Your ear nurse will discuss the possible side effects and risks prior to treatment.
As with any procedure, microsuction carries a small amount of risk and potential side effects, most of which are very rare. The most common side effect is some dizziness, coughing, eye watering, faintness or vertigo during or shortly after the procedure.
Some of the side effects that can occur are:
- Dizziness
- Infection
- Trauma to the ear
- Noise damage
- Coughing
- Eyes watering
Dizziness
Some people may experience a little dizziness, faintness or a feeling of vertigo during the procedure or shortly afterwards. This is due to microsuction ear wax removal actually causing the temperature of the ear canal to cool down during the procedure, which can cause this feeling. This side effect is only temporary and shouldn’t last very long following the removal of ear wax.
Infection
This is rare, but as with any procedure you undergo, there is a small risk of infection following microsuction ear wax removal. All equipment is sterilized before and after use. We build into our protocols a strict hygiene regime to protect your ears from contamination.
Trauma to the ear canal and drum
As the microsuction ear wax removal procedure involves a tube being inserted into the ear canal, there is a small risk that some damage or trauma could occur in the ear canal or ear drum. This can occur from sudden movements by the patient. In extremely rare cases, the eardrum can become perforated. To help prevent this, our ear nurse will explain the procedure step by step and will let you know when the noise increases or starts so that you are prepared for it.
Noise Damage
The equipment used during ear wax removal does generate some noise, which some find to be very loud. In minimal cases, this can cause temporary short lived hearing loss. This occasionally happens when tiny muscles contract to protect the ear against noise. There is also an extremely rare chance of tinnitus being caused, or existing tinnitus worsened.