Before doing anything to your ear canal, this page checks whether something there needs a clinician first. Tick whichever of six items apply, ear pain, reduced hearing, a feeling of something inside the ear, dizziness, discharge from the ear, or a past perforated eardrum or ear surgery, and the page counts how many apply and names them.
The conclusion runs in one direction only. If any item applies, the page ends on seeing an ear, nose and throat clinician without delay; if none applies, it says plainly that this is not clearance. No score and no grade are produced, because no published weighting exists for the individual items. That pushing wax inward with a cotton bud can drive it deeper is widely understood, but no authoritative figure for how often buds may be used is offered here (as of October 2026).
This page does not judge how much wax is present, whether it needs removing, or how to remove it. The ear canal and the eardrum cannot be assessed without looking into them. A self-check with nothing ticked also cannot rule out ear disease. Worsening pain, a sudden loss of hearing, or blood or pus from the ear all need attention straight away. None of this is a diagnosis.
Frequently asked questions
Because no published weighting exists for the individual items. The page counts how many apply and names them, then gives a one-way conclusion: if any applies, get seen.
No. A self-check cannot see the ear canal or the eardrum, so an empty list cannot rule out ear disease. If any item appears, or symptoms worsen, get seen.
No authoritative figure is offered here. The page notes only that a bud can push wax deeper, and leaves specific ear care to a clinician who can look inside.