Ear Wax Removal in Phuket: Clearing Blocked Ears After Swimming and Diving
Clinically reviewed by Dr. Ponlawat Pitsuwan, Physician, Takecare Clinic Phuket. Last reviewed: September 2026.
“The typical story is a swimmer or diver who wakes up with one ear completely blocked after a day in the sea around Kata or on a Similan dive boat. Salt water makes ear wax swell and seal off the canal, and a cotton bud used to ‘dry it out’ usually pushes the plug deeper. It is a very satisfying problem to fix, but only after we have looked at the eardrum, because a blocked ear is not always just wax.” Dr. Ponlawat Pitsuwan
What ear wax is, and why ears block on holiday
Ear wax (cerumen) is a natural mixture of oils, sweat and dead skin made in the outer part of the ear canal. It protects the canal, traps dust and has mild antibacterial properties. Normally it moves outwards on its own with jaw movement and falls out unnoticed, so most ears never need cleaning.
Wax becomes a problem when it builds up and blocks the canal, which doctors call impacted wax. Common causes are cotton buds and earplugs pushing wax inwards, narrow or hairy ear canals, hearing aids, older age, and skin conditions such as eczema. On holiday, water is the usual trigger. Sea and pool water soak into dry wax so that it swells and seals the canal, which is why the blockage often appears suddenly after swimming, snorkelling or diving.
Symptoms, and how to tell wax from an ear infection
Impacted wax causes a feeling of fullness, muffled hearing in one or both ears, sometimes ringing (tinnitus), mild dizziness or an itch. It is usually painless. An ear infection of the canal, called otitis externa or swimmer’s ear, can start the same way but adds pain, especially when the outer ear is pulled or pressed, and sometimes discharge. A middle ear infection behind the eardrum tends to follow a cold and causes deep pain and fever. Pressure problems after diving, called ear barotrauma, cause pain and blocked hearing that started during a descent or ascent.
| Symptoms | Likely cause | Usual approach |
|---|---|---|
| Painless fullness and muffled hearing after swimming | Impacted ear wax | Otoscope check, softening drops if hard, then irrigation |
| Pain when the ear is touched, itching, discharge | Swimmer’s ear (otitis externa) | No irrigation; gentle cleaning and antibiotic ear drops |
| Deep ear pain with fever after a cold | Middle ear infection | Examination, pain relief, antibiotics if needed |
| Pain or blocked ear that began during a dive | Ear barotrauma | Examination; no diving until cleared |
| Sudden hearing loss without a blockage, or with vertigo | Possible inner ear problem | Urgent assessment and specialist referral |
How we remove ear wax at Takecare, step by step
We start with a short history: how long the ear has been blocked, any pain, discharge or dizziness, recent diving or flights, and whether you have ever had a perforated eardrum, ear surgery or grommets (small ventilation tubes placed in the eardrum). The doctor then looks into both ears with an otoscope, a lit magnifying instrument, to confirm that wax is the cause and to see as much of the eardrum as possible.
If the wax is soft, we go straight to irrigation. If it is hard or tightly impacted, we use softening drops first, either in the clinic for a short while or at home for a few days before a return visit. Irrigation means gently flushing the ear canal with a controlled stream of water at body temperature, aimed along the canal wall so that the water flows behind the wax and pushes it out. Water at body temperature avoids the dizziness that cold water can cause. Most people feel a strange but painless sensation. The doctor checks the ear again afterwards, dries the canal and, if the skin is irritated, may prescribe drops. In most cases hearing returns immediately.
When to see a doctor
See a doctor if a blocked ear has not cleared after three to five days of olive oil or ear drops, if you plan to dive or fly soon and one ear is blocked, or if the blockage came with pain, itching or discharge, which suggests an infection. If an infection is found, our page on ear infection treatment explains what happens next.
Seek urgent same-day care for sudden hearing loss without an obvious blockage, severe ear pain after diving, blood or clear fluid from the ear after a head injury, or ear symptoms with vertigo, facial weakness or a high fever. Call 1669 or go to a hospital emergency department if ear pain follows a head injury with confusion or vomiting, or if you have severe vertigo with inability to walk after a dive, which can be a sign of decompression illness.
