Audiology · United Kingdom
Microsuction ear wax removal, the safe way to clear your ear.
The gold-standard method - an operating microscope, a fine suction cannula and continuous sight of your drum. No water, no guesswork, safe with perforations and grommets.
Indicative pricing
What private microsuction costs in the UK.
Indicative ranges across UK private providers - high-street audiology chains and ENT consultants.
In short
Microsuction, both ears, at a high-street audiology chain: £50–£90, home within the hour.
| Option | Indicative range | Typical duration | Recovery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microsuction - both ears | £50–£90 | 15–30 min | Same visit |
| Microsuction - one ear | £40–£70 | 10–20 min | Same visit |
| Manual instrumentation (under scope) | £50–£90 | 15–30 min | Same visit |
| Combined microsuction + instrumentation | £60–£100 | 20–30 min | Same visit |
| ENT specialist wax removal | £150–£300 | 30 min | Same visit |
| Consultation only (if not wax) | £30–£80 | 15 min | Same visit |
Prices vary by provider - high-street audiology (Boots Hearingcare, Specsavers, Hearing Direct) sits at the lower end, ENT-clinic microsuction is more but includes a consultant assessment. NHS availability is variable per region and increasingly limited.
The problem
The right method, in the right hands, on the right ear.
Wax removal is a small procedure done badly all the time - water forced into ears that should not be irrigated, blind picking, unregulated operators. We route you to microsuction, done properly.
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Not sure it is wax?
Otoscopy first. If it looks like otitis externa, a perforation or a foreign body, we redirect you to ENT rather than to a suction tip.
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Had a perforation or grommets?
You should never be irrigated. Microsuction only - and only from someone who knows the difference.
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Been picked at with a probe blindly?
Instrumentation belongs under a microscope, not by feel. A canal wall abrasion is avoidable.
When it helps
When microsuction is the right step.
The symptoms we see most, plus the one red flag that means ENT rather than an appointment with an audiologist.
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Muffled or reduced hearing
A sudden or gradual drop in hearing on one or both sides - often after showering or swimming when trapped wax swells.
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Blocked or full-feeling ear
A sensation of pressure, fullness or blockage that will not clear with swallowing or yawning.
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Tinnitus or ringing
A new ringing, buzzing or hissing in one ear - sometimes caused, sometimes worsened, by impacted wax against the drum.
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Hearing aid whistling or cutting out
Feedback, whistling or intermittent output from a hearing aid - a classic sign wax is building against the mould.
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Itching or mild ear ache
Deep itch or a dull ache from wax pressing on the canal wall - often worse after cotton buds.
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Mild dizziness or off-balance
Occasional lightheadedness when wax touches the drum - usually settles the moment the ear is cleared.
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After cotton buds pushed wax deeper
Buds do not clean ears - they compact wax against the drum. Microsuction retrieves what buds pushed in.
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Red flag: sudden hearing loss + no wax
Sudden one-sided hearing loss with a clear canal is not wax - it is a same-week ENT problem, not a clinic booking.
Method options
Microsuction is the standard - but not the only option.
What each method actually involves, and where each one belongs - including where water irrigation still has a place, and where it does not.
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Microsuction (recommended)
Operating microscope plus a fine suction cannula. Direct sight of the drum, no water, safe with perforations, grommets and mastoid cavities. 15 to 30 minutes.
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Manual instrumentation
A Jobson-Horne probe or wax hook under the microscope. Suits harder, drier wax that suction alone will not shift.
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Combined technique
Microsuction plus a hook or probe in the same appointment - the commonest real-world approach for stubborn wax.
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Water irrigation (Propulse)
The older electronic-jet method. Still used in many settings but avoided if there is any history of perforation, grommets, mastoid cavity or active infection.
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Home softeners first
Olive oil, sodium bicarbonate, almond oil, Otex or Cerumol for three to five days beforehand - softens the wax and, sometimes, clears it without a visit at all.
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ENT referral
For foreign bodies, suspected cholesteatoma, recurrent perforation or an unusual canal - a consultant ENT surgeon rather than an audiologist.
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Paediatric ENT
Children do not have wax removed on the high street - a specialist paediatric ENT service where microscope and technique are age-appropriate.
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Consultation only
An honest look with the otoscope. If it is not wax - otitis externa, a perforation, eczema - we say so and redirect you to the right clinician.
Safety and aftercare
What to expect afterwards - honestly.
Microsuction is quick, walk-in and walk-out. The things worth knowing are the loud suction sound during, and the small handful of after-events worth ringing about.
