Can Earwax Blocked (Non-Tinnitus) Ear Be Causing Reactive Tinnitus in the Other (Tinnitus) Ear?

[Jon R.]

This last week, I have suddenly got a whistling coil whine in my bad tinnitus ear that is new and unlike my existing long term tinnitus; this happens when I have my aircon or fans on, and it makes the coil whine in my bad tinnitus ear louder than the aircon/fan.

I have recently been having earwax issues with my good (non-tinnitus) ear. My good ear is full of wax whereas my bad tinnitus ear appears to be clean (I have a video otoscope).

Is there a chance my good ear, which is now blocked with earwax, is causing this reactive tinnitus in my bad (tinnitus) ear?

Has anyone heard of that happening before? Or does one ear never affect the other in terms of (reactive) tinnitus?

 

[Jon R.]

To follow up on this post, it is still really bad, the frequency sounds ultra high of the piercing hiss. Does this possibly mean I have high frequency hearing loss?

 

[Danny B]

I can't speak too technically to your question, that's probably better left to an ENT you trust. I can just say that in my own anecdotal experience with overproduced earwax, the effect on my tinnitus seems to be shared between my bad tinnitus ear and my less-bad tinnitus ear. I've had a sudden spell of tinnitus that seems to react and match the volume of whatever I throw at it while going through some allergies too, so it might have something to do with your eustachian tube being a little blocked by the wax. (Again, just anecdotal, I don't pretend to know much about the ear)

I wouldn't freak out too much, I've had a few troubles with wax post-tinnitus and the spikes have died down every time. Don't get too surprised if you remove the blockage and the tinnitus doesn't immediately go back to normal, it got there eventually for me.