Wax removal
Bulk billedWax removal
Bulk billedGentle irrigation to clear wax that is blocking hearing or the view of the eardrum.
Book online →Blocked ears, cleared safely.
Wax only needs removing when it is causing a problem. When it is — muffled hearing, pressure, or an ear your doctor cannot see into — syringing clears it in a few minutes.
Three ways to book: HotDoc · online · or by phone.
Wax is normal. Blockage is not.
Ear wax protects the canal and usually clears itself. We only intervene when it stops doing that.
Cerumen, or ear wax, is produced by the outer part of the ear canal and migrates out naturally. Most people never need anything done about it. Problems arise when wax builds up faster than it clears, is pushed inward by cotton buds or earphones, or hardens with age.
When removal is warranted
Muffled or reduced hearing, a feeling of fullness or pressure, ringing, mild dizziness, ear ache without infection, a hearing aid whistling because wax is blocking the mould, or a canal so full that the doctor cannot see the eardrum to assess a different problem.
Good to know
Never use cotton buds inside the ear canal. They push wax deeper, pack it against the drum and are the single most common cause of the blockage we end up treating.
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Softening first
Syringing works far better and more comfortably if the wax has been softened. Use a wax-softening drop or olive oil for three to five days before your appointment. Good Price Pharmacy Warehouse in our centre stocks suitable products, and reception will tell you what to use when you book.
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The procedure
Your doctor or nurse examines both ears with an otoscope first. Warm water is then gently irrigated into the canal to float the wax out, using an electronic irrigator that controls pressure. It feels odd, sometimes a little dizzying, but should not be painful. Both ears usually take under ten minutes.
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When we will not syringe
We will not irrigate an ear with a perforated eardrum, a current or recent infection, grommets, a previous ear operation, or if you have only one hearing ear. In those situations you will be referred for microsuction, which removes wax under direct vision without water.
Ear problems we assess.
Wax removal is only part of it — the examination matters as much.
Tap to learn more
Hearing change
Bulk billedHearing change
Bulk billedAssessment of reduced hearing, with referral for audiology where wax is not the cause.
Book online →Hearing aid users
Bulk billedHearing aid users
Bulk billedClearing wax that blocks moulds and causes feedback, on a regular schedule if needed.
Book online →Ear pain and discharge
Bulk billedEar pain and discharge
Bulk billedExamination for infection, which is treated rather than syringed.
Book online →Pre-assessment
Bulk billedPre-assessment
Bulk billedClearing the canal so that ear pain, tinnitus or dizziness can be properly examined.
Book online →Referral for microsuction
Bulk billedReferral for microsuction
Bulk billedArranged when irrigation is not safe, such as after ear surgery or with a perforation.
Book online →What to expect.
Getting the best result from the appointment.
01
Soften for three to five daysUse wax-softening drops or olive oil twice daily before you come in. This makes the difference between a quick clearance and a frustrating one.
02
ExaminationBoth ears are examined with an otoscope to confirm wax is the problem and that irrigation is safe for you.
03
IrrigationWarm water is used to float the wax out. It is quick, a little strange, and should not hurt.
04
RecheckThe canal and eardrum are examined again, and hearing is confirmed. If wax remains, a second visit may be booked.
Bring with youMedicare cardThe softening drops you have been usingDetails of past ear surgeryYour hearing aids if you use them
Who you'll see.
Ear syringing is performed by our GPs and nursing team.
Focuses on this area
General Practitioner
Dr Mohammed HossainMBBS, FRACGP, Diploma in Dermatology
Chronic and complex conditions, heart, gut and kidney health, weight management.
Available Mon · Wed
Focuses on this area
General Practitioner · Medical Director
Dr Mustafa HafizMChD, FRACGP
Skin cancer checks and minor procedures, men's health, mental health and family medicine.
Available Mon · Tue · Wed · Fri · Sun
Focuses on this area
General Practitioner
Dr Zainab ShiraziDiploma in Dermatology
Women's health, children's health and skin conditions.
Available Mon · Tue · Wed · Fri · Sat
General Practitioner
Dr Robert ReidMBBS · In general practice since 1980
Mental health, chronic illness, disability care and general family medicine.
Available Ask reception
Fees and bulk billing.
Ear examination and syringing are bulk billed for patients with a valid Medicare card.
Full fee guide
100% bulk billing clinic
Standard GP consultations at Toongabbie Doctors are bulk billed for patients with a valid Medicare card, so there is no out-of-pocket cost to see your doctor.
The appointment and the procedure are bulk billed for eligible patients.
Wax-softening drops are purchased from the pharmacy; olive oil works well and costs very little.
Where irrigation is unsafe, referral for microsuction is arranged — that provider sets their own fee.
Common questions.
Questions about ear wax.
Yes. Three to five days of drops or olive oil dramatically improves the result. Hard, dry wax often will not shift and you may need a second appointment.
It should not. You will feel water, warmth and pressure, and some people feel briefly dizzy. Tell your doctor or nurse immediately if anything is painful.
Yes. They push wax deeper and compact it against the eardrum, and they can scratch the canal or perforate the drum. Clean only the outer ear.
No. We will not irrigate an ear with a perforation, a current infection, grommets, previous ear surgery, or if it is your only hearing ear. Microsuction is arranged instead.
Usually immediately, and the difference can be startling. If hearing is still reduced afterwards, your GP will look for another cause and may refer you for a hearing test.
Related services.
GP Consultations and Same-Day AppointmentsStandard, long and same-day GP appointments, bulk billed.Learn more →Same-Day AppointmentsOn-the-day GP appointments for illness and urgent concerns.Learn more →Older Adults Health75+ health assessments, medication reviews and falls prevention.Learn more →Children's HealthNewborn checks, childhood illness, immunisation and development.Learn more →
Ears blocked and hearing muffled?
Soften the wax for a few days, then book a bulk billed appointment to have it cleared and your hearing checked.
Three ways to book: HotDoc · online · or by phone on (02) 7813 6000.
Toongabbie Doctors · Shop 1, Toongabbie Point
Monday to Friday8:00am - 5:00pm
Saturday8:00am - 1:00pm
SundayClosed
ParkingFree via Cox Lane