👂 Safe • Gentle • Performed by an Audiologist
~30 minute appointment
Both ears, in your home
About Cerumen / Ear Wax
Earwax (cerumen) is your body’s natural defense system for the ear canal. It traps dust and debris, has antibacterial properties, and lubricates the canal lining. The ear is also self-cleaning –Â wax naturally migrates outward and falls out on its own.
Problems start when wax becomes impacted. This can happen from cotton-swab use, hearing aid wear, narrow ear canals, hairy canals, or simply genetics. Impacted wax can cause hearing loss, tinnitus, fullness, dizziness, and infection – and it can muffle hearing aids enough to make them sound broken.
Your ear feels “stuffed up” or pressurized – like you’re underwater or just got off a plane.
Hearing aids that whistle, sound weak, or stop working may be blocked by wax – not broken.
Different ears, different wax – different methods. Dr. Patel selects the safest, most effective approach for your specific ear canal anatomy and wax type.
METHOD 1
The gold-standard method used by audiologists. A tiny suction device gently lifts wax out of the ear canal under direct visualization.
Removal of wax using sterile, specialized instruments – curettes, forceps, or loops – under direct visualization.
From the moment Dr. Patel arrives to the moment your ears are clear – usually all within 30 minutes.
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Microsuction, manual extraction, or irrigation – performed under direct visualization.
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A surprising number of “home remedies” for earwax are actually dangerous. Here’s what’s safe – and what to avoid.
Pushes wax deeper, scratches the canal, and can perforate the eardrum. The label warning is not a suggestion.
FDA has issued warnings – it’s been shown to be ineffective and risks burns, hot wax in the ear, and eardrum injury.
A washcloth on the outer ear (the part you can see) is all most people need. The canal is self-cleaning.
Mineral oil, carbamide peroxide, or saline can soften wax in healthy ears – for 3-5 days, not weeks.
Comet Audiology brings the procedure to your door – no urgent care visit, no driving home with foggy hearing.
Cerumen removal performed by a fully credentialed Au.D. – same level of expertise you’d get at an ENT clinic.
If wax was muffling your hearing, you’ll notice the difference immediately – even before Dr. Patel leaves.
Hearing aid users get specialized care – including hearing aid cleaning at the same visit if needed.
Yes. Ear wax removal performed by a licensed audiologist using sterile instruments and direct visualization (video otoscope or surgical loupe) is one of the safest medical procedures available. Comet Audiology uses gentle microsuction, manual extraction, or warm-water irrigation depending on what's safest for your ear canal anatomy. Complications are rare and typically minor.
No, professional ear wax removal should not be painful. You may feel a slight pulling sensation, hear suction sounds during microsuction, or feel coolness from irrigation water. Most patients describe the experience as mildly unusual but not uncomfortable. If you have a history of ear infections, perforated eardrum, or pain, tell Dr. Patel before the procedure begins.
Common signs of impacted earwax include: muffled or reduced hearing in one or both ears, a feeling of fullness or pressure, ringing or buzzing in the ear (tinnitus), itching, occasional dizziness, earache, or hearing aids that whistle, sound weak, or become blocked. If you notice any of these, professional removal is the safest option.
No. Ear candling has been studied and shown to be ineffective for removing earwax - and it carries significant risks including burns to the face and ear canal, hot wax dripping into the ear, eardrum perforations, and ear canal occlusion from candle wax. The FDA has issued warnings against ear candling. Comet Audiology does not perform or recommend it.
We provide expert, in-home hearing tests and audiology services across a wide range of locations for your convenience. Our licensed providers visit clients in Boulder, Broomfield, Louisville, Erie, Lafayette, Niwot, Westminster, and Brighton, CO. By bringing high-quality care directly to your doorstep, we ensure a comfortable and professional experience without the need for a clinic visit.
Many ear wax patients also benefit from these related Comet Audiology services.
If your hearing doesn’t fully return after wax removal, a complete diagnostic evaluation is the next step.
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