New earwax removal service set up in Shifnal

The facility, which is based at SB Physio and Sports Injury Clinic in Broadway, is offering earwax removal using a variety of alternative methods.

Clinic owner Steve Briggs says it will ease the discomfort of excessive earwax for sufferers whose problems escalated when the Covid-19 pandemic forced the closure of clinics providing non-urgent services.

Not all methods of earwax removal are suitable for everyone.

Mr Briggs said: “Our resident audiologist firstly has to identify the underlying cause of wax-build up, as this, together with consideration of various associated problems, will determine whether mircrosuction, syringing or manual removal is the most suitable method for each individual patient.

“Earwax itself is a very important natural lubricant called cerumen, which is produced by the glands to clean and protect the lining of the ear canal from dirt, dust, bacteria, and essentially infection.

“Whilst earwax usually passes out of the ear easily, in some instances it does not, and then you can get a problematic build up that blocks the ear and can result in hearing loss, earache, tinnitus and vertigo.

“Older people tend to be at higher risk of getting a wax build-up, but it can also be prevalent in people who have narrow or damaged ear canals, or hairy ear canals.

“However, one of the most common causes is people putting things into their ears in a bid to remove wax, and inadvertently compacting it.

"Then, as the wax dries out, it effectively forms a ‘plug’.

"The same compression can occur when people are inserting hearing aids.

“With NHS audiology clinics closing down their wax removal services when the Covid pandemic hit, more people than ever have unwittingly increased their earwax build-up and are now experiencing severe discomfort."