Although non-life threatening, a blocked ear is an incredibly frustrating problem for many people and it’s not always simple to get an appointment at the local surgery.

Please do not resort to tactics such as the dreaded earbud or, heaven forbid, an ear candle! (These do not work!) For those of you, that feel the need to try something, we believe we've put together your best and safest option. We have created a pack that includes a small 20ml manual syringe that uses a patented Bionix SprayWash Tip and comes with a bottle of Earol olive oil spray which also has a patented spray delivery system.

Whilst we’d normally recommend that people try to see a professional when convenient to do so, we believe that these are the safest products to use if you’re going to try to remove it yourself. Bionix SprayWash tips and Earol have long been used and recommended by audiologists.

The syringe, Bionix tips, and Earol have all been CE certified for purpose and are completely safe to use as long as the included instructions are followed carefully. Earol Spray has a simple yet unique delivery system capable of dispensing a discrete unit dose of olive oil into the outer ear. This eliminates the need for the use of cotton wool or a dropper therefore significantly reducing any waste and spillages.

Bionix OtoClear Tips are excellent for comfort because of the soft, Gentle Touch Design. Three jets direct water flow away from the eardrum at 30 angles for increased safety, virtually eliminating the risk of perforation. The flared tip design prevents over-insertion into the ear canal and large exit portals prohibit pressure build-up and promotes direct drainage gently out of the canal eliminating back splash.

There are two main risks to patients syringing their own ears at home:

1. The blockage could be made temporarily worse if the wax doesn’t come out and absorbs the oil and moisture. Therefore, creating a bigger blockage. Ultimately, the wax would still likely soften and relief would be found but there could be a period of time while the ear feels more blocked.

2. Using any water method to remove wax either by a professional or a self-clean method always carries a small risk of infection which is why most ear care professionals would recommend the dry method of aural microsuction when possible.

Please note that any form of ear irrigation is not appropriate if you have:

• A perforated eardrum, or if you have had a perforation in the last 12 months.

• Previously had problems with irrigation, such as pain in your ear or severe vertigo.

• Have a discharge of mucus from your ear or have had an ear infection in the preceding two months.

• Have recurring or persistent infections of the ear canal.

• You have had any ear surgery (apart from cases of extruded grommets which had come out at least 18 months beforehand) had a middle ear infection (otitis media) in the past six weeks.