During a recent holiday in sunny Queensland, I jumped into a swimming pool and emerged with blocked ears.

I was able to secure an appointment with a local GP the next day, and he performed an ear toilet using a binocular microscope and microsuction.

That’s right – a GP with a gentle, effective and safe wax-removing instrument that normally only ENT surgeons can afford.

How do some GPs manage to do this? Most of us proceed blindly using various ear-washing devices and hoping we don’t do any harm in the process.