DID YOU KNOW?

For many patients, softening of ear wax with easy to use over-the-counter treatments resolves the problem over time without medical intervention.

Therefore, as of October 1st2019, ear wax flushes are no longer covered by OHIP except under certain situations:

  • Patient has tried home remedies, but they did not work.

  • The immediate removal of ear wax is required to diagnose an underlying ear condition.

Otherwise, if patients wish to have ear wax flushed at our clinics,

there will be a fee.

THINGS YOU CAN TRY AT HOME

Over-the-Counter Earwax Softeners and Kits:

  • Ask your pharmacist. Many pharmacies sell over-the-counter eardrops that soften wax.

  • These drops are typically a solution. Place the specified number of drops into your ear, wait a certain amount of time, and then drain or rinse out your ear.

  • Always follow the instructions on the package.

Other Home Remedies:

  1. Hydrogen peroxide – put a few drops into each ear and hold head still for 15 minutes, blot ear as liquid runs out, syringe with warm water.

  1. Liquid Colace – put 10 drops of this into the ear, hold head still for 15 minutes, flush out with warm water

  1. Mineral oil – put a few drops of baby oil, mineral oil, vegetable oil, olive oil, or glycerin into your ear canal. Do every evening for 3-7 days, then flush with warm water.

Syringe or Rubber Ball Syringe:

  • This method is often more effective if you have used ear wax softeners as above, for a few days.

  • A person should have the affected ear pointing upward and use the syringe to drip warm water slowly into the ear canal.

  • It is vital to avoid forcefully flushing the water into the ear canal, as this can cause dizziness. The water must not be too hot or too cold.

  • After a minute, the person should tilt their head the other way so that the fluid and earwax can drip out.

  • It may be necessary to repeat this process multiple times.

WARNINGS:

These remedies are NOT to be used if you have tubes in your ears or suspect a hole in your ear drum.

Do not put anything such as toothpick, bobby pin or paperclip into the ear due to possibility of damage to the ear drum.

Ear Candling is not recommended for the same reasons and it is not usually effective.