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Department of Health - Advice for Travellers

Ear Care Guide

Download our Ear Syringing and Ear Care Guide

Patients registered at Framlingham Medical Practice wanting to have their ears syringed will first need to be seen by a GP in a routine 10 minute appointment. The GP will then assess if there is a clinical need for the patient to have their ears syringed and advise the patient accordingly.

Senior GP Partner Dr Charles Wright explains “Earwax is a build-up of dead cells, hair, foreign material such as dust, and cerumen. Cerumen is the natural wax produced by glands in the ear that forms a protective coating of the skin in the ear canal. We all make small amounts of this in our ears every day.

The amount of earwax produced by each person can of course vary depending on the person. Some people may get a plug of earwax form in their ear canal and this might cause dulled hearing, ‘ringing in the ear' (tinnitus) or even a mild type of dizziness (vertigo). Excessive amounts of ear wax can also lead to a blockage in the ear canal which can be a real nuisance and uncomfortable for our patients”.

Did you know that you are more likely to develop a blockage of wax in the canal if you:

use cotton ear buds to clean the ear as this pushes the wax deeper into the canal
wear a hearing aid, ear plugs or use in-ear speakers for i-pods or similar - as these can all interfere with the natural process of wax expulsion
have abnormally narrow ear canals
have a particularly hairy ear canal
are older – because the ear wax you produce is drier and harder
have a dry skin problem such as eczema or psoriasis

A member of the GP team at Framlingham Medical Practice can take a look into the ear canal and confirm if a plug of earwax has formed. The GP will then decide if further clinical action is required. Where there is no need for the patient to have their ears syringed the GP will suggest alternative methods to manage the issue such as Olive Oil Drops or a Rubber Ear Syringe bulb which patients can now buy from the Framlingham Medical Practice and Earl Soham branch Dispensary.

To book an appointment to see a GP at Framlingham Medical Practice please call 01728 723 627 or check the surgery website for appointments, surgery times and further information.