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Learn why earwax build-up causes hearing loss, pain and ringing, and why microsuction is the safest method.", "mainEntityOfPage": { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://prestige-hearing.lovable.app/blog-post/the-hidden-dangers-of-earwax-build-up-why-professional-removal-matters" }, "author": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Prestige Hearing", "url": "https://prestige-hearing.lovable.app" }, "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Prestige Hearing", "url": "https://prestige-hearing.lovable.app" }, "datePublished": "2026-09-16", "dateModified": "2026-09-16" } ] --- [Skip to main content](#main) [![Prestige Hearing logo — independent audiologists in Cardiff, Bridgend and Newport](/assets/prestige-hearing-logo-MqV7nHOd.png)](/) Services Locations [About](/about)[Blog](/blog)[Contact](/contact) A+ [029 2240 1110](tel:02922401110)[Book Appointment](https://bookings.gettimely.com/prestigehearing/book) ![Microsuction earwax removal being carried out by an audiologist at our Cardiff clinic](/__l5e/assets-v1/d2990ab4-567f-4f10-a976-8fc013de0a3a/hero-ear-wax-removal.jpg) 1. [Home ](/) 2. [Blog](/blog) 3. The Hidden Dangers of Earwax Build-up Hearing Health Blog # The Hidden Dangers of Earwax Build-up: Why Professional Removal Matters Earwax is not a hygiene problem. It is produced deliberately by the body to protect the ear canal, trapping dust and debris and keeping the skin moisturised. In most people it migrates out of the ear naturally without any intervention at all. The difficulty arises when that natural process stops working. Wax builds up, hardens, and eventually blocks the canal. At that point it stops being protective and starts causing problems. ## What happens when wax builds up The most obvious symptom is reduced hearing. Sounds become muffled, conversations require more effort, and you may find yourself turning the television up without realising how far. Beyond hearing, a blockage can cause a feeling of pressure or fullness that does not clear, earache or discomfort, tinnitus in the form of ringing or buzzing, dizziness or unsteadiness, and the odd experience of your own voice sounding unusually loud inside your head. Left long enough, impacted wax can also trap moisture against the skin of the canal, which raises the risk of infection. ## Why cotton buds make it worse Almost everyone reaches for a cotton bud at some point. It is the single most common cause of impacted earwax we see. A cotton bud does not remove wax. It pushes the majority of it further down the canal, compacting it against the eardrum where it becomes harder to shift. It can also scratch the delicate skin of the canal, and in some cases perforate the eardrum itself. Ear candles are worth mentioning too. They do not work, there is no evidence they draw wax out, and they carry a genuine risk of burns and of wax from the candle itself entering the ear. ## Why microsuction is the safest method Microsuction uses gentle medical suction under direct magnified vision to lift wax out of the ear canal. Your audiologist can see exactly what they are doing throughout. No water is used, which matters if you have a perforated eardrum, a history of ear surgery, or a tendency towards infection. It works on hard, impacted wax that irrigation would struggle with. And because the clinician has clear visibility, it is controlled rather than approximate. Most people find the procedure comfortable, and the relief when a blockage clears is immediate. ## Preparing for your appointment This part matters more than most people realise. Softening the wax before your appointment makes removal quicker, more comfortable and more complete. Apply olive oil or Earol spray to the affected ear twice a day for three to four days beforehand. If the wax is particularly hard, seven days is better. If you arrive without having softened the wax, we can still usually help, but there is a chance you will need a second appointment to finish the job. ## Earwax removal at Prestige Hearing We provide professional microsuction earwax removal at our clinics in Cardiff, Bridgend and Newport. Treatment costs £60 for one or both ears, and home visits are available across Cardiff and Bridgend at £80. We see children from age seven upwards, and appointments are often available at short notice. No GP referral is needed. [Back to the hearing health blog](/blog) ![](/__l5e/assets-v1/1b44763e-32f5-4086-a21f-46a3c2e3db0a/ear-wax-removal-cta-bg.jpg) Book Your Visit ## Book your earwax removal Professional microsuction at our Cardiff, Bridgend and Newport clinics. Appointments often available at short notice. [Book Appointment](https://bookings.gettimely.com/prestigehearing/book) [WhatsApp Us](https://wa.me/+447782491061) Related Reading ## Where to go next . - [Professional ear wax removal across South Wales](/ear-wax-removal) - [Hearing tests across South Wales](/hearing-tests) - [Contact Prestige Hearing](/contact) ![Prestige Hearing logo — independent audiologists in South Wales](/assets/prestige-hearing-logo-MqV7nHOd.png) Expert hearing care across South Wales. 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