Prices
No hidden fees!
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Clinic - Bounstead Road
£65 (for both ears)
Regular clinics at Bounstead Road in Colchester - get in touch to find out more & book an appointment.
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Home visits
£80 (for both ears)
You can have ear wax removal from the comfort of your own home! Get in touch via email or call 07591526385 to book your appointment.
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Clinic - West Bergholt
£65 (for both ears)
Monthly clinics at West Bergholt Pharmacy - Get in touch via email or call 07591526385 to book your appointment.
About me
Hi, I am Carole!
I am an experienced clinician specialising in Ear Wax Removal. It’s not a glamorous job, but the satisfaction of helping to restore or enhance someone’s hearing after wax removal is exceptionally rewarding.
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An experienced clinician with over 20 years nursing experience in both acute and community settings
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Enhanced DBS Certification
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Full Insured
07591 526385
clinicalearcarebycarole@outlook.com
What is ear wax and why do we need it?
Ear wax, or cerumen to give it the correct name, is a natural product produced in the ear canal. It is made up of sweat, oil and dead skin.
Earwax has several important jobs:
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It protects and moisturizes the skin of the ear canal, preventing dry, itchy ears.
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It contains special chemicals that fight off infections that could harm the skin inside the ear canal.
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It acts as a shield between the outside world and the eardrum, repelling insects, dust etc.
When is ear wax a problem?
Ears are self-cleaning and for most people the wax comes away without us even knowing. The motion of the moving jaw and general body/head movements aids this process, but this mechanism can fail in some people causing wax to become impacted. There are many reasons why people get impacted wax:
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Persistent use of cotton buds, ear plugs or in-ear earphones
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The use of hearing aids
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Over production of ear wax
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Certain medical conditions and medications
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Narrow or unusually shaped ear canals
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Infection
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Allergies
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Hairy ear canals
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Collapsed/ partially collapsed ear canal
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Consistency of wax
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Hereditary factors
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Blocked feeling in your ears
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Pressure in your ears, or discomfort
along the jawline -
Popping ears
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Sudden loss of hearing or muffled sound
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Underperforming or whistling hearing aids
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Infection
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Dizziness
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Headaches
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Aching jaw
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Tinnitus
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Persistent cough
What
are the symptoms of blocked ears?
Microsuction
Microsuction involves inserting a very narrow tube into the ear canal. The tube is connected to a machine that gently suctions wax and debris from the ear into a disposable canister.
Visualising and magnifying the ear canal is important so the clinician can perform the procedure safely. A medical grade endoscope will be used to do this at Clinical Ear Care by Carole.
Pros
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Quick
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Effective
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Gentle
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Safe
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The practitioner can see inside the ear canal whilst removing the wax
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It is not always necessary to use ear drops beforehand – although a day or two pre-oiling can be useful
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Safe if you have or have had perforated ears or have had surgery to your ears
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Can be used for foreign body removal
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Better clearance of dead skin/ skin plugs in the ear canal
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No water, so less messy
Contraindications
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Very noisy
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The patient must be able to remain relatively still through the procedure
VS.
Irrigation uses a gentle, regulated stream of water to dislodge wax blockages. A basin is held under the ear to catch the expelled wax and water.
Pros
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Quick
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Effective
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Gentle
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Safe
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Quieter than microsuction
Contraindications
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Cannot be used if you have a perforated ear drum
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Should not be used if you have an active infection
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Cannot be used if you have a mastoid cavity
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Caution advised if you have troublesome vertigo
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Caution advised if you have had previous ear surgery
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Should not be used if there are any open abrasions to the ear canal
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Should not be used for those born with a cleft palate (whether this has been corrected or not)
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Ear drops (ideally olive oil) must be used prior to treatment
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Should not be used for foreign body removal as it may force the obstruction further into the canal
My treatment preference is to use microsuction first line treatment for ear wax removal.