Microsuction ear wax removal - is it any good?

Undervalued

bobblebob said:

Undervalued said:

bobblebob said:

Undervalued said:

bobblebob said:

My right ear is completely blocked according to the nurse. Drops seemed to have made it worse (wax expanded?). GP surgery wont do them, was told to ring Specsavers as they do. They said because its fully blocked they cant touch it, get a hospital referral. So rang GP up, who said we arent doing hospital referrals because of COVID, try a private place again

Managed to get in for it doing in a few week at a cost of £70 for both ears if needs be. NHS is telling people to not delay if they have issues, yet when you do go up they cant do anything and tell you to go private

Although uncomfortable and annoying it is not harmful unless there is an infection. In fact ear wax protects against infection.

In the current situation working a few inches from the patient's face puts the nurse / audiologist at risk of picking up the virus and them passing it to another patient who does need immediate treatment. Having had to be seen by my GP twice this week for something far more urgent I was reassured to see the level of care they were taking. However obviously there was still a risk, both ways, but in this case it was judged to be a risk that had to be taken. 

I suspect these type of elective procedures will get ever harder to obtain on the NHS. 

I would have thought with PPE for both of us, the risk is minimal, especially as i wont actually be facing the nurse when she does it. She did look in my ear at the time to make sure it was blocked, so was close to me then - albeit not for a long time

Be that as it may, you are missing the point.

It was necessary to look into the ear to make sure it was wax and not an infection. Ear infections can under some circumstances be serious. So that was a properly considered risk - both ways. However, having established that it was just wax (which I know can be very annoying) it is not medically urgent.

Many GP surgeries had stopped offering routine ear irrigation long before the Covid 19 crisis, because the procedure is not without risk (to the ear) and ENT departments usually advise against in the majority of cases.

Microsuction, which few NHS GP surgeries offer, is as I understand it considered significantly safer (for the ear). There are some concerns about the level of training "audiologists" receive but then a lot of GP's delegated ear irrigation to a Health Care Assistant when in the past it was at least a fully qualified nurse.

While i agree is more a nuisance than anything (although when it starts to effect balance at what point does it become more serious?), the problem with GP surgeries not doing them (Covid or no Covid), is people have 2 options if drops dont work. That is pay privately which isnt cheap, or try ad homemade remedy which can be dangerous and damage the eardrum.

Indeed. This is the catch 22. If balance is affected then that would presumably tip it into being medically necessary?

Many GPs have stopped doing minor surgery to remove small lumps and bumps unless there is reason to suppose it is malignant. They too can be very annoying and can sometimes cause the patient such concern that mental reasons, rather than physical, make removal necessary. Again, where do you draw the line?

NHS dentists are reluctant to do root canal treatments as they are very time consuming and may not be successful. Apparently they lose a significant amount of money if they do one on the NHS, although currently they are obliged to do them unless it is exceptionally complex. Some do what is required of them by their NHS contract but some bend the rules at the patient's detriment.

Grumpysally

I've just found this post as my 82 year old dad has just been quoted over £150 for a private ear syringing ( mum says it was for syringing but it could be micro suction). Previously he had it done at his GP's.

I searched microsuction and found that SpecSavers are offering it for £55 for one or both ears.

The number for the clinic was given to him by the GP surgery. That seem outrageous when they could have told him to try Specsavers.