Need earwax removal in Covington, LA? You can get it done at Total Health Urgent Care. Our urgent care services page lists “Cerumen or ear wax impaction irrigation and removal” in its eye and ear entry, right next to evaluation and treatment of ear infections. Walk-ins are welcome, and the clinic runs from 7 AM to 7 PM every single day of the week, per the FAQ on that same services page. A plugged ear can get looked at before Monday rolls around.
Earwax removal at a glance
- What we offer: ear wax impaction irrigation and removal, plus evaluation and treatment of ear infections, with prescribed medication if needed, according to our services page.
- When: daily from 7 AM, weekends included, until we lock up at 7 PM, and no appointment is required. Want to ask something first? Phone (985) 400-5370, as the FAQ on our services page suggests.
- Cost: if you’re paying yourself, an office visit costs $130, and our pricing and insurance page says that includes any prescribing of medication, referrals, and exams.
- Insurance: most major health plans are welcome here, and we can bill your insurer directly, per that pricing and insurance page.
- Skip: the AFP review Cerumen Impaction: Diagnosis and Management says cotton-tipped swabs, ear candling, and olive oil drops or sprays should be avoided.
The 2018 AFP cerumen review calls cerumen impaction a common reason for consultation with primary care physicians and puts it at about 10% of children, 5% of healthy adults, and up to 57% of older persons in nursing homes. The AFP summary of the AAO-HNSF earwax guideline adds that approximately 12 million persons in the United States present for problems related to cerumen, with about 8 million removal procedures performed.
What is impacted earwax?
Impacted earwax is a buildup big enough to cause symptoms or block a clinician’s view of the ear. The 2018 AFP cerumen review defines cerumen impaction as “an accumulation of cerumen that causes symptoms or prevents assessment of the ear canal, tympanic membrane, or audiovestibular system,” and it adds that complete obstruction is not required.
Normal wax is actually your friend. ENThealth’s Earwax (Cerumen Impaction) page, published by the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation, calls it “a self-cleaning agent with protective, lubricating, and antibacterial properties.” That same ENThealth earwax page explains that old earwax gets moved along, assisted by chewing and jaw motion, to the ear opening, where most of the time it dries, flakes, and falls out.
So why does it get stuck? The MedlinePlus Ear wax article says that in some people the glands produce more wax than can be easily removed, and that this extra wax may harden in the ear canal and block the ear.
What are the symptoms of impacted ear wax?
Here’s what to watch for. The MedlinePlus Ear wax article lists these common symptoms:
- Earache
- Fullness in the ear or a sensation that the ear is plugged
- Noises in the ear (tinnitus)
- Partial hearing loss, which may get worse
The 2018 AFP cerumen review adds itching and cough, and, rarely, a sensation of imbalance. It also notes that hearing loss from cerumen impaction can cause reversible cognitive impairment in older persons. Separately, the MedlinePlus Ear wax article calls wax blockage one of the most common causes of hearing loss. The good news from that same MedlinePlus article: hearing loss is often temporary, and in most cases hearing returns completely after the blockage is removed.
How do you remove ear wax safely at home?
Home care handles most cases. The MedlinePlus Ear wax article says most cases of ear wax blockage can be treated at home, and it names baby oil, commercial ear drops, glycerin, mineral oil, and water as remedies that can soften wax. ENThealth’s earwax page adds that detergent drops such as hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide may also aid in the removal of wax.
The MedlinePlus Ear wax article also walks through washing wax out with a store-bought syringe and body-temperature water, because cooler water may cause brief but severe dizziness or vertigo. It tells readers to ask their provider before doing it on their own. These are the hard stops on the MedlinePlus Ear wax article:
- Never irrigate or use drops to soften the wax in the ear if the eardrum may have a hole in it or you have had recent ear surgery (MedlinePlus).
- Do not irrigate the ear with a jet irrigator designed for cleaning teeth (MedlinePlus).
- Never try to clean the ear by putting any object, such as a cotton swab, into the ear canal (MedlinePlus).
Living with diabetes or a weakened immune system? ENThealth’s earwax page says caution is advised to avoid having your ears irrigated if you have diabetes, a hole in the eardrum (perforation), a tube in the eardrum, skin problems such as eczema in the ear canal, or a weakened immune system.
Timing matters if you do use drops. That same ENThealth earwax page says ear syringing is most effective when water, saline, or wax dissolving drops are put in the ear canal 15 to 30 minutes before treatment.
Do drops really work? For wax clearance, the Cochrane review Ear drops for the removal of ear wax rated the quality of the evidence as low. It found only one study that compared drops with an active ingredient to no drops at all, and in it the drops may help increase the share of ears cleared of wax from 1 in 20 to about 1 in 5. That Cochrane review also found no evidence that water-based or oil-based drops were any different to saline or water.
