Tinnitus Possibly Exacerbated by Earwax Buildup — Will It Improve After Removal?

[Ace]

Some context first. If you want to get straight to the point I guess you can just go to the last two paragraphs. Please note, I have read most of the earwax-related threads here that I could find. Please feel free to ask me additional questions, because someone may come along and learn from my experience as I have learned from many others here, so I don't mind taking the time to provide additional details.

I've noticed the tinnitus in my left ear has seemed to be louder than my right since over a year ago. Not unbearably so, but a nuisance considering my tinnitus is already annoying. The past couple weeks in particular, I feel as though I'm in a bit of a tinnitus spike despite not doing over-doing it with noise exposure, though I caught two flights last month and attended a few concerts, one as a performer (of course, using the appropriate hearing protection for all relevant situations!).

I went to get a replacement pair of musicians earplugs made about two months ago, and the audiologist who did the earmolds informed me that I had significant build-up of earwax in my left ear. This is the first time I had seen a medical professional in years aside from my COVID-19 shots so this was news to me, and I suspect the build-up is began at some point in the past three years as a result of periodic over-reliance on earplugs for long work shifts, long drives etc, and one of the pairs I was using is a particularly deep set (If you read my old threads you may have more context, but I'll just note that I've gotten much less reliant on hearing protection over time and my experiences with distortion and heightened sensitivity have decreased, so I mostly just wear plugs in super noisy environments, concerts, and during spikes such as now).

Anyways, although the audiologist mentioned that the buildup seemed significant, I haven't noticed any difference in my hearing. Seems fine! I do wonder if my tinnitus is still being made worse by it despite that fact, though (any thoughts on this?). I have an appointment on Wednesday with the ENT for wax removal, have been applying some olive oil drops every day to soften the stuff, and will be requesting that the procedure be done only with a curette because I don't want to take my chances with microsuction given what I've read on these forums.

To be honest, I am trying not to get my hopes up that this procedure will improve my tinnitus at all, and admittedly a bit nervous about introducing other issues as a result, but I know bigger issues may arise down the line if I just leave the wax alone to build up. The olive oil also seems to contribute to the spike, but maybe that's just my imagination.

For those of you who have had tinnitus exacerbated by earwax that was subsequently removed, did you find that your tinnitus improved, and if so, how long did it take for you to notice an improvement?

 

[Ace]

So here's something I learned today at my appointment:

According to the ENT I saw, applying olive oil drops does not help with earwax removal by curette at all. Curette is better for more solid wax, whereas olive oil is used to make it more goopy which helps with microsuction, if you were to go that route... But given the cautionary tales I have seen on this site, I felt it best that I avoid microsuction.

Doctor said my options are as follows-

1. At home, spray a bit of purified water into my downward-facing ear to start to dislodge the wax. Should be successful at removing the wax after several days in a row. Seems a little too good to be true?

2. Wait some time and allow the wax to solidify again, then see him again for curette procedure.

3. Suck it up and get the microsuction. Pun intended.


Thoughts on this? If i can really do it at home, i would rather do that, but i want to be careful and not go about this the wrong way.

Side note, curette worked on the right ear because there wasn't as much wax and I didn't use as much olive oil on that side either. Still it was a respectable amount of wax. Some discomfort during the procedure because I'm a sensitive weenie. Aside from a very brief pain sensation just now as I'm back in bed, no side effects to speak of at this time. T on right side may be quieter now but it's hard to tell because T in left sure has been sticking out like a sore thumb in comparison for a long time lol.

 

[Stacken77]

1. At home, spray a bit of purified water into my downward-facing ear to start to dislodge the wax. Should be successful at removing the wax after several days in a row. Seems a little too good to be true?

2. Wait some time and allow the wax to solidify again, then see him again for curette procedure.

3. Suck it up and get the microsuction. Pun intended.

I initially tried to have my wax removed at home by using an ear irrigation kit. I think my tinnitus got a little worse from that.

I'd insist on having it done manually with a curette. No compromises