I have been experiencing tinnitus for almost a month, and it began after a very unusual series of events. I will explain everything as specifically as possible, detailing which ear was affected during each incident.
About a month ago, I visited a hospital because I had chewing gum stuck in both of my ears. I had been trying to use it as earplugs, but it disintegrated after about eight hours.
The doctor examined my ears and removed the chewing gum bits from both using tools. During the examination, he also noted that I had excess earwax, which he suggested might be due to my regular use of foam earplugs.
To address the earwax, he used a tool (I believe it was a curette) and inserted it into my right ear canal to scoop out the wax. The tool was inserted very deeply, and I felt it was uncomfortably deep. I expressed my discomfort but allowed him to continue. He managed to remove some hardened wax from my right ear. When he was about to do the same for my left ear, I told him to stop.
The doctor then advised me to use mineral oil drops to soften the wax since it was hardened.
A few days after this procedure, I began noticing a ringing in both ears, which soon became persistent. The tinnitus was distinct in each ear:
One notable aspect of my tinnitus is its reactivity. It worsens when I am exposed to noise, such as a loud exhaust fan or a motorbike. However, if I spend significant time in silence, the tinnitus gradually subsides.
After resting in silence for 10 days and using mineral oil drops regularly, my tinnitus had almost diminished to the point where I could barely hear it. The dysacusis also went away. At that time, I thought I was fully cured. However, any prolonged exposure to sound brings the tinnitus back. This makes me believe the tinnitus is still present, but its baseline tone is very weak and only intensifies in response to external noise.
I am also experiencing mild pain in my right ear, which feels localized near the eardrum. This pain becomes noticeable when I use the oil drops. After applying two drops in my right ear, the oil initially floats near the top before gradually seeping in. When the oil reaches my eardrum, I feel a mild soreness or pain. I am unsure if this indicates a ruptured eardrum or something else.
Given all these details, do you think the manual wax removal procedure on my right ear caused my tinnitus? Initially, I thought this was far fetched, but then I came across this journal. If you scroll to page 4, there is a diagram showing how the use of a curette for wax removal can potentially cause damage.
About a month ago, I visited a hospital because I had chewing gum stuck in both of my ears. I had been trying to use it as earplugs, but it disintegrated after about eight hours.
The doctor examined my ears and removed the chewing gum bits from both using tools. During the examination, he also noted that I had excess earwax, which he suggested might be due to my regular use of foam earplugs.
To address the earwax, he used a tool (I believe it was a curette) and inserted it into my right ear canal to scoop out the wax. The tool was inserted very deeply, and I felt it was uncomfortably deep. I expressed my discomfort but allowed him to continue. He managed to remove some hardened wax from my right ear. When he was about to do the same for my left ear, I told him to stop.
The doctor then advised me to use mineral oil drops to soften the wax since it was hardened.
A few days after this procedure, I began noticing a ringing in both ears, which soon became persistent. The tinnitus was distinct in each ear:
- In my left ear, the sound is a high pitched buzzing, similar to crickets.
- In my right ear, the sound resembles the aftereffect of a flashbang grenade from video games.
One notable aspect of my tinnitus is its reactivity. It worsens when I am exposed to noise, such as a loud exhaust fan or a motorbike. However, if I spend significant time in silence, the tinnitus gradually subsides.
After resting in silence for 10 days and using mineral oil drops regularly, my tinnitus had almost diminished to the point where I could barely hear it. The dysacusis also went away. At that time, I thought I was fully cured. However, any prolonged exposure to sound brings the tinnitus back. This makes me believe the tinnitus is still present, but its baseline tone is very weak and only intensifies in response to external noise.
I am also experiencing mild pain in my right ear, which feels localized near the eardrum. This pain becomes noticeable when I use the oil drops. After applying two drops in my right ear, the oil initially floats near the top before gradually seeping in. When the oil reaches my eardrum, I feel a mild soreness or pain. I am unsure if this indicates a ruptured eardrum or something else.
Given all these details, do you think the manual wax removal procedure on my right ear caused my tinnitus? Initially, I thought this was far fetched, but then I came across this journal. If you scroll to page 4, there is a diagram showing how the use of a curette for wax removal can potentially cause damage.
