Ear Cleaning and Earwax Removal in Marietta and Cobb County, GA
American Family Hearing Aid Center provides professional ear cleaning and earwax removal in Marietta, GA. Hearing Instrument Specialist Mark Stevenson examines your ear canal with video otoscopy, removes built-up wax with the method best suited to your ear, and can follow with a hearing test at the same visit. Hearing aid wearers can add a clean and check. Book an appointment.
What Does Professional Ear Cleaning Involve?
Every ear cleaning appointment starts with a look before anything else happens. Mark Stevenson examines each ear canal with a video otoscope, a small camera that shows the canal and eardrum on a screen you can watch too. You see exactly how much wax is there, where it sits and whether it is soft, dry or packed hard against the eardrum.
That view decides the method. Removal is done gently and in stages, with frequent checks, and the canal is examined again at the end so you can see it is clear. Most appointments take 15 to 30 minutes, and most patients notice sound becoming brighter and clearer before they leave the chair.
Which Earwax Removal Methods Are Used?
No single technique suits every ear. The method is chosen after the examination, based on the type of wax and your ear health history:
- Manual removal: small curettes and loops lift wax out under direct view, which suits firm wax near the canal opening.
- Gentle irrigation: a controlled flow of body-temperature water loosens and flushes soft or widespread wax.
- Suction: a fine suction tip removes wax without water, which is useful when irrigation is not appropriate.
- Softening drops first: very hard or impacted wax may need a few days of softening drops before it can be removed comfortably.
What Are the Signs You Need Your Ears Cleaned?
Earwax often builds up slowly, so the change is easy to miss. Common signs include:
- A plugged, full or pressured feeling in one or both ears
- Muffled hearing that seems to come and go
- Itching or mild discomfort inside the ear canal
- Ringing or buzzing that has recently become more noticeable
- A hearing aid that whistles, sounds weak or cuts out
- Reaching for a cotton swab because your ear feels blocked
Wax can also make a hearing test look worse than your hearing really is. Our article on earwax and hearing test results explains why the ear canal is checked before every evaluation.
When Should Earwax Be Removed by a Physician Instead?
A Hearing Instrument Specialist tests hearing and fits hearing aids. We do not diagnose medical ear conditions, and some situations call for a physician first. We refer you to a physician rather than proceeding if you have:
- Ear pain, drainage, bleeding or signs of infection
- A known perforated eardrum, ear tubes or past ear surgery, where irrigation is avoided
- Sudden hearing loss in one ear, or hearing loss with dizziness
- A canal that is swollen, injured or too tender to examine comfortably
Sudden hearing loss is a medical urgency. If your hearing drops quickly, contact a physician the same day rather than waiting for a wax appointment.
Why Do Hearing Aid Wearers Need Ear Cleaning More Often?
A hearing aid dome or earmold sits in the path that wax normally travels to leave the ear. Over months, wax collects behind it, and some of it works its way into the device, clogging the wax filter and receiver. That is the most common reason a hearing aid suddenly sounds weak or starts whistling.
For hearing aid wearers who produce a lot of wax, an ear check every three to six months keeps both the ear and the device working. We often pair ear cleaning with a hearing aid clean and check, and if a device still misbehaves afterwards, we can assess it for repair. Our guide on how often to have your ears checked covers schedules by situation.
Why Should You Avoid Cotton Swabs and Ear Candles?
Cotton swabs push most of the wax deeper instead of removing it, packing it against the eardrum and making a mild buildup into a blockage. Ear candles have no evidence of removing wax and carry a real risk of burns. If your ears feel blocked, the safest home step is to stop, leave the canal alone and have it examined.
Can You Get Your Ears Cleaned and Hearing Tested in One Visit?
Yes, and it is often the best order. Wax removal first means your hearing test measures your inner ear rather than the blockage in front of it. If the test then shows hearing loss, Mark explains the audiogram the same day and talks through options, including hearing aids if they would help.
Where Is Our Ear Cleaning Office in Marietta?
American Family Hearing Aid Center is at 145 N Marietta Pkwy NE, Suite E, Marietta, GA 30060. We are open Monday to Thursday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. We see patients from Marietta, East Cobb, West Cobb, Kennesaw, Smyrna, Roswell, Acworth and across Cobb County.
Call 770-590-8662 or book an ear cleaning appointment. Directions and parking details are on our Marietta location page.
Ear Cleaning and Earwax Removal FAQs in Marietta, GA
Is earwax removal painful?
No. Professional earwax removal is usually comfortable. You may feel pressure, coolness or a tickling sensation, and very hard wax may need softening drops first so it comes out easily. Tell us right away if anything feels sore, and we will stop and adjust.
How long does an ear cleaning appointment take?
Most appointments take 15 to 30 minutes, including the video otoscope examination before and after. Ears with hard, impacted wax may need softening drops for a few days and a second short visit.
Do you clean ears for people who do not wear hearing aids?
Yes. Ear cleaning is available to anyone with earwax buildup, whether or not they wear hearing aids. Many patients come in only because one ear feels blocked.
Should I use earwax drops before my appointment?
Only if we suggest it. Softening drops help with hard wax, but they are not right for everyone, particularly people with a perforated eardrum or ear tubes. Call 770-590-8662 and we will tell you whether to use them first.
How often should ears be professionally cleaned?
Many people never need it. Hearing aid wearers, people with narrow or curved canals and those who produce a lot of wax often benefit from a check every three to six months. Mark recommends a schedule based on what he sees in your ears.
What happens if the wax is too hard to remove?
We stop rather than force it. You will be given softening guidance for a few days, and the wax usually comes out easily at a short follow-up visit. If anything suggests a medical problem, we refer you to a physician.
Can earwax cause hearing loss?
Yes, temporarily. A blockage can muffle sound noticeably, and hearing usually returns once the wax is removed. If hearing still seems reduced afterwards, a hearing test shows whether there is an underlying hearing loss as well.
Does insurance cover ear cleaning?
Coverage varies by plan, so it is worth checking before your visit. Call 770-590-8662 and the team can tell you what to ask your insurer.
Call 770-590-8662 or book an ear cleaning appointment.