Prevention and early detection
Do not put cotton buds, hair grips, keys or ear candles in your ears. They push wax deeper, can scratch the canal and cause swimmer’s ear, and can perforate the eardrum. Clean only the outer ear with a cloth. If you are prone to build-up, a few drops of olive oil once or twice a week can keep wax soft. After swimming or diving, tilt your head to let water drain out and dry the outer ear gently. Custom earplugs or a swimming cap help frequent swimmers.
Visiting Takecare Clinic in Phuket
You can walk in at any time without booking: Takecare Clinic Bangtao (Cherngtalay) for Bangtao, Laguna and Surin, Takecare Clinic Kata-Karon for Kata and Karon, or Takecare Clinic Patong for Patong and Kalim. Most ear wax removal visits take under 30 minutes.
If you cannot travel, ask about a doctor visit at your hotel or villa. Message us on WhatsApp or call 081-718-9080. We confirm the price on WhatsApp before your visit. Travel insurance usually covers ear problems that start during your trip; we offer direct billing with most travel insurers and provide a medical report and itemised receipt.
Related services and treatments
Divers and swimmers often come to us with more than one problem. Coral cuts and reef scrapes are treated through our wound care in Phuket, and cuts that needed closing can be followed up with stitch removal at any branch. Riders with road rash are looked after under motorbike accident care, small procedures such as abscess drainage are covered on our minor surgery page, and a walk-in doctor in Phuket can see you for anything else.
Summary
A blocked ear after swimming or diving in Phuket is usually ear wax that has swollen with water. The safe approach is an otoscope examination first, softening drops if the wax is hard, and then gentle irrigation with water at body temperature, provided the eardrum is intact and there is no infection or history of grommets or ear surgery. Pain, discharge or fever suggest swimmer’s ear instead. Avoid cotton buds. Takecare Clinic Phuket clears blocked ears 24/7 at three branches.
“Leave the cotton buds at home. If your ear blocks after a swim, a few drops of olive oil and a quick visit will almost always sort it out, and you will hear the waves again the same day.” Dr. Ponlawat Pitsuwan
Frequently asked questions
Is ear irrigation safe?
Yes, when it is done after an otoscope examination has shown an intact eardrum and no infection, and when you have no history of perforation, grommets or ear surgery. The water is kept at body temperature and flows gently along the canal wall. Complications such as infection or eardrum damage are uncommon when these precautions are followed.
Can I dive or swim after ear wax removal?
If the problem was only wax and the ear canal looks healthy afterwards, most people can swim again within a day. Give the canal time to dry, and dry the outer ear after each swim. If the doctor finds swimmer’s ear or an eardrum problem, you will be told how long to stay out of the water.
Is it swimmer’s ear or ear wax?
Ear wax usually causes painless fullness and muffled hearing. Swimmer’s ear, an infection of the ear canal, adds pain that gets worse when the outer ear is pulled or pressed, itching, and sometimes discharge. They can occur together, and the treatment is different, which is why the doctor examines the ear before any cleaning.
Do I need an appointment for ear wax removal in Phuket?
No. All three Takecare branches in Bangtao, Kata and Patong accept walk-ins 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If your wax is very hard, the doctor may give you softening drops to use for a few days and ask you to come back, which you can do at any branch.
Should I use drops before coming in?
If you can, using a few drops of olive oil or a pharmacy wax-softening product two or three times a day for a few days often makes removal easier, and sometimes clears the wax on its own. Do not use drops if you think you have a perforated eardrum or have ear pain or discharge; see a doctor instead.
Will travel insurance cover ear wax removal?
Travel insurance usually covers ear problems that start suddenly during your trip, such as a blocked ear after swimming or an ear infection. Routine cleaning of long-standing wax may not be covered. We offer direct billing with most travel insurers, confirm the price on WhatsApp before your visit, and provide a medical report and receipt.
Sources
NHS: Earwax build-up. NICE CKS: Earwax. NHS: Otitis externa.
Ear wax removal, earwax, cerumen, impacted ear wax, ear irrigation, ear syringing, otoscope, wax-softening drops, olive oil drops, swimmer’s ear, otitis externa, middle ear infection, otitis media, ear barotrauma, perforated eardrum, grommets, tinnitus, NHS, NICE CKS, Similan Islands, Bangtao, Laguna, Surin, Cherngtalay, Kata, Karon, Patong, Kalim, Phuket, Dr. Ponlawat Pitsuwan, Takecare Clinic Phuket.
This page is general health information and not a substitute for a medical consultation.