What is Ear Microsuction?

Ear microsuction is Ear Care Clinic's preferred method of ear wax removal. Using microsuction for wax removal allows clinicians to see inside the ear canal in greater detail, while having minimal physical contact with the earlobe. This means ear microsuction can be much more comfortable for patients than other methods of ear wax removal, such as syringing.

What's more, patients do not usually need to prepare their ear wax with olive oil drops before undergoing a microsuction procedure - but doing so may make ear microsuction faster and more comfortable.

How Does Microsuction Work?

Ear microsuction works by essentially suctioning out ear wax and other debris from the ear canal, using either an ENT (ear, nose and throat) binocular operating microscope, or specialised magnification loupes, similar to the type that dentists use. This allows the clinician to see inside the ear canal in greater detail.

Once the clinician has a good view of the ear canal and its contents, the microsuction procedure can begin, using a very fine sterile suction device to remove the wax. A low level of pressure is used, which means the whole process is similar to using a tiny vacuum to remove wax from the ear.

In the event that the wax is particularly hard or stubborn to remove, clinicians may need to use other instruments to remove this, such as Jobson Horne probes or micro forceps. Despite this, ear microsuction is typically more comfortable and more effective than ear syringing for patients. Find out more about how ear microsuction compares to other methods of ear wax removal.