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Loud, but not painful
The suction sound is close to your drum and can feel loud. It is not painful. Most people describe it as odd rather than uncomfortable.
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Hearing improvement is usually immediate
Muffled hearing typically clears the moment the wax is out. Occasionally the ear feels a little full or watery for a day or two.
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Transient dizziness is rare
Because there is no cold water, temperature-driven vertigo - a problem with irrigation - is essentially eliminated with microsuction.
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Otitis externa is uncommon
Sterile technique and single-use tips keep infection risk low. If the canal feels sore or discharges after, ring the clinic the same day.
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Minor abrasion settles quickly
A small graze on the canal wall from a probe is not dangerous and heals within a day or two.
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Perforation is very rare
Perforation with microsuction is vanishingly rare - much lower than with irrigation. The drum is under the microscope the whole time.
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Stop the cotton buds
Buds are the commonest cause of re-impacted wax and canal-wall damage. Nothing smaller than your elbow, as the ENT saying goes.
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When to repeat
Some ears need clearing every three to six months, especially hearing-aid users. Most people much less often - as symptoms return.
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Red flags
Sudden one-sided hearing loss with no wax, severe pain, discharge with fever, or vertigo that does not settle are ENT problems - not another clean.
Reading your visit note
Your microsuction note in four parts. Read the last one first.
Whichever chain or clinic you visit, the note the clinician sends you keeps to the same shape.
A quiet reminder
Audiology shorthand is precise and can read coldly - we translate it for you.
If you would like us to talk you through the note before you file it, just ask.
- 01 Header
Symptoms and history checked
What you came in with - muffled hearing, blocked feeling, tinnitus - and any history of perforation, ear surgery, grommets or mastoid work.
- 02 Technique
How your ear was cleared
Which technique was used - microsuction alone, microsuction with instrumentation - and which ear or ears were treated.
- 03 Findings
The drum and canal after clearing
The condition of the ear drum and canal on final otoscopy, and anything incidental - mild eczema, a healed perforation, a small retraction.
- 04 Impression
Aftercare and when to come back
Read this first: what to do at home, when hearing should stabilise, and roughly when - if ever - you should book again.
Recognised by major UK insurers
Wax removal is usually below insurer excess and paid privately at high-street audiology chains. ENT-led microsuction with a consultant assessment is often covered when medically indicated.
Frequently asked
Everything we get asked about microsuction.
Quick answers on pain, cost, NHS availability, and how microsuction compares to water irrigation.
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What is microsuction ear wax removal?
Microsuction uses an operating microscope for binocular vision of the ear canal and a fine suction cannula to gently lift wax out under direct sight. No water is used. It is endorsed by the Royal College of Physicians and ENT UK and is widely regarded as the safest method of wax removal.
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Is microsuction safer than water irrigation?
Yes - for most patients. Because no water is used, microsuction is safe with a history of perforation, grommets, mastoid cavities or active infection, all of which are reasons to avoid irrigation. Perforation and vertigo rates are also lower than with irrigation.
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Does microsuction hurt?
It is not painful. The suction sound is loud because it is right next to your ear drum, and the sensation is unusual, but it is not sore. Most people find the noise the hardest part.
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How much does microsuction cost privately in the UK?
Roughly £50–£90 for both ears at a high-street audiology chain such as Boots Hearingcare, Specsavers or Hearing Direct. ENT-clinic microsuction is more - around £150–£300 - but includes a consultant assessment.
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Is microsuction available on the NHS?
Availability is patchy. Many CCGs and ICBs no longer commission wax removal and follow NICE guidance NG98 by signposting patients to private services. Your GP will tell you what is commissioned in your area.
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Do I need to use olive oil drops before the appointment?
Ideally, yes - two or three days of olive oil, sodium bicarbonate, almond oil, Otex or Cerumol softens the wax and makes removal quicker and gentler. Some people find the drops alone are enough.
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How often should I have my ears cleared?
As needed. Some people - hearing-aid users, narrow canals, heavy wax producers - need microsuction every three to six months. Others rarely need it. Symptoms are the guide, not the calendar.
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Can microsuction be done if I have a perforated ear drum or grommets?
Yes - that is one of the main reasons it is preferred. Microsuction is safe with a history of perforation, grommets in place, or a mastoid cavity, all of which rule out water irrigation.
Related tests
Looking for something else?
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Earwax removal
Every option compared - softeners, irrigation, microsuction.
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Every test and procedure we cover.
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ENT consultation
When the problem is more than wax.
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