Earwax build-up: signs, causes and safe removal
Earwax is healthy, and most of the time it clears itself. When it builds up, it can block your ear, muffle your hearing and set off tinnitus. Here is how to tell, what to try at home, and when microsuction is the quickest fix.
Your ear's own cleaning system.
Earwax, or cerumen, is made by glands in the outer part of your ear canal. It traps dust and dirt, keeps the skin of the canal moisturised and has mild antibacterial properties. As you talk and chew, the movement of your jaw slowly carries old wax out towards the opening of the ear, where it dries and falls away.
Problems start when that process is interrupted. Wax can be pushed deeper by cotton buds, held in by a hearing aid or earplug, or simply made faster than the ear can clear it. Over weeks or months it hardens and can block the canal completely, and that is usually when people notice a change in their hearing.
It is more likely in older adults, in people who wear hearing aids, earplugs or earbuds, and in people with narrow or hairy ear canals.
Microsuction takes about 30 minutes for both ears, and most people hear the difference straight away.
Signs of an earwax blockage.
They are very often caused by wax. A 30 minute appointment shows exactly what is in your ear canal, clears it, and checks your hearing afterwards.
Why earwax builds up.
Some people simply make more wax. For others, something is stopping it from clearing.
They push most of the wax deeper rather than removing it, packing it against the eardrum where it cannot clear naturally.
Anything that sits in the canal blocks the natural movement of wax, and can encourage the glands to make more.
Ear canals vary in shape. Narrow, curved or hairy canals clear wax less easily, and canal hair tends to increase with age.
Wax tends to become drier and harder as we get older, so it moves out of the ear more slowly.
Eczema and psoriasis in the ear canal increase flaking skin, which mixes with wax and builds up.
In-ear headphones worn for long periods can push wax back in, in the same way a hearing aid can.
What you can safely try at home.
If your ear is not painful and there is no discharge, it is reasonable to try ear drops for three to five days first. Olive oil or almond oil drops, or sodium bicarbonate drops from a pharmacy, soften the wax so it can work its way out.
- Lie on your side with the affected ear facing up.
- Put two or three drops into the ear and stay lying down for about five minutes.
- Repeat three or four times a day for three to five days.
- Wipe away any wax at the opening of the ear with a tissue. Do not go inside the canal.
Do not use drops if you have a perforated eardrum or grommets, or if your ear is painful or discharging. Never use ear candles, which do not remove wax and can cause burns, and do not put cotton buds, keys or hair grips into the ear canal.
Drops do not clear every blockage. If your hearing is still muffled after five days, the wax is probably too hard or too deep and needs removing. Many GP surgeries no longer offer earwax removal, which is why most people now have it done privately.
Gentle microsuction, with no water.
Microsuction is the method we use for every earwax removal, in our clinic and at home.
We examine both ears under magnification to see exactly what is there, and check there is nothing that needs a doctor instead.
A fine, sterile probe removes the wax under direct vision. There is no water involved.
Once your ears are clear, we check your hearing so you know whether the wax was the whole story.
How to use drops between appointments, what to avoid, and how often you are likely to need removal.
Your options for clearing wax.
From the simplest to the most effective.
Olive oil, almond oil or sodium bicarbonate drops soften wax over three to five days. Often enough on their own for mild build-up.
Wax is lifted out with gentle suction under magnification. Quick, dry and precise, and our method for every appointment.
Warm water flushes the wax out. Effective for many people, but not suitable with a perforated eardrum, after some ear surgery, or with a history of ear problems.
Very occasionally wax is too hard, or the canal too sore, to clear safely. We will tell you and write to your GP.
When to see your GP instead
- Ear pain with a high temperature, or swelling behind the ear
- Discharge, blood or pus coming from the ear
- Sudden hearing loss, which needs to be seen the same day
- Dizziness that is severe or does not settle
If we find signs of infection at your appointment, we will tell you and advise whether to see your GP or pharmacist before any wax is removed.
Frequently asked questions.
The usual signs are muffled hearing, a blocked or full feeling, itching and sometimes tinnitus or mild dizziness. The only way to be sure is to have your ears examined, because fluid, infection and hearing loss can feel very similar.
Most people find it comfortable. You will hear a loud hissing or crackling while the suction is working, and some people feel a brief coolness or a tickle. If anything feels uncomfortable, we stop straight away.
£60 for both ears, in our Birmingham clinic or in your own home. A free hearing check is included, and you do not need a GP referral.
Olive oil drops for a few days beforehand can help soften hard wax, but they are not essential for microsuction. Do not use drops if you have a perforated eardrum, or if your ear is painful or discharging.
Only when it causes symptoms. Some people never need it, others need it every six to twelve months, especially hearing aid wearers. We can advise based on how quickly your wax builds up.
No. The muffled hearing from a wax blockage is temporary and returns once the wax is cleared. If your hearing is still reduced afterwards, something else is going on, which is why we check your hearing after removal.
We would advise against it. Home kits with scoops or spirals make it easy to scratch the canal, push wax deeper or damage the eardrum. Drops are the safe thing to use at home.
Clear your ears this week.
Microsuction in our Birmingham clinic or at home, with evening and weekend appointments.
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Written and clinically reviewed by our HCPC registered audiologists. Last reviewed: 15 October 2026. This page is general information, not a diagnosis. If you are worried about your hearing or your ears, book an appointment or speak to your GP.