Microsuction vs Ear Syringing
Our ears are such delicate, sensitive and important parts of our bodies so, naturally, we want to use the safest method of earwax removal when the need arises, right?
Microsuction is the safest and most precise form of earwax removal as the clinician uses the suction to only make contact with the wax itself, avoiding touching the sensitive walls of the ear canal and the delicate ear drum. The clinician can be extremely accurate using an illuminated and magnified view of the ear canal to view the troublesome wax, also identifying landmarks of the ear and assessing the general health. The method is so precise and low risk, that a patient who already has an perforated ear drum is able to under go microsuction. As microsuction is a dry method, the risk of infection following procedure is very low providing the patient avoids water in the ear for 48 hours. Of course, the risk of trauma, perforation and infection are not eliminated, but they are low.
Ear syringing on the other hand can pose more risks. As water is being flushed into the ear in attempt to dislodge the wax from the ear canal, pressure is being placed upon the ear drum. This can be uncomfortable for the patient when the water makes contact with sensitive parts of the ear, but also in some cases can cause perforation of the ear drum. Some pieces of wax can actually be forced back into the ear, compacting it up against the ear drum making it more difficult to remove and sometimes trapping water in the ear canal. This trapped water can cause a rise in pressure which can lead to perforation of the ear drum. Trapped water in the ear canal can also leave the patient high risk of developing an ear infection which is a common complication following ear syringing.
Although both methods of earwax removal can be effective, we believe the less risk the better the method!
Some people will go through life needing to have earwax removed on a regular basis. If you would like to understand more about the causes of earwax build up, please see our blog post ‘What Causes Earwax to Build Up?’
