Concierge ENT · London
Ear infection treatment, by a consultant ENT.
A proper ENT review — under the microscope, with same-day microsuction and audiology where needed — for outer, middle and inner-ear infections. Impartial advice on drops, antibiotics, grommets and when to escalate.
Why patients choose us
- 01
A consultant ENT, not a walk-in
A named ENT surgeon reviews the ear under a microscope — not a rushed GP look with an otoscope from the door.
- 02
Same-day microsuction and audiology
Wax, debris and discharge cleared under direct vision, with a private audiogram in the same visit if hearing is affected.
- 03
Independent, and free
We are paid by no clinic, so the recommendation — antibiotic, drops, grommets or watchful waiting — is impartial and costs you nothing.
Indicative pricing
What private ear infection care costs in London.
Indicative ranges across our partner ENT clinics. Send the details and we quote firm figures across two or three options.
In short
A same-day ENT consultation with microsuction: £300–£560, plan in the same visit.
| Item | Indicative range | Typical duration | Result timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| ENT consultation with microscopy | £220–£380 | 30–45 min | Same visit |
| Microsuction (one or both ears) | £90–£180 | 15–20 min | Same visit |
| Ear swab (microbiology) | £45–£90 | 5 min | 48–72 hrs |
| Pure-tone audiometry | £75–£140 | 20–30 min | Same visit |
| Compounded antibiotic + steroid drops | £25–£60 | Dispensed | Same day |
| Grommet insertion (paediatric, day-case) | £1,800–£3,200 | 20 min GA | Same visit |
Prices vary by clinic, by which ENT sees you, and by whether audiology or a compounded ear-drop preparation is added on the day. We come back with a firm quote within one working day.
The problem
Ear infections are not all the same — and the wrong plan wastes weeks.
Repeat courses of oral antibiotics for what turns out to be otitis externa. Grommets discussions delayed by another watch-and-wait. Sudden hearing loss missed for a week. An ENT under the microscope on day one sorts most of it.
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Recurrent drops that never work?
Debris in the canal blocks the medicine reaching the drum. Microsuction on the day is often what unlocks it.
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Child on their fourth course?
More than four AOM episodes in six months is a grommets conversation, not another antibiotic script.
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Sudden hearing drop?
Sensorineural hearing loss needs steroids within 72 hours. Do not wait for a routine ENT slot in three weeks.
The journey
From enquiry to hearing check — what happens, in order.
One clinician from first message to review — including the audiogram at follow-up if needed.
Phase 1 · Before the appointment
Concierge, off-stage for you
Phase 2 · On the day
Under the microscope, plan in hand
Phase 3 · After
Concierge, back on
- 01
Before
You tell us what is going on
A short, confidential form. Ear pain, discharge, hearing loss, vertigo, how long it has been going on, and any diabetes or immunosuppression.
- 02
Before
We come back with a recommendation
Within one working day: whether an ENT review is needed today, whether audiology should be booked with it, and an indicative price.
- 03
Before
We arrange the appointment
Usually within 24–72 hours. If a red flag is present — mastoiditis, facial weakness, sudden hearing loss — we escalate the same day.
- 04
On the day
Assessment under the microscope
A proper ENT examination with a binocular microscope. Microsuction of wax or debris, ear-swab if there is discharge, and pure-tone audiometry when indicated.
- 05
On the day
Treatment plan on the day
Topical drops (antibiotic + steroid), a compounded ear-drop preparation, an oral antibiotic if cellulitis is present, or referral for grommets or surgery.
- 06
On the day
Home the same day
Written aftercare, ear-care instructions (keep dry, no cotton buds), and a clear plan for when to come back.
- 07
After
Follow-up and hearing check
A review at 2–4 weeks with repeat microscopy — and a repeat audiogram if hearing was down, to be sure it has recovered.
Typical end-to-end: 24–72 hours from enquiry to being seen. Follow-up: 2–4 weeks.