Sources don’t agree on oils, either. The NHS Earwax build-up page suggests 2 to 3 drops of olive or almond oil (skipping almond oil if you’re allergic to almonds), while the 2018 AFP cerumen review says regular use of olive oil drops or spray is ineffective and should not be recommended. Ask a clinician before choosing one.
Are cotton swabs and ear candles safe for earwax?
No to both, and here’s why. ENThealth’s earwax page says wax blockage against the eardrum often happens because people have been probing the ear with cotton-tipped swabs, bobby pins, or twisted napkin corners, and that these objects only push the wax in deeper.
Swabs hurt kids, too. A Nationwide Children’s Hospital release on its cotton tip applicator study reports that from 1990 through 2010, an estimated 263,000 children younger than 18 were treated in U.S. hospital emergency departments for cotton tip applicator related ear injuries, or about 34 every day. “The ear canals are usually self-cleaning,” senior author Kris Jatana, MD, said in that release.
Ear candles? Hard pass. In a 2010 consumer alert, the FDA warned that ear candles can cause serious injuries, even when used in accordance with manufacturers’ directions, according to its Stay Away From Ear Candles consumer release on PR Newswire. The AFP summary of the AAO-HNSF earwax guideline says that because ear candling has not been proven effective and has associated risks, physicians should discourage its use. The NHS Earwax build-up page adds that there’s no evidence that ear candles or ear vacuums get rid of earwax.
Can urgent care remove ear wax?
Yes, and ours lists it by name. “Cerumen or ear wax impaction irrigation and removal” appears in the eye and ear evaluation and irrigation entry on our Covington services page, followed by prescribed medication if needed. Walk-ins are welcome, according to that page’s FAQ, so that stuffed-up ear can get looked at any day of the week.
Here’s how earwax care works in general. The 2018 AFP cerumen review says the diagnosis of cerumen impaction is made by direct visualization with an otoscope, and that three options are widely used to treat it: irrigation, cerumenolytic agents, and manual removal with instrumentation. The AFP guideline summary adds that no particular treatment method has been shown to be superior to another.
Does it hurt? The NHS Earwax build-up page, written for the UK, says its GP surgery earwax treatments are usually painless. The 2018 AFP cerumen review says irrigation water should be close to body temperature and instilled gently to avoid trauma, bleeding, and pain, and it lists pain and skin injury among potential complications.
How risky is ear irrigation? Major complications such as tympanic membrane perforation and vertigo are rare, occurring in approximately one in 1,000 ears syringed, according to the 2018 AFP cerumen review. That figure comes from published research, not from our clinic’s own records. If multiple attempts, including a combination of treatments, don’t clear the wax, that same AFP review says clinicians should refer the patient to an otolaryngologist, and our services page says we send off specialist referrals depending on what a patient needs.
Is it earwax, an ear infection, or something else?
Some signs aren’t on the MedlinePlus earwax symptom list at all. Drainage from the ear shows up under both swimmer’s ear and acute ear infection on MedlinePlus, and ear pain that may get worse when you pull on the outer ear is a swimmer’s ear symptom. Our team built this side-by-side from four MedlinePlus pages (it isn’t a chart MedlinePlus publishes), and every cell names its page.
Table sources: MedlinePlus Ear wax, MedlinePlus Swimmer’s ear, MedlinePlus Acute ear infection, and MedlinePlus Ear barotrauma.
Colds can feed that last one, too. ENThealth’s Ears and Altitude page says the common cold, sinus infections, and nasal allergies can interfere because swollen membranes in the nose can extend into the eustachian tube and block it. For clearing your ears, particularly when flying, that page says the simplest way is to swallow, and that yawning, chewing gum, or sucking on hard candy can help, as can pinching your nose and blowing gently (not forcefully) before swallowing. If your ears fail to open, or the pain hangs on, the same ENThealth page says to seek the help of an ENT specialist. For ear infections, our services page lists evaluation and examination, with prescribed medication based on ear infection type.
Who gets earwax buildup most often?
Hearing aid users and older adults get singled out in the sources below. The AFP guideline summary says cerumen’s typical cleaning process can be disrupted by such foreign items as hearing aids, putting users at greater risk of impaction, and that impaction can affect how well the hearing aids work. The MedlinePlus Ear wax article says hearing aid users should have their ear canal checked for excess wax every 3 to 6 months, and the AFP guideline summary says otoscopy should be performed to evaluate for cerumen each time a person with hearing aids presents to the office.
Age shows up in the numbers. A 2024 study of cerumen impaction prevalence in the United States population, which used NHANES survey data from 2005 to 2016, found any cerumen impaction in 18.6% of people 12 and older and 32.4% of those 70 and older. That same study found no significant association between hearing aid use and cerumen impaction in its cohort, so the evidence on hearing aids is mixed. The NHS Earwax build-up page lists other reasons wax can build up: narrow or damaged ear canals, lots of hair in the ear canals, a skin condition affecting your scalp or around your ear, and inflammation of the ear canal (otitis externa, or swimmer’s ear).
