​​In our modern Nottingham clinic, we provide audiologist-led expert ear wax removal using NICE recommended microsuction. To visualise and illuminate your ear for the procedure (this is very important), we use a state of the art high definition ENT operating microscope with a whopping 25x magnification adjustable lens, unrivalled depth perception and a super bright LED light. Very few ear wax removal providers have these. Why? because they are hugely expensive and require extensive specialist training. However we chose to invest in this equipment because we want to offer the best possible service. Having the right tool for the job makes ALL the difference. What does safe ear wax removal require? ​(1) extensive training and years of otology experience to master (2) specialist equipment to visualise the ear and remove the wax (as well as other diagnostic testing equipment for further assessment) (3) a detailed knowledge and understanding of audiological management and the ability to carry out such management where appropriate (4) established audiology & ENT support and referral pathways  ​So why choose Ear Care Specialists in Nottingham to remove your ear wax? ​​EXPERTISE Jeff is a dual-registered specialist audiologist with extensive knowledge and the right degree certificates to back it up; our entire profession revolves around ear health and hearing. No side hustling here.  EXPERIENCE Jeff performs over 1000 ear wax removal procedures every year (check out our socials if you want to see us in action). What's more, Jeff actually trains fellow audiologists in ear wax removal and even helped design the first microsuction training course at his former university, De Montfort.  EQUIPMENT we use lots of specialist equipment; from our ENT microscope to visualise and magnify your ear canal as we gently suction out the ear wax,  to the very chair you sit in for the procedure - a custom spec antibacterial super adjustable chair with dual-articulated head rest for ultimate head support (Jeff's third patient chair - the others didn't cut the mustard!).  FURTHER EVALUATION we have lots of other tests available at our disposal. When it comes to ear and hearing health, wax isn't always the issue (or the only issue), so further investigation is often needed. Our clinical expertise and scope of practice allows this to happen. PROFESSIONALLY CONNECTED we can refer you to see an ENT or dermatology consultant if further medical care is needed. What's more, we sit in the right profession, underpinned with national clinical guidelines to which we our bound through our registration and professional memberships.  WE DO NOT SYRINGE YOUR EARS ​If your ears are blocked with ear wax, we have no way of knowing what lies behind the ear wax, because we cannot see it. [PERIOD]. Therefore we cannot guarantee ear health (lumps, bumps, infection, cavities etc.) or know the true status of the ear drum (healthy, scarred, retracted, perforated, abnormally vascular, infected etc.). So to blindly pump water in to this space isn't the best idea in our opinion. What's more the temperature of the water can make you feel dizzy if it isn't just right. Microsuction on the other hand, is a waterless method which allows for wax removal under direct observation of the ear: you can see what you are doing, as you are doing it. That's not to say that it is perfect. Microsuction can be noisy (as can operating your vacuum cleaner). Now if there's a big wall of wax in the way of the ear drum it will tend to do a pretty good job of shielding the noise. What's more, the procedure takes seconds to a couple of minutes so exposure time is minimal. You can also use fine end suction tubes which command less pressure and aren't as noisy. Sometimes, ear wax can be removed with wax hooks or crocodile forceps. This manual approach doesn't generate any noise but it isn't always the most efficient method for wax removal. Again, having access to good visualisation methods, is a must here. SAD BUT TRUE some practitioners (NHS and private) still remove ear wax under a head torch alone, without any magnification whatsoever. This is an old school approach which frankly belongs in the dark ages.  Imagine shining a light up to someone's ear, then attempting to remove wax from it without any magnification. The ear canal is a ~3 cm narrow bendy tube with fragile skin and a delicate ear drum at the end. Having excellent illumination of the ear and being able to see it bigger and with accurate depth perception (only possible with binocular lenses), is an absolute must. EAR WAX REMOVAL IS NOT TO BE UNDER ESTIMATED. It should be carried out by experienced and registered audiologists, specialist ENT nurses or ENT doctors i.e. professionals who's entire body of work is centred around ear health. However, due to a lack of hard regulation and the willingness of some unscrupulous "clinical trainers" to train just about anyone, you will find a wide array of unqualified, poorly equipped so-called ear wax practitioners offering ear wax removal services to the unsuspecting public. Indeed even some health care professionals such as pharmacists, osteopaths, mental health nurses, physiotherapists, dispensing opticians (etc. etc.) are getting in on the act. Such individuals have no formal clinical qualifications or experience in otology/audiology, no relevant registration, no detailed understanding of hearing health, no clinical support network and no scope of practice for further diagnostic hearing health investigation. They attend a brief crash course in ear wax removal and come out naively thinking they can offer a safe and credible service. The reality is they can't. And lets be honest they aren't doing it for a love of ears, its just another stream of income generation. To think of this scenario another way: imagine if your audiologist starting offering back adjustments or sight tests after attending a 1 or 2 day course - its preposterous, right?  Some practitioners may even talk about their "years of NHS experience" but you have to ask; are they referring to work in audiology/otology and even more specifically in ear wax removal? The answer in our experience: most probably not.