Ear Wax Removal in Portlaoise by Micro-suction

Is this for you? Signs of ear wax build-up

Earwax is normal and protects the ear. It only becomes a problem when it builds up and blocks the ear canal. You might notice:

• A blocked or full feeling in one or both ears
• Muffled hearing, or hearing that has slowly got worse
• Itching, or an earache without an infection
• Ringing or buzzing (tinnitus)
• A hearing aid that whistles or does not sit right
• A blocked ear after a cold, swimming or flying

The HSE suggests trying olive oil drops for a few days first, and many ears clear on their own. If drops have not cleared it, or you need it sorted quickly, micro-suction ear cleaning is the next step. We stock Ultrapure olive oil drops (€5.95) for softening and maintenance.

Looking for ear syringing in Portlaoise? Why we use micro-suction instead

Manual syringing with a metal syringe is no longer recommended. The UK NICE guideline on hearing loss in adults (NG98, recommendation 1.2.2) says not to offer adults manual syringing to remove earwax, and the HSE lists water irrigation and microsuction as the standard ways of removing wax.

Micro-suction (also written microsuction or micro suction) removes wax under direct vision. We look into the ear canal with a small camera and lift the wax out with a fine, low pressure suction tip. No water goes into the ear, so there is nothing left behind to cause an infection, and the pharmacist can see exactly what is being removed. ENT UK, the professional body for ear, nose and throat surgeons, describes micro-suction in its November 2024 clinical guidance as the method of choice for wax removal.

The HSE describes both methods as usually painless. Micro-suction is noisy for a few seconds and a few people feel briefly dizzy or get a tickly cough, and we stop any time you ask.

Ear wax removal prices in Portlaoise

How the €20 booking fee works. You pay €20 by card when you book online. On the day it comes off the price, so you pay €30 for both ears or €20 for one ear in the pharmacy. If we look in and find no wax, or we see something that needs your GP instead, the €20 covers your ear check and nothing more is charged.

Hard wax. If very hard wax cannot be cleared safely on the first visit, we give you olive oil drops to use and see you again within 14 days at no extra charge.

Free reschedule or cancellation up to 24 hours before your appointment. Inside 24 hours, or if you do not attend, the booking fee is kept. Card and cash accepted in the pharmacy. All fees are also displayed in the pharmacy.

Before your appointment

Softening the wax makes removal quicker and more comfortable. The HSE advice is:

• Lie on your side with the affected ear facing up
• Put 2 to 3 drops of olive oil into the ear and stay lying down for 5 to 10 minutes
• Repeat 3 to 4 times a day for 3 to 5 days before your appointment
• Use medical grade olive oil drops rather than oil from the kitchen

Do not use drops if you have ear pain, discharge, a known perforated eardrum or grommets. Avoid almond oil drops if you have a nut allergy. If your appointment is sooner than three days away, come anyway and we will assess on the day.

Tell us when you book, or phone us first, if you have diabetes, take blood thinners, have high or low blood pressure, faint easily, get a tickly throat lying flat, wear hearing aids, or have had ear surgery in the past. None of these necessarily rules you out, but the pharmacist needs to know.

When micro-suction is not suitable: see your GP instead

Please do not book, and see your GP instead, if you have:

• A sudden drop in hearing in the last 30 days (this needs a GP, an ENT service or the emergency department within 24 hours, not a wax appointment)
• Ear pain, discharge or a current ear infection
• A known perforated eardrum or grommets
• Previous ear surgery
• Dizziness or balance problems, or bleeding from the ear
• Only one hearing ear

The service is for people aged 16 and over. A parent or guardian comes with anyone aged 16 or 17. Under 16s are best seen by their GP. If we see anything that needs a doctor, we stop, explain what we have seen and write to your GP.

What happens on the day

• A few questions and a consent form. The pharmacist checks the answers you gave when you booked and explains what will happen.
• We look inside both ears. A small video endoscope shows the ear canal and eardrum on a screen, so you can see what we see.
• The wax is removed. A fine, low pressure suction tip lifts the wax out. It is loud for a few seconds, and a brief cough reflex or a moment of dizziness is normal. You can ask us to stop at any point.
• We check again and send you home with aftercare. Both ears are checked on screen afterwards and you get a written aftercare leaflet.

The removal itself takes from a few seconds to about 20 minutes depending on the wax. The appointment is 30 minutes in our private consultation room.

Who will see you

We use a video endoscope with a screen and a medical suction unit, so the wax is removed under direct vision rather than by feel. Laois Pharmacy has been part of Portlaoise since 1987, and because we are a pharmacy we can check your medicines and conditions on the spot before we treat you.

Why have it done by a pharmacist?

Ear wax removal is often offered by hearing aid shops. At Laois Pharmacy it is done by a registered pharmacist, and that makes a practical difference:

• We know your medicines. Blood thinners, diabetes, blood pressure tablets and ear drops all matter for ear care. Our pharmacist checks them with you before she starts.
• Everything in one visit. If you need olive oil drops, an ear infection looked at, or advice on hearing, you are already in the right place.
• Honest about what you need. If there is no wax, we tell you, show you on screen and point you to the right next step. You only pay the €20 ear check.
• Clear prices. €50 for both ears, €40 for one. No consultation fee on top, no surprise on the day.
• A PSI registered pharmacy with a private consultation room, open six days a week, in the centre of Portlaoise since 1987.

Risks and side effects, in plain English

Micro-suction is well established and most people have no problems. ENT UK’s 2024 guidance gives these estimates, based on clinical experience, and we go through them with you before you consent:

• A minor graze to the ear canal: about 1 in 20
• Brief, severe dizziness: about 1 in 200
• Temporary ringing in the ear: about 1 in 100
• Temporary change in hearing: about 1 in 100
• Infection after a graze: about 1 in 500
• Injury to the eardrum: fewer than 1 in 10,000

The suction is loud. Ears can feel muffled or odd for a few hours and most people are back to normal within 24 hours, so allow a day before any hearing test. If removal becomes uncomfortable we stop, send you home with drops and see you again a few days later rather than forcing it.

Aftercare and when to see your GP

• Clean only the outer ear with a dry cloth. No cotton buds.
• If the canal was grazed or feels itchy, keep water out of the ear for 24 hours.
• Hearing aid users: wash your moulds before putting them back in.
• Contact your GP or the out of hours service if you get pain, bleeding, discharge, dizziness or a sudden drop in hearing after your visit.
• If you are prone to wax, a check every 6 to 12 months keeps on top of it. Regular olive oil drops can help in between.

Find us and areas we serve

Laois Pharmacy, 1 Dunamaise House, Lyster Square, Portlaoise, Co. Laois, R32 HD72. Ear wax appointments run Monday to Saturday, 10am to 5pm, in our private consultation room. The pharmacy is open Mon to Fri 9am to 6pm and Sat 9.30am to 6pm. Phone 057 866 1999 or WhatsApp 085 840 7548.

We see patients for ear wax removal from across County Laois and the surrounding area, including Mountmellick, Portarlington, Abbeyleix, Stradbally, Mountrath, Monasterevin, Athy, Tullamore and Carlow, as well as Kildare and Offaly. Portlaoise is on the M7 with parking around Lyster Square and the town centre car parks.