Wax Removal

Welcome to our unique Wax removal service

House of Hearing is the first hearing centre to be registered with Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS). This is important because registration with HIS demonstrates that we put patient safety at the centre of our service. You can then be assured that you are being treated in the best environment and by an appropriately qualified professional. Why accept anything less when it comes to the health of your ears and your hearing?

In addition to our team of nursing specialists, all of our clinicians are ENT trained to carry out comprehensive ear assessments. Our clinicians know that when you experience the effects of a blockage in the ear canals you want to be assessed by a qualified professional in a suitable environment so you can get back to normal life as soon as possible.

That is why here at House of Hearing we offer appointments 5 days a week (including Saturdays in Edinburgh) often offering same-day assessments.

Your First Visit as a wax removal patient

You will be greeted by one of our friendly, fully trained reception team and introduced to a member of our nursing team who will assess the health of your ears.

Your clinician will also take a medical case history, this means asking you some questions about your general health and in particular about your ears and your hearing.

Your clinician will then make a full examination of each of your ears, enabling them to discuss and recommend the best treatment for you.
 

All of our clinics offer wax removal by microsuction, irrigation and instrumentation, these are explained below:

Microsuction – recognised as one of the safest and most effective procedures for the removal of wax, this method employs air suction and a microscope to gently remove ear wax. Your clinician may also use loops (like magnifying glasses) instead of a microscope to improve their visibility of your ear.

Irrigation – we also offer irrigation, if your nurse practitioner believes that the wax is too wet to carry out microsuction or if you state that you would prefer this method, your nurse will use a controlled jet of warm water to gently wash the wax out from the ear canal.

Instrumentation – if your nurse practitioner assesses that the wax is located closer to the outer ear and can be reached easily with specialist tools, they will remove the wax without the need for microsuction or irrigation.

Ear wax (or cerumen) is naturally produced within our ear canals forming a protective coating. It only becomes troublesome if your ears produce too much wax, when this occurs it can cause itchiness, earache, or you may experience the sensation of blocked ears or even hearing loss. Left unchecked it can also lead to ear infections. 

If you are experiencing any discomfort in your ear(s) don’t attempt to treat it yourself, make an appointment with our nursing specialists who will assess you and advise on the best solution.

Pricing – professional earwax removal with House of Hearing is available across all our clinics. Pricing for this service varies by region:

£80 – Edinburgh, Morpeth, Perth, St Andrews

£75 – Alderley Edge, Stockton Heath

£50 – Galashiels

If you are unsure which services you may require, you can book a consultation with us for £40 in Edinburgh, St Andrews and Perth. Consultations are available at a reduced price of £20 in Morpeth and Galashiels.

Consultations last approximately 30-45 minutes, where one of our specialists will take a full health history from you, provide advice, and refer you to the appropriate service.

Specialist appointments (Edinburgh only) – If you have challenging or problematic ears, or struggle to find the treatment you need from other providers, we offer a specialist clinic in Edinburgh.

If you are experiencing pain, bleeding, infection, or you have perforations, recurring infections, have had surgery to the ears, or require an ENT referral, we may be able to help. This specialist clinic is priced at £150 for adults.

Specialist paediatric appointments (Edinburgh only)

We understand how difficult it can be to find an experienced nurse practitioner to offer a comprehensive assessment of your child’s ears. That’s why we offer specialist paediatric appointments from our Edinburgh clinic.

Paediatric appointments are 45-60 minutes and include a full ear health assessment, photographs of the ear, tympanogram where appropriate, treatment and advice. A copy of photographs and a report to the child’s parent or guardian is available on request.

These appointments are priced at £150 (ages 2-11) and £100 (ages 12-15). Please note that all children must be able to sit still for treatment.

**Once fully assessed, if your clinical practitioner decides not to pursue a treatment an initial consultation fee may be applied. This does not include our specialist nurse and paediatric appointments.

**Sometimes all ear wax cannot be removed in a single visit. In these cases, your clinician may recommend the use of suitable ear drops for a few days before they undertake a further wax removal treatment. If your clinician recommends further visits to complete wax removal you will not be charged for subsequent appointments, unless this is a specialist appointment.