Ear Wax Removal and Cleaning in Toronto
Cerumen, commonly known as ear wax, occurs naturally in everyone’s ears, usually without problems. However, if wax becomes impacted or creates a blockage in the ear, you may require a professional to assist with ear wax removal and cleaning.
If you feel your ears have become blocked, debris such as cerumen and dead skin cells are usually the cause. For some people, this happens due to an overproduction of natural oils in the ear canal. Most often, however, the situation happens when people put objects in their ears, (such as cotton swabs/Q-tips, earbuds, earplugs, keys, etc.) When you put objects in your ears, you force the wax deep into the canal, impacting it against the eardrum and require you to see an ear wax removal professional. This not only interferes with hearing but can become very painful.
Over time, the ear wax accumulates and starts to form into a lump and eventually becomes a full blockage. Sufferers of wax blockage often report feeling dizzy, hearing a ringing in their ears, having pain in the ear, or hearing a scratchy sound.
If you are concerned that your ears are blocked with wax, your first course of action is to see your family doctor or go to a walk-in clinic in Toronto, Mississauga, and Scarborough to confirm that you do, indeed, have a blockage. Due to recent changes in the OHIP system, general practice doctors are no longer able to bill for ear wax removal, resulting in their refusal to perform this procedure. There are usually two types of professionals that are able to remove the ear wax obstruction from your ears. A hearing care professional or an Otolaryngologist. The services of an Otolaryngologist (ENT) are still covered by OHIP.
If you are waiting to see an ENT (which usually takes about 3 months), your family doctor may suggest that you see a pharmacist and obtain wax-softening oil or their advice about what to use to soften and ease your ear wax removal and cleaning procedure. Using oil at night and then running the shower directly into your ear the next morning, for several days in a row, often helps to dislodge and wash out ear wax. The use of oil or water in your ears is only safe if you have no issues with your ears such as mastoid cavities, prior surgery, perforations, etc. Again, it is strongly recommended that you first see your family doctor or a hearing care professional in Toronto, Mississauga, or Scarborough.
Book Professional Ear Cleaning and Wax Removal Appointment in Toronto, Mississauga, and Scarborough
If you are unsuccessful in having your family doctor remove or clean off the ear wax, are too uncomfortable to await an appointment with an ENT, and have no success with the pharmacist’s recommendation, one of our professional Hearing Instrument Specialists is able to perform ear wax removal and cleaning. However, please be aware that a charge of $50.00 per ear applies ($100.00 for two ears) per attempt (whether successful or not). The service is only offered on an appointment basis.
Should you choose to book an ear wax removal appointment in Toronto, Mississauga, or Scarborough, we strongly recommend that you first visit your family doctor or a walk-in clinic to have your ears checked to ensure that…
- You do, in fact, have wax in your ears. If you have not yet seen your family doctor to confirm that your ears have wax in them and, upon visiting our office, your ears do not have wax to be removed, you will be charged an office visit fee of $30.00.
- You do not have an ear infection. Ear infection must be treated with antibiotics, which we do not prescribe.
- Your ears are not blocked with a piece of a cotton swab or other foreign object, which will require a visit to an Otolaryngologist.
- You do not have perforations in your eardrum, which will render the use of oil or water dangerous.
We also recommend that before your ear wax removal and cleaning appointment by our professionals, you first see a pharmacist to obtain wax softening oil, or their advice about what to use to soften your ear wax, It is recommended that you put oil in your ears for at least three nights prior to attending your appointment. Once again, putting oil in your ears, or our use of water to remove your ear wax, is only safe if you have no issues with your ears such as mastoid cavities, prior surgery, perforations, etc.
Although it is tempting to rush and have wax removed without first softening it, attempts to remove wax when it is impacted and hard may cause tearing of the skin, bleeding, and significant discomfort or in the worst-case scenario, a perforation of the eardrum. Our mission is to make the experience of ear wax removal and cleaning the most effective and comfortable possible in Toronto, Mississauga, and Scarborough.
You will be required to sign a waiver by our professionals, before the procedure, acknowledging the risks inherent in ear wax removal and cleaning.
If we are unable to successfully remove all your ear wax in one visit, there will be a charge for each subsequent visit until the wax has been satisfactorily removed by our wax removal ear doctor specialist. We can only work on your ears until they show signs of irritation and then must stop and permit them to recover before another attempt is made. An appointment is usually no longer than 30 minutes in duration.
Methods used to remove ear wax may include the use of…
- Curette (a long-handled scoop)
- Irrigation pump (water)
- Suction (Now available at both locations)
After professional ear wax removal and cleaning, people report heightened hearing sensitivity in the ear that has been treated and a great sense of relief.
If you would like to have one of our Hearing Instrument Specialists attempt to remove wax from your ears, please contact us to book an ear wax removal and cleaning appointment from anywhere including Toronto, Mississauga, and Scarborough.