Audrey, a grandmother in her 70s from Biggleswade, has long been at the heart of her family and community. For 20 years she lived with hearing loss and used hearing aids to stay connected, attending fitness classes and local events at her church. But when ear wax impacted her hearing even further, and removal wasn’t available on the NHS, she risked a private treatment that caused her severe pain.
Since then, Audrey has been afraid to trust another non-NHS ear wax removal service. Her hearing has deteriorated, and without being able to socialise, so has her confidence. Over the past three years she has increasingly withdrawn from the world. Here, she shares her story.
Going for private ear wax removal
It was July 2021 when I visited the doctor for my routine ear wax removal. I was shocked when he told me that they no longer could do my ear wax removal. I paid £55 to go privately to have my ear wax removed by micro suction. It was so painful. I don’t know whether the technician touched on a nerve or something, but I jumped out of the chair. I said couldn’t go on. I came home and there were noises in my ear. It was nothing like I’ve experienced before it was like really loud banging. It just really put me off.
“You’ll have to live with it then”
I went back to the GP, and he explained micro suction is the only thing now that will clear the wax. He explained that I could get over the counter treatments and went on the internet and was showing me what to get. I bought the pump with the warm water that you put in your ears, and I had drops but nothing got rid of the wax.
But the self-management methods weren’t working. I kept put putting the oil drops in and then I thought, ‘oh, what’s that horrible stuff coming out?’ I didn’t really know what it was. I thought it might be the wax coming out, but it was an infection in my ear.
I went to the GP, and they prescribed antibiotics, and it cleared up. But I really suffered as I just didn’t know what was going on with my ears. He said private micro suction was my only choice. I told him that I couldn’t go through the pain with micro suction privately again. And he said, “well, you’ll have to live with it then.”
Read more about what to do when you experience ear wax build up.
The impact on my everyday life
I loved going out and talking to people. I used to go to church meetings, but after my ear wax issues I stopped going. I couldn’t hear what people were saying unless my daughter was with me explaining what they said. I thought, ‘this is no good, I shall have to just stay at home.’ I didn’t want to do that, but it was just so awkward for me.
I don’t think people understand when you can’t hear, and you don’t like to keep asking what they said. In the end, I was just pretending to hear what they were saying, just nodding. It knocks your confidence so much.
I was isolated. I just felt like giving up. I couldn’t go out. I thought I’d have to stay at home indefinitely. I used to go to keep fit class, but I stopped going to that, too. I also stopped shopping, as I couldn’t really understand what the cashier was saying. I was relying on my daughter to do things for me it was quite depressing and draining for me.
I was exhausted and became frustrated with myself. Especially when you’re sat in your house on your own, I was thinking, ‘I can’t go out, I can’t hear people.’ You feel as though you want to give up in a way.
A turning point for me
In November last year I went back to the doctor because I’d had enough. I was referred to the hospital, but they said they couldn’t conduct a hearing test when I have ear wax. But then I met the audiologist, and he said he’d remove the wax for me via micro suction and that I’d be fine. The nurse held my hand; my daughter was with me. The doctor was so good, he explained everything. It didn’t hurt and he said it shouldn’t have hurt before. He told me that he was going to look after me from now on and it was such a relief.
If it wasn’t for my daughter, I would’ve thought, ‘well this is it.’ I like going out, I like people, I like doing things. Now, I’m going back to my keep fit class, I’m going dancing again, I’m getting my life back.
“We should have access to what we need”
I didn’t realise that it’s a postcode lottery getting ear wax removal and that in some places you can still get the service for free. It’s not fair to do that. For deaf people and people with hearing loss it’s difficult enough just getting on with daily life. We don’t want to stop doing things and it is a lot of money to pay for private services. Not everybody has the money. But as you get older, you are going to get these things happening to you like hearing loss and we should have access to what we need. We shouldn’t have to pay.
What I’d say to other people going through the same situation is to be brave and bold. Don’t wait three years like I did. You need to keep chasing for more to be done. I’ve had to fight for three years on my own to get the ear wax treatment with the help of my daughter. It always should have been available on the NHS.
Write to your MP. I will be, now that I know about RNID’s template letter on their website. I wouldn’t want anyone else to go through what I went through. We need support from the NHS and doctors so that care is accessible, quick, and straightforward. For many of us, especially pensioners, money is tight. All we’re asking for is a bit of help to get the job done.
RNID’s work is so important for deaf people and those who can’t access the care they need, especially if they can’t afford private treatment. It’s vital to provide help and support for those who are struggling, so everyone has access to the services they deserve.”
Audrey’s daughter, Jodie, shares her thoughts:
“The NHS have spent more money on helping my mum because they didn’t deal with it properly the first time she asked for help. Originally, mum’s had to go back for appointments for the nurse to the Ear, Nose and Throat service (ENT) and it’s cost the NHS more in the long run than just removing it in the first place. The free ear wax removal service needs to be reinstated.”
Watch Audrey’s video
