Oxford Hearing Centre leads the way in Aural-Care Oxford Hearing Centre is noted for being a leader in the field of private hearing aid provision and we have added yet another first to our list of achievements. We are the first commercial hearing aid centre in the UK to offer a cerumen (earwax) management advice service. Unfortunately, earwax and its potential affect on a hearing aid is usually viewed with little importance, unless the ear-canal is completely blocked; at which point syringing at a GP surgery is the most common solution to the difficulty. Excessive earwax in the ear-canal is one of the most common sources of complaint relating to poor performance of hearing instruments and is the main limiting factor to the continued satisfactory operation of a hearing system. Dispensing, fitting and programming highly advanced state-of-the-art hearing instruments with all their potential benefits, can be seriously limited by a relatively small amount of this secretion. This is due to the reflection and absorption of certain sound frequencies, or the blocking of the sound path preventing continuous and effective sound transmission by the tympanic membrane. The luxury of having a dedicated and fully equipped room for the provision of ear canal examination and advice on cerumen (earwax) management makes for a more comprehensive and caring service for the Centre's patients.