When it helps
The full spectrum — outer, middle and inner ear.
The presentations we see most often, plus the red flags that mean an emergency rather than an appointment.
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Otitis externa (swimmer’s ear)
A painful, discharging outer ear canal — topical antibiotic + steroid drops after microsuction, oral antibiotics only if cellulitis.
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Acute otitis media
A red, bulging eardrum with fever and pain. Most self-limiting; NICE supports a delayed-prescription strategy in older children.
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Otitis media with effusion (glue ear)
Fluid behind the eardrum causing muffled hearing. Watchful waiting for three months, then grommets if it persists.
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Chronic suppurative otitis media
A persistent perforation of the eardrum with recurrent discharge — needs ENT, not repeat antibiotic courses.
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Labyrinthitis / vestibular neuritis
Sudden vertigo, sometimes with hearing loss. Steroids within 72 hours if sensorineural hearing loss is present.
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Herpes zoster oticus (Ramsay Hunt)
Vesicles in the ear canal with facial weakness — high-dose antiviral and steroid, started urgently.
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Recurrent AOM in a child
More than four episodes in six months, or hearing loss affecting speech — a grommets discussion is overdue.
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Red flag: mastoiditis or facial palsy
Post-auricular swelling, redness and fever, or facial weakness — a surgical emergency. A&E today, not a clinic booking.
Treatment options
Antibiotics are only one option — sometimes the wrong one.
What each option on the table actually involves — and which fits which ear-infection pattern.
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Watchful waiting
For uncomplicated acute otitis media in older children — most settle within 72 hours with pain relief alone.
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Topical antibiotic + steroid drops
First-line for otitis externa after the canal has been cleaned by microsuction. Compounded preparations available for resistant cases.
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Oral antibiotic
Reserved for severe or bilateral AOM in under-2s, otorrhoea, immunocompromise, or spreading cellulitis of the outer ear.
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Microsuction under the microscope
Debris, wax and discharge cleared under direct vision by an ENT — safer than syringing, and often the treatment on its own.
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Grommets (ventilation tubes)
A tiny tube through the eardrum for persistent glue ear or recurrent AOM. A short GA day-case in children, LA in adults.
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Tympanoplasty
Surgical repair of a persistent eardrum perforation from chronic suppurative otitis media.
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IV antibiotic hospitalisation
For mastoiditis, malignant otitis externa in diabetics, or intracranial complications — a hospital admission, sometimes with mastoidectomy.
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High-dose steroid for SSNHL
Sudden sensorineural hearing loss is a same-week emergency — oral or intratympanic steroids, ideally within 72 hours.
Our vetted London network
A small panel of ENTs and audiologists, we picked them.
Consultant ENT surgeons and audiologists across central, north, west and south London. Not listed publicly — introductions are made privately, once we understand your case.
Selection criteria
How we choose every ENT in our network.
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Consultant ENT surgeons, not trainees or general clinicians
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On-site binocular microscope and microsuction, same-visit
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Private audiology with pure-tone audiometry and tympanometry
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Direct escalation for mastoiditis, SSNHL and facial palsy
Safety and red flags
What to expect — and what means A&E, not clinic.
Most ear infections settle with the right topical or oral treatment. A few do not, and the signs that separate them are worth knowing.
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Keep the ear dry
For otitis externa and any perforation, water in the canal keeps the infection alive. Cotton-wool with Vaseline in the shower for two weeks.
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No cotton buds, ever
They push debris deeper and damage the canal skin — the commonest cause of otitis externa in adults.
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Pain relief works
Paracetamol and ibuprofen at the right dose and interval control ear pain in most cases — often before antibiotics are needed.
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Drops need to reach the drum
Lie on the opposite side for ten minutes after each dose. Otherwise the drops sit at the entrance and do nothing.
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Diabetes and immunosuppression
Malignant / necrotising otitis externa is a diabetic emergency — persistent severe ear pain with discharge needs urgent ENT, not more drops.
