We can unblock most ears - if you have suffered from hard wax in the past and have no pain or irritation, get some softening ear drops from the pharmacist and use then for a couple of days first. If your ear is sore, or there is a discharge, see the doctor first.
Difficult cases may need to be seen by a specialised ear nurse or an ENT specialist for suction cleaning. Easily arranged.
The procedure takes about 15 minutes and is painless.
Sometimes insurance companies request them as a baseline should there ever be a dispute later as to whether an abnormality was present before the policy commenced. Commercial pilots need an ECG to try and confirm absence of heart disease, although a normal ECG doesn't guarantee this.
Note that stress ECGs are no longer recommended in 2004 as screening tests for people who dont have any symptoms suggestive of heart disease such as chest pain. They aren't reliable tests for people who do not have symptoms, and further tests may be harmful.
Liquid nitrogen is extremely cold, and the aim is to damage skin cells around the wart so that an immune reaction occurs during the healing process. If done properly, it may raise a blister, which heals in a few days.
It hurts a little and isn't tolerated very well by small children - who might be better off having warts managed some other way, or even left alone.
| Dressings |
| Ears |
| ECG |
| Liquid nitrogen |