Can ear wax cause Tinnitus? It certainly can! Let’s look at the two ways in which you could develop a case of ear wax Tinnitus. Later, we will also tell you what you can do about Tinnitus that is caused by excess ear wax in your ear canals.
How ear wax can cause Tinnitus?
1 Tinnitus caused by digging for ear wax, with a Q-tip
Most people don’t realize that it’s not their ear wax that causes their Tinnitus. It’s when they go digging for it with a Q-tip, hair pin or other improvised objects that the problems begin.
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Though it might be satisfying to dig out some ear wax, thinking you have cleaned your ears, the fact is that you are pushing wax deeper into your ear canal. Think of it like sticking your finger into a tall and narrow mason jar of peanut butter. Some peanut butter is going to stick to your digging finger but there’s a lot left. And, you have probably pushed down some wax further!
Some people also go too far with Q-tips. If you read the instructions or warning labels on Q-tip products, it will ask you not to insert the Q-tip into your ear canal at all! There’s only an inch of a distance between your outer ears and your ear drum. Go too far and you can easily perforate your ear drum.
Here’s a typical warning on a Q-tip product package;
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“Do not insert swab into ear canal. Entering the ear canal could cause injury. If used to clean ears, stroke swab gently around the outer surface of the ear only.”
But, most people probe almost the entire distance of the ear canal. And, an unlucky poke can easily perforate the ear drum. A perforated ear drum can then easily cause Tinnitus.
A ruptured ear drum can thankfully heal itself. But, if you chronically keep digging away at your ears with a Q-tip, the damage is going to be come permanent at some point.
Also, remember how we told you that using a Q-tip pushes ear wax deeper into your canal. This can cause impaction or a hardening or compacting of your ear wax. This can then cause Tinnitus again, as explained in the next section.
2 Tinnitus caused by impacted ear wax
When ear wax is chronically pushed down by Q-tips and other probing objects, it can harden over time. When it hardens or becomes impacted, it can start to block sounds from reaching the ear drum, where auditory processing begins. The brain then gets confused, thinking that the ear isn’t functioning properly. So, it begins to create a phantom noise to compensate for the silence. This is the noise that you end up hearing as a ringing, hissing, clicking or wooshing sound. Blocks created by ear wax can also lead to infections or irritations of the ears’ structures.
Impacted ear wax can also lead to ear infections that can then again cause the middle ear or inner ear to malfunction, with Tinnitus being one of the symptoms that follow. Other symptoms that impacted or infected ear wax can cause are ear pain, dizziness and a discharge with odor. Typically, ear wax has no smell to it. If it smells funny, it probably means you have an infection.
What is Ear Wax?
Like mentioned before, ear wax is natural and quite essential for the ears. It protects your ears against dust, bacteria, foreign objects and also irritation that can otherwise be caused by water entering the ear canal.
The medical name for earwax is Cerumen. It’s actually comprised of skin cells, sweat and oily secretions released from your skin.
Everyone has a different rate of production of ear wax. It can be affected by their age, their diet and the environment they live in. Recent studies have also linked genetics as a reason for ear wax buildup.
How to clean out ear wax?
We strongly advise that you don’t clean out ear wax by yourself. Please visit an audiologist or an ENT or even a general physician who will offer micro suction or electronic irrigation procedures. These are generally very safe procedures that are carried out very carefully, by professionals who know what they are doing.
But, if you want to clean out your ear wax at home, we recommend that you use olive oil to see if the home remedy will fix your excess ear wax problem. If it fails, please seek out a micro suction or electronic irrigation procedure at a practicing physician’s office.
Olive oil home remedy, to remove ear wax
Olive oil has antibacterial properties. So, even if it doesn’t solve your ear wax problems, it’s fairly safe and harmless to try, as long as you follow the instructions below.
You will need a glass dropper for best results. You only need 2 to 3 drops of olive oil per ear. A dropper will allow you to exactly deliver this dosage. Since you will be lying on your side, it is advisable for you to have someone drop the oil into your ears, so you are not guessing on the dosage.
- Lie on your side
- Gently drop 2-3 drops of olive oil into your ear
- Gently massage your outer ear until you feel the oil flowing into your ear canals
- Remain lying for 5-10 minutes
- Sit up and wipe away oil or wax that flows out, with a flannel or soft cotton cloth (No Q-Tips)
- Repeat procedure on the other ear, if necessary
For removing ear wax that might be causing Tinnitus or hearing loss, olive oil can be used once a day for one or two weeks.
If you are dealing with an infection, you can still try the olive oil remedy but not for more than 3 days.
Please see a doctor if your symptoms persist after the times mentioned above.
Micro suction to remove earwax
This is the safest way to have ear wax removed. It can only be done at a doctor’s office. They use specialized equipment that gives them a magnified view of your ear canal. The doctor or technician will then use a pressure controlled vacuum to gently suck out excess ear wax.
If your ear wax is hardened, they might use a spray or solution to soften it before the micro suction procedure.
Here’s a nice and short micro suction video that shows how safe and effective the procedure is.
Irrigation to remove earwax
In an irrigation procedure, a doctor uses a water pick to flood the ear canal. The excess ear wax is then flushed out. Modern electronic irrigation devices help the technician control the water pressure very precisely. This allows for a gentle irrigation.
But, if you already suffer from Tinnitus, irrigation is not recommended. Some people have reported that irrigation made their Tinnitus worse. The evidence is only anecdotal but the last thing you want is to make Tinnitus worse. Irrigation is also not recommended if you have ear wax and are also suffering from an infection. It is also not advisable when you have a perforated ear drum.
Ear Candling to remove ear wax
In ear candling, conical papers are inserted into the ear. The tip away from the ear is then lit with a fire. This causes a suction through the cone and in the ear canal that then pulls up the ear wax into the cone’s tip. This procedure is also called Hopi ear candling.
Massage centers or healing centers offer this service. There are also several home kits you can buy at stores online.
While ear candling is generally effective, it doesn’t come without risks. The biggest risk is a burn risk. If not properly carried out or supervised, it can result in burns on the face and possibly even inside the ear canal.
The second biggest risk is an improper insertion where the cone’s tip perforates the ear drum.
Will my Tinnitus go away after removing ear wax?
If your Tinnitus was being caused by you digging at your ear wax or by impacted ear wax, removing ear wax can certainly end your Tinnitus. When there’s no ear wax, you will naturally stop digging at your ears and your ear drum can heal. A healed ear drum can then end Tinnitus.
If your Tinnitus was caused by impacted ear wax that also caused hearing loss, you should typically experience almost immediate relief after removal of ear wax. Ideally, your hearing will be restored and your ringing should stop as well. Your brain will get a signal that your ears can hear OK and shut off the invented noise.
We hope were were able to give you some insights about how ear wax can cause or affect your Tinnitus condition. Please remember that at home ear wax removal is generally not recommended. And, definitely stop digging away at your ears with that Q-Tip!