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Hearing after a middle-ear infection
A muffled feeling can persist for weeks. A repeat audiogram at four to six weeks confirms it has recovered.
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Vertigo with hearing loss
Sudden hearing loss with vertigo needs steroid treatment within 72 hours. Do not wait for a routine referral.
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Children and speech development
Recurrent glue ear with hearing loss during the language years is not a small thing — grommets should be discussed.
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Red flags
Post-auricular swelling, facial weakness, severe headache, high fever or sudden deafness are all reasons for A&E today, not tomorrow’s clinic.
Reading your ENT letter
Your ENT letter in four parts. Read the last one first.
Whichever diagnosis is made, the letter the ENT sends you keeps to the same shape.
A quiet reminder
Otological language is precise and can read coldly — we translate it for you.
If you would like us to talk you through the letter before your review, just ask.
- 01 Header
Diagnosis and ear examined
Which ear, which condition — otitis externa, acute otitis media, OME, CSOM — and whether one or both sides are involved.
- 02 Findings
What was seen under the microscope
The state of the ear canal, the eardrum (intact, retracted, bulging, perforated), and any debris, wax or discharge cleared.
- 03 Investigations
Swab and audiogram results
Any organism grown on the ear swab and its sensitivities, and the pure-tone audiogram if hearing was tested.
- 04 Impression
Treatment plan and follow-up
Read this first: which drops or antibiotics were started, when to stop, and when to come back for review.
Recognised by major UK insurers
Cover for ENT consultation, microsuction, audiology and grommets varies by insurer and by policy. We confirm cover before booking.
Frequently asked
Everything we get asked about ear infection treatment.
Quick answers on antibiotics, microsuction, grommets in children, and sudden hearing loss.
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How do I know if my ear infection is in the outer or middle ear?
Outer-ear infections (otitis externa) hurt when the ear is tugged or pressed and often discharge; the canal looks red and swollen. Middle-ear infections (otitis media) sit deeper, cause a blocked, pressured feeling with fever, and often follow a cold. An ENT can tell within seconds under the microscope.
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Do I need antibiotics for an ear infection?
Often no. NICE supports a delayed-prescription strategy for uncomplicated acute otitis media in older children — most settle within 72 hours with pain relief alone. Antibiotics are reserved for severe or bilateral cases in under-2s, discharge, or spreading cellulitis. Otitis externa is treated with drops, not oral antibiotics, unless cellulitis has developed.
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What is microsuction and why is it better than syringing?
Microsuction is gentle removal of wax, debris and discharge under a binocular microscope, using a tiny suction device. It is done under direct vision, so it is safer than water syringing — especially in a perforated or infected ear, where syringing is contraindicated.
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What is malignant or necrotising otitis externa?
A serious infection of the ear canal spreading to the skull base, seen mainly in diabetics and the immunocompromised. It is not a cancer — the name is historical. Severe pain, discharge that will not settle, and sometimes facial weakness are the warning signs. It needs urgent hospital admission and IV antibiotics.
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Should my child have grommets?
A grommets discussion is due if a child has more than four acute otitis media episodes in six months, or persistent glue ear with hearing loss for more than three months — particularly during language-development years. It is a short day-case procedure with a fast recovery.
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I have sudden hearing loss on one side. What should I do?
Do not wait. Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) is a same-week emergency. High-dose steroids started within 72 hours give the best chance of recovery. Contact us today or attend A&E — a routine GP referral is too slow.
Related tests
Looking for something else?
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Hearing loss assessment
A consultant-led assessment of new or worsening hearing loss.
Learn more -
Pure-tone audiometry
The standard hearing test — quick, painless and quantitative.
Learn more -
Microscopic examination & microsuction
Ear examination and gentle cleaning under the microscope.
Learn more -
All tests
Every test and procedure we arrange.
Learn more