Understanding ear wax
What is ear wax and why does it build up?
Ear wax protects and cleans your ear canals. Learn what it is made of, why some people produce more than others and when a build-up needs attention.
Ear care guides
Ear wax guides and ear care advice
Straight answers about ear wax: what is normal, what a build-up feels like, how removal works and how to look after your ears between appointments. Written by our editorial team from NHS and NICE guidance.
- Guides
- 28
- Topics
- 5
- Last updated
Start here
New to ear wax problems? Begin with these
The basics first: what ear wax is, how to tell when it is causing trouble and the options for clearing it.
Symptoms and related problems
Signs of ear wax build-up to look out for
Removal and appointments
Microsuction vs ear irrigation: which is better?
Home care and prevention
How to use ear drops to soften ear wax
4 guides
Understanding ear wax
What ear wax is, why some people make more of it and what is normal.
What is ear wax and why does it build up?
Ear wax protects and cleans your ear canals. Learn what it is made of, why some people produce more than others and when a build-up needs attention.
Ear wax colours and textures: what is normal?
Yellow, brown, grey or flaky? What different ear wax colours and textures usually mean, with a colour chart and the changes worth showing a clinician.
Impacted ear wax: causes, signs and treatment
Why ear wax sometimes packs hard against the eardrum, the symptoms it causes, what to try at home first and how clinicians remove impacted wax safely.
How often should you have ear wax removed?
Most people never need ear wax removed, while others need it every few months. How to tell when it is time, and how to set a sensible routine for your ears.
6 guides
Symptoms and related problems
How a build-up feels, and how to tell wax apart from infections and other causes.
Signs of ear wax build-up to look out for
Muffled hearing, a full feeling, itching or ringing. The common signs of too much ear wax, and the symptoms that point to an infection or something else.
Blocked ear: is it wax or an infection?
A blocked ear can be wax, an infection, fluid or pressure. How the symptoms differ side by side, and when to see a GP instead of booking wax removal.
Can ear wax cause hearing loss?
Ear wax is one of the most common causes of muffled hearing, and one of the easiest to fix. How much difference it makes and when to test further.
Ear wax and tinnitus: is there a link?
A wax blockage can bring on ringing or buzzing in the ear. What the link is, whether removal helps and when tinnitus needs a proper assessment.
Can ear wax make you dizzy?
Ear wax can occasionally upset your balance. When dizziness is likely to be wax, when it is not, and the warning signs that need urgent care.
Blocked ears after flying: wax, pressure or both?
Why ears block on a plane, how to tell pressure from ear wax, simple ways to clear them, and what to do if an ear still feels blocked days after you land.
8 guides
Removal and appointments
Treatment options, costs, safety and what happens when you see a clinician.
Microsuction vs ear irrigation: which is better?
A side-by-side look at microsuction and ear irrigation: how each works, comfort, suitability, preparation and which one clinicians choose when.
What happens at an ear wax removal appointment
From the first questions to the final check of your eardrum, a step-by-step guide to a typical ear wax removal appointment, how long it takes and how it feels.
Is microsuction safe? Risks and side effects explained
Microsuction is widely used and generally very safe. The side effects people notice, the rare risks with figures from ENT UK, and who should take extra care.
Can you get ear wax removed on the NHS?
Many GP surgeries no longer remove ear wax. What the NHS offers, who still qualifies, the NICE guidance and your options if your surgery says no.
How much does ear wax removal cost in the UK?
Typical UK prices for microsuction and irrigation, what is usually included, why prices vary between clinics and the questions worth asking before you book.
Aftercare: looking after your ears after wax removal
What is normal after microsuction or irrigation, how to keep your ears comfortable for the next few days and the signs that need a call back.
Ear wax removal at home: how home visits work
Some clinicians will remove ear wax in your own home. Who home visits suit, how the appointment works, why it costs more and what to have ready on the day.
How to choose an ear wax removal clinic: questions to ask
The practical questions worth asking before you book: who carries out the treatment, which method they use, what is included and what happens if wax remains.
6 guides
Home care and prevention
Ear drops, everyday habits and the home remedies worth avoiding.
How to use ear drops to soften ear wax
The right way to put drops in your ears, which drops to choose, how long to keep using them and the signs that softening alone is not going to be enough.
Olive oil for ear wax: does it work?
Olive oil drops are the most common home treatment for ear wax. What they can and cannot do, how to use them properly and how long to keep going.
Why cotton buds make ear wax worse
Cotton buds push wax deeper, scratch the delicate canal and are a common cause of blockages. Why they make things worse and what to use instead.
Home ear wax removal kits and camera tools: are they safe?
Bulb syringes, spiral tips and camera ear picks are sold everywhere. Which home ear wax removal tools are reasonable to try, which are risky and why.
Earphones, earbuds and ear wax build-up
In-ear headphones can push wax back and stop it clearing naturally. How to keep your ears and your earbuds clean if you wear them for hours every day.
Swimming, showering and ear wax
Water can make wax swell and block an ear that felt fine the day before. How to protect your ears in the pool, the sea and the shower, and when to get help.
4 guides
Advice for specific groups
Children, hearing aid users, older adults and anyone booked in for a hearing test.
Ear wax in children: advice for parents
Children make ear wax too, and it rarely needs removing. How to spot a genuine problem and what to do if your child complains of a blocked ear.
Ear wax and hearing aids: keeping both working
Hearing aids make wax build-up more likely and wax stops hearing aids working well. Cleaning routines and how often to have your ears checked.
Ear wax in older adults and care home residents
Ear wax becomes more common with age and can quietly affect hearing, mood and memory. Practical advice for older people, their families and carers.
Do you need ear wax removed before a hearing test?
Ear wax can affect hearing test results and ear impressions for hearing aids. When removal is needed first and how to plan the two appointments.
Quick answers
Looking for something shorter?
Quick answers to common questions, the words clinicians use and how booking an appointment through us works.
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers on symptoms, methods, safety, prices and booking.
Ear care glossary
The medical words you might hear at an appointment, explained in plain English.
How booking works
What happens between searching your area and sitting down for your appointment.
Treatments explained
Microsuction, irrigation, manual removal and home methods side by side.
Ready to book?
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