Treatment of Earwax

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You should never put any object into your ears to try to clear earwax.

See your pharmacist or GP for eardrops, which you can use to clear blockages of earwax. These contain softening substances such as sodium bicarbonate, almond oil, olive oil, baby oil, or glycerin. You should let the bottle stand at room temperature for about half an hour before using them, then pour a few drops into the affected ear. Lie on your side with the affected ear facing upwards and stay like this for a few minutes. This softens the wax. Repeat this 3-4 times a day for about a week and the plug should break up and come out of the ear.

Syringing may be needed if eardrops do not work. You will need to use eardrops for a few days before to soften the wax. Then your practice nurse or GP will squirt lukewarm water into your ear to dislodge the plug. Syringing may not be advisable for everyone, for example if you have a perforated eardrum or a history of ear infections. You should not attempt to do this at home, as it can cause damage to the eardrum.

Your GP or an ENT (ear, nose and throat) specialist may choose to remove the wax in other ways, if syringing is not suitable for you. These include suctioning â€“ where the wax is sucked out of the ear canal using a special vacuuming tool â€“ or gently scraping it out using a small device called a curette.