When should you see someone about ear wax?
Come in when home care hasn’t worked or something new shows up. The MedlinePlus Ear wax article says to see your provider if your ears are blocked with wax and you are unable to remove the wax, and to contact your provider if a wax blockage brings new symptoms, such as drainage from the ear, ear pain, fever, or hearing loss that continues after you clean the wax. Not sure your eardrum is intact? ENThealth’s earwax page says to consult a physician before trying any over-the-counter remedies if there’s a possibility of a perforation.
One more case to know about: sudden hearing loss. AFP’s article on sudden sensorineural hearing loss says it rarely affects both ears, and that although evidence-based data are lacking, it is thought that early intervention helps with recovery, so early recognition of hearing loss is essential. The AAO-HNS Sudden Hearing Loss guideline update says its goal is to promote prompt recognition and management of sudden sensorineural hearing loss, which may improve hearing recovery and quality of life. In an emergency, dial 911 without waiting.
How much does earwax removal cost in Covington?
Call us for a quote first, since our pricing page doesn’t list a separate earwax fee. The posted number is $130, the self-pay rate for an office visit, and our pricing and insurance page says it includes referrals, exams, and any prescribing of medication. Phoning ahead is that page’s tip if you want an accurate estimate for your visit, so try (985) 400-5370 first. Using insurance? The pricing page asks you to bring your primary insurance card and secondary insurance card (if applicable), and to contact your insurance company if you’re unsure whether your benefits will pay for the visit.
Which urgent care near me removes earwax on weekends?
Total Health Urgent Care in Covington does, with weekend hours that match the weekdays, as our home page notes. If you searched earwax removal near me from Mandeville, Madisonville, Abita Springs, Folsom, or St Benedict, that home page names each of those towns, plus the rest of St. Tammany Parish, among the communities we welcome, and it places us on Hwy 25 near Hwy 190.
What should the best earwax removal clinic near Covington offer? We’d want four things: an ear entry that spells out evaluation and examination, ear wax impaction irrigation and removal listed by name, weekend walk-in hours, and a posted self-pay visit price. Our services page covers the first two, our Covington walk-in clinic page covers the last two, and our home page describes Total Health as independent, nurse-practitioner founded care for the whole Northshore.
Earwax removal questions we hear in Covington
It usually shouldn’t. The NHS Earwax build-up page, written for the UK, says its GP surgery earwax treatments are usually painless. The 2018 AFP cerumen review does list pain and skin injury among potential complications of irrigation, so tell your provider if anything feels off.
Yes. Total Health’s services page says no appointment is needed since walk-ins are welcome, and hours run 7 AM until 7 PM on every day of the week.
Ask us first. ENThealth, the patient site of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation, says ear syringing is most effective when water, saline, or wax dissolving drops are put in the ear canal 15 to 30 minutes before treatment. The MedlinePlus Ear wax article warns never to use drops to soften wax if the eardrum may have a hole in it or you have had recent ear surgery.
No. In a 2010 consumer alert, the FDA warned that ear candles can cause serious injuries even when used in accordance with manufacturers’ directions, and the AFP summary of the AAO-HNSF earwax guideline says physicians should discourage ear candling because it has not been proven effective and has associated risks.
Every 3 to 6 months for excess wax, according to the MedlinePlus Ear wax article. The AFP summary of the AAO-HNSF guideline also says otoscopy should be performed each time a person with hearing aids presents to the office.
Usually. The MedlinePlus Ear wax article says hearing loss is often temporary, and in most cases hearing returns completely after the blockage is removed. MedlinePlus also lists hearing loss that continues after you clean the wax as a reason to contact your provider.
Check with your plan first. Per the Total Health pricing and insurance page, the clinic takes most major plans and can bill insurers directly, and that page tells patients who are unsure about their benefits to contact their insurance company. Self-pay office visits run $130.
Heading over from Mandeville, Madisonville, Abita Springs, or Folsom? Type 73015 Hwy 25 into your map app and look for Suite A, north of downtown Covington, LA 70435. We unlock at 7 every morning, Saturdays and Sundays included, and stay open until 7 at night. Got a question before you drive? Ring (985) 400-5370, or use the form on our contact page.
This health information comes from Total Health Urgent Care in Covington, Louisiana, and was prepared for Total Health Urgent Care News. Please read it as general health information and not as personal medical advice. The clinic’s founder? That’s Jennifer Duncan, APRN, MSN, FNP-C, with a background of more than 25 years spanning emergency and urgent care medicine. In an emergency, dial 911 right away.