After Ear Wax Removal, How Long Do I Need to Wait for the Ringing to Stop?

[echosata]

I've had very low level tinnitus since 2015.

I was acclimated to it, and I only really heard the ringing intermittently but even then is was quiet.

Well, three months ago my left inner ear began itching really bad. I didn't know why. I kept using q-tips and hurt myself. Never again.

Anyways. Two days ago my left ear exploded in ringing. It was awful. It was my normal level of tinnitus x 1000. I couldn't sleep. My ear itched even worse. I almost threw up a couple times. And I had constant headaches.

I hurried into the urgent care, and my ear was plugged with wax. They water syringed it to remove the build up, and it took almost ten minutes I was so plugged off. It sounds gross, but I had a chunk of hard, blackened wax about the size of a thumb nail lodged in there.

Anyways.

Now I'm back home. I don't feel so off kilter. I can hear again. The headache almost cleared immediately, but that ringing hasn't stopped. It's still super loud.

Is there a time frame between ear wax removal and my tinnitus going back to lower, general levels I'm used to?

 

[Static Sophie 73]

Can you be sure that the T was brought on by the wax? The ringing should subside fairly fast once the wax is out and you can hear better again I would think.

 

[echosata]

Sadly, I can only assume.

The reason why I went into the instacare in the first place was because I had an "accident" with a q-tip a week ago. I didn't perforate my eardrum, or anything, but I did accidentally give a pretty good painful jab. I thought my tinnitus flaring up and all the itching and headaches was was specifically because of that.

But after he cleared all the wax he didn't see any damage, just a tiny bit of inflammation. I haven't done anything else specifically to affect my tinnitus. I've learned what I can / can't do after a few years with it. Unless I'm not thinking of something.

 

[Contrast]

Can you be sure that the T was brought on by the wax? The ringing should subside fairly fast once the wax is out and you can hear better again I would think.

no it doesn't,

it may take 3-6 months for it to subside once the brain readjust

In all forms of hearing loss rather it be ear wax, burst ear drums, nerve and hair cell damage (SNHL), or centralized in the brain can cause tinnitus

higher brain regions have a way to compensate for hearing loss making you hear the phantom noise (tinnitus)
source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4208401/

Removing ear wax gives back input to the audiotory nerve same as cochlear implants for virtually deaf people or middle ear surgeries

How long till your tinnitus should abolish?
3-6 months
Source: https://blog.medel.com/cochlear-implants-tinnitus-cure/

Keep us updated to let us know if it goes away in several months, the odds are in your favor

 

[echosata]

Thank you, Contrast. I think I need to manage my expectations.

I'm hoping it's faster than that, of course, as the super loud ringing has only been around for two or three days. But that'll give me timing to shoot for now that my ear is cleared out. Just to be back to the low level tinnitus I had before would be wonderful.

 

[Bill Bauer]

Can you be sure that the T was brought on by the wax? The ringing should subside fairly fast once the wax is out and you can hear better again I would think.

There are many posts on this forum where people describe their T not being influenced by the wax being removed. It is my understanding that it could take months for this type of a spike to finally fade.

 

[Static Sophie 73]

Interesting - well I've learnt something new about this condition today.

 

[Gman]

Mine didn't go away, but also didn't get worse because of ear wax removal. It worsened much later for other reasons.

It could be from the q tip or pushing the impacted wax against the ear drum.
Just give it time to settle. Maybe also see an audiologist.

 

[dpdx]

I've had very low level tinnitus since 2015.

I was acclimated to it, and I only really heard the ringing intermittently but even then is was quiet.

Well, three months ago my left inner ear began itching really bad. I didn't know why. I kept using q-tips and hurt myself. Never again.

Anyways. Two days ago my left ear exploded in ringing. It was awful. It was my normal level of tinnitus x 1000. I couldn't sleep. My ear itched even worse. I almost threw up a couple times. And I had constant headaches.

I hurried into the urgent care, and my ear was plugged with wax. They water syringed it to remove the build up, and it took almost ten minutes I was so plugged off. It sounds gross, but I had a chunk of hard, blackened wax about the size of a thumb nail lodged in there.

Anyways.

Now I'm back home. I don't feel so off kilter. I can hear again. The headache almost cleared immediately, but that ringing hasn't stopped. It's still super loud.

Is there a time frame between ear wax removal and my tinnitus going back to lower, general levels I'm used to?

Oh how I wish I can have Mild T again, anyways your T might subside because of the impacted earwax, however I really cringe at ear syringing. I did ear syringing/vemp test which worsened my T permanently, it shot up from mild to severe and it stayed there, it has been 7 months or so. Mine was mostly caused by the loud VEMP Test (100 db). I think you will be fine honestly as your was caused by the impacted ear wax.

 

[Static Sophie 73]

What is a VEMP test ??