Aura Health & Beauty Ayrshire

NHS is no longer offering this treatment

We offer IN-STORE and HOME VISITS for ear irrigation only- For home visits please call us on 07351093573 to book your slot 

Ear irrigation – what you need to know

Ear wax is a normal body secretion, providing protection against infection and dust particles.

The ear is self-cleaning, and wax works its way out naturally.

Never use cotton wool buds to clean inside your ears, they irritate the delicate skin inside the ear canal, also pushes wax back into the ear compacting it.

 What is Ear Irrigation?

An electronic ear irrigator is used; it involves a pressurised flow of warm water that removes the build-up of earwax. The irrigator has variable pressure control so that irrigation can be performed at the minimum pressure. A controlled flow of warm water will be squirted into your ear canal to flush out the earwax. Ear irrigation should be a painless procedure,

Prior to having your ear irrigation you need to complete the following for a minimum of 5 nights prior to your appointment:

• Lie down with affected ear uppermost.

• Using a dropper/pipette, instill 2-3 drops (up to 5 ml) of pharmacy grade olive oil (not from kitchen) at room temperature into the ear canal.

• Remain lying down for 5-10 minutes. It’s ideal to instill olive oil on affected ear at night then lay/sleep on unaffected ear. If putting olive oil in both ears, you may find it easier to do alternate ears on alternate nights.

• Repeat this procedure daily for at least 5 nights prior to ear irrigation appointment.

*OLIVE OIL EAR DROPS AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE IN STORE DURING OPENING HOURS.

*Ear Irrigation is not risk free

*Irrigation is not recommended within 2 weeks of flying.

Tell the person who is treating you immediately if you have any:

• Pain

• Dizziness or vertigo

• Hearing loss

Symptoms such as these may be the result of an ear infection and will need further investigation.

If ear irrigation is unsuccessful at removing earwax from your ear, we may recommend:

• Using eardrops again and returning for further irrigation.

Ear irrigation is not suitable for everyone  and will never be done for the following reasons:

• Patient has previously experienced complications following this procedure in the past

• History of middle ear infection in the last 6-8 weeks

• Patient has undergone any form of ear surgery (apart from grommets that have extruded at least 18 months previously and it is documented subsequently that the tympanic membrane is intact) in the last 18 months

• Patient has a perforation (hole) of the eardrum

• History of a mucous discharge

• Patient has a cleft palate (repaired or not)

• There is evidence of acute otitis externa (infection of ear canal) with pain & tenderness of the pinna

• Total hearing loss in the other ear

You should not have ear irrigation if the ear to be treated is your only hearing ear. This is because there is a small chance it could cause permanent hearing loss.

There is a standard £20 consultation fee for all ear wax appointments if no ear wax is present.

*PLEASE NOTE, CASH ONLY PAYMENTS