Microsuction clinics available here! Just ask your GP to book you an appointment for microsuction at Arnos Grove Medical Centre. This service is free to patients who are registered with us and also unregistered patients.

What is microsuction?

Microsuction is the process of removing wax from your ears by using a small suction tube and probe to gently remove any excess wax in the ear. There are some ear-related conditions that can result in you not being able to have microsuction performed. This includes suffering from regular ear infections or having a perforated ear drum.

When you attend a microsuction appointment at Arnos Grove Medical Centre, our trained health professional will first go through a list of medical questions with you. This is to understand whether there are any medical reasons why microsuction might not be right for you. The clinician will outline any risks to having the procedure performed before checking that you are happy to proceed.

The clinician will then have a look in your ears using an otoscope, which is a magnification tool with a light on it. This allows us to ensure the wax in your ears is soft enough to be removed using microsuction.

If the wax is soft, the clinician will gently insert the suction tube and probe into your ear to remove the wax.

If the wax is too hard to remove, we will advise you to use wax softening drops such as olive oil or sodium bicarbonate before booking you in for a second appointment to remove the wax. Please ensure you speak to a healthcare professional before using wax softening drops.

Can microsuction damage your ears?

When microsuction is performed by a trained professional, it is one of the safest ways to remove wax from your ears. Your appointment will typically last 20 minutes to ensure we have enough time to go through our questionnaire and to perform the procedure.

The process is generally painless, but it can be noisy and, at times, a little uncomfortable. If at any point you feel discomfort or pain during the appointment, please make sure you let your health professional know.

Depending on the amount of wax in your ears, you might find that things sound a little different once the wax has been removed. You might also notice a small amount of ringing or buzzing in your ears, but this should settle down after a couple of days.

Your health professional will outline all the potential side effects to the procedure during your appointment.

Can microsuction remove hard wax?

Yes, microsuction can remove impacted earwax, but it is much more effective if the wax is pre-softened.

If the wax is too deep, your health professional may need to bring you back for a second appointment. In some instances, microsuction may not be appropriate and in these cases, your health professional will advise you appropriately on what options are available.

Do we need to remove earwax?

Generally, earwax is good for your ears as they are self- cleaning. 

However, impacted or excessive earwax can cause problems from increased risk of ear pain and vertigo to hearing loss. 

In this case, it is worth getting your health professional to take a look and see if microsuction would help.