Earwax usually falls out on its own, and the NHS recommends trying olive or almond oil drops for 3 to 5 days before anything else. If your ear is still blocked after 5 days, see the nurse at your GP surgery. Not all GP surgeries remove earwax, so you may be referred to another NHS service or need to pay for removal privately.
Get urgent help if...
A blocked ear is not usually urgent, but the NHS advises you to ask for an urgent GP appointment or get help from NHS 111 if:
- you have sudden hearing loss in 1 or both ears
- your hearing has been getting worse over the last few days or weeks
- you have hearing loss along with other symptoms, such as earache or discharge coming out of the ear
Signs of earwax build-up
Earwax protects your ears, so you cannot stop it forming and you should not try to. It only becomes a problem when it builds up and blocks the ear. The NHS lists these symptoms of earwax build-up:
- hearing loss
- a feeling that your ear is blocked
- ringing or buzzing in your ear (tinnitus)
- dizziness (vertigo)
These symptoms can have other causes too, such as an ear infection. If you are not sure what is causing them, a pharmacist can help.
What you can do yourself
The NHS self-care advice is to put 2 to 3 drops of olive or almond oil in the affected ear. Lie on your side with that ear facing up and stay there for 5 to 10 minutes.
Do this 3 to 4 times a day for 3 to 5 days. Do not use almond oil if you are allergic to almonds.
The NHS also says:
- do not use your fingers or any objects like cotton buds to remove earwax, as this pushes it in and makes it worse
- there is no evidence that ear candles or ear vacuums work
A pharmacist can give advice and suggest medicines to dissolve earwax. The NHS says the wax should usually clear within about a week. Do not use drops if you have a hole in your eardrum (a perforated eardrum).
NHS or private removal
The NHS advises you to see a nurse at your GP surgery if your symptoms have not cleared after 5 days of using drops, or if your ear is so blocked that you cannot hear.
The NHS also says that not all GP surgeries remove earwax. If yours does not, a doctor might be able to refer you to another local NHS service, or you might have to pay to have it done privately.
Private earwax removal is offered by some hearing clinics, pharmacies and other health providers. Ask what the price includes before you book.
What happens at an earwax removal appointment
The NHS describes three ways a GP surgery may remove earwax. It says these treatments are usually painless.
- Electronic ear irrigation: the wax is flushed out with water
- Microsuction: the wax is sucked out
- Scraping: the wax is scraped out using a very small device
If you go private, ask the clinic which method it uses. Tell the person treating you about any ear problems you have had, including a hole in your eardrum (a perforated eardrum). The NHS says you should not use ear drops if you have a perforated eardrum, so mention it before you start any drops as well.
How to check who is treating you
There is no single register just for earwax removal, so check the qualifications of the person who will see you. If they are a hearing aid dispenser or another health professional regulated by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), you can search the HCPC Register by name or registration number.
If the provider is registered with the Care Quality Commission, you can look up its latest inspection rating on the CQC website.
Before you book, it is reasonable to ask:
- which removal method the clinic uses and who carries it out
- what training and registration that person has
- what happens if the wax cannot all be removed at the first visit, and whether a second visit costs extra
Find a clinic
Our hearing clinics guide lists hearing and audiology providers by city, including services that offer earwax removal. If your hearing does not come back after the wax has been cleared, the NHS advises seeing a GP.
Sources: NHS: Earwax build-up | NHS: Hearing loss | HCPC: Check the register | Care Quality Commission.
Last reviewed: 6 October 2026. This guide is general information, not medical advice. In an emergency call 999. For urgent advice call NHS 111.