plain olive oil from your kitchen. We’ll advise at booking if this is likely needed.
Olive oil, sodium bicarbonate solution, or commercial wax-softening drops can help softer wax clear naturally. They work for some people and are a reasonable first step. Allow 5–14 days of regular use before deciding it isn’t working.
Warm water under controlled pressure (using a specialised device, not a syringe). Once standard NHS practice but largely withdrawn. Still used in some private settings. Effective for many but carries higher risk of complications than microsuction (eardrum perforation, otitis externa, dizziness). Not suitable if there’s any history of ear surgery, perforation, or unilateral deafness.
Most people walk out with normal hearing restored immediately. A few things to know:
For people prone to wax build-up:
Book a microsuction appointment if:
See us same-day for any new ear pain, sudden hearing loss, ear discharge, or dizziness — these warrant examination before any wax removal.
Current prices are on our Fees page. Microsuction is one of our most affordable procedures.
15–20 minutes for most patients. Longer if both ears are heavily impacted or if drops are needed beforehand.
Often not. For hard or impacted wax we may suggest 3–5 days of olive oil drops to soften it before the appointment. We can advise at booking based on what’s most likely.
Very safe when done by trained clinicians. Small risks include transient dizziness, mild canal irritation, and very rarely minor canal abrasion. Eardrum perforation is rare with microsuction (much more common with irrigation).
Yes if both are affected. Single ear appointments are also available.
Yes — no sedation is used. If you feel dizzy briefly during the procedure, this settles before you leave.
Usually not. Some people find it briefly uncomfortable or ticklish. The noise of the suction is more striking than any physical sensation.
Yes, from around age 5 if they can sit still and cooperate. We see children for earwax removal. Very young children may need different approaches (often watchful waiting or ENT referral for examination under anaesthesia in rare cases).
Tell us before the appointment. Microsuction can often still be performed safely, but the technique is modified. We may suggest ENT review first.
Most NHS Trusts have withdrawn ear syringing because of safety concerns and limited capacity. Some areas still offer microsuction; many don’t. Hence the rise of private microsuction services.
Care at MHW Clinic is delivered by a small clinical team, with Dr Haydar Bolat as Clinical Director. The specific clinicians involved in your care depend on the plan agreed with you at consultation.
UK-registered GP and Clinical Director at MHW. Performs microsuction earwax removal with examination of the ear canal and tympanic membrane before and after the procedure. Refers to ENT for any unusual findings.
View profileLanguages spoken across the team: English, Turkish, Bulgarian, Bengali, Hindi, Albanian, Azerbaijani, German, Romanian. We can also arrange professional telephone interpreters in most other languages at no extra cost. More on languages and interpreters →
This page was reviewed by Dr Haydar Bolat, Clinical Director at MHW Clinic. Content is based on NICE Guideline NG98 (Hearing loss in adults: assessment and management), NICE Clinical Knowledge Summaries on earwax, and current UK clinical practice and current UK clinical practice. It is updated when guidance changes. Educational information only — not a substitute for clinical assessment.
Book a microsuction appointment. Most are done in under 20 minutes with immediate relief.