Fountain Valley Urgent Care Permanently Closed. We’re Here to Care for You at Our Other Locations.
Earwax (cerumen) is a naturally occurring substance that helps prevent debris, dead skin cells, and dirt from entering your ear canal. It also reduces the risk of infection by slowing bacterial growth, and prevents ears from becoming irritated and itchy when water gets into the ear canal. While earwax protects the ears in several ways, having too much of it can result in blockage and muffled hearing.
At FCCMG, we offer earwax removal services on all seven days at our three urgent care locations (Irvine, and Costa Mesa). Bring yourself or your child to one of our urgent care clinics for prompt ear cleaning at your convenience.
Highlights of Our Urgent Care Facilities
Children are likely to have excessive earwax if they:
Excessive earwax buildup may cause symptoms such as:
You should seek care in an urgent care for symptoms including
An ER visit may be required if the eardrum is ruptured with symptoms of intense pain and bloody discharge. Ear infections or removing earwax with cotton swabs, hairpins, or sharp objects can tear or puncture the eardrum.
When you visit our urgent care center, we will begin with reviewing the symptoms. We will also perform an examination using an otoscope
(a device containing a light and magnifier) to look for wax buildup.
Based on the symptoms and severity of your child’s wax accumulation, we may recommend any of the following treatment options to remove earwax.
Unless your child is experiencing severe symptoms, you can remove their earwax with the following at-home techniques:
Apply a few drops of over-the-counter (OTC) ear drops to your child’s ear canal twice every day for a few days until their symptoms subside.
It normally doesn’t cause problems. However, if you try removing it with objects like cotton swabs, the wax can get pushed deep into the ear, thus preventing it from falling out naturally.
Fill a rubber ball syringe with warm water and drip it slowly into the affected ear canal. Don’t flush the water forcefully, as it can damage the eardrum causing dizziness and irritation. After a minute, have your child tilt their head to drain the earwax and warm water.
You should avoid the ear candling method to remove ear wax. This method involves inserting a cone-shaped candle into the affected ear and then lighting it. The heat from the candle is supposed to pull the wax out, but there is a risk for burns.
Yes, FCCMG Urgent Care can remove impacted or excessive earwax. Our healthcare providers will use safe and effective methods to clear your ear canal and relieve any discomfort caused by earwax buildup.
Common symptoms of earwax buildup include earache, a feeling of fullness in the ear, decreased hearing, ringing in the ear (tinnitus), or dizziness. If you experience any of these symptoms, it’s important to visit FCCMG Urgent Care for evaluation and treatment.
FCCMG Urgent Care uses both ear irrigation and manual removal techniques to clear earwax buildup. The appropriate method will depend on the severity of the buildup and your overall ear health, as determined by our healthcare providers.
No appointments are needed for earwax removal. You can walk in or reserve your spot online at FCCMG Urgent Care for treatment.
It’s not recommended to use cotton swabs or over-the-counter kits to remove earwax at home, as this can push the wax further into the ear canal, potentially causing injury or worsening the blockage. It’s safer to have earwax removal performed by a professional at FCCMG Urgent Care.
Yes, both children and seniors can receive earwax removal treatment at FCCMG Urgent Care. Our healthcare providers will ensure the procedure is safe and appropriate for their age and health condition.
The earwax removal procedure typically takes about 15-30 minutes, depending on the method used and the severity of the buildup. Our healthcare providers will work efficiently to clear your ears and relieve discomfort.
In most cases, no follow-up care is needed after earwax removal. However, if you experience any discomfort or recurrent issues, our healthcare providers may recommend further treatment or monitoring.
Avoid using cotton swabs or other objects in your ears before coming in for treatment, as this can push the earwax further into the canal. You may also want to avoid using over-the-counter ear drops for a few days before your appointment, as this can affect the removal process.
Looking for a well-equipped and convenient urgent care for Earwax Removal treatment? Visit us at FCCMG in Irvine Woodbridge, or Costa Mesa, CA, today.
We're Open Every Day!
Mon - Fri:
8AM - 8PM
Weekends & Holidays: 8AM - 5PM
We're Open Every Day!
Mon - Fri:
8AM - 8PM
Weekends & Holidays: 8AM - 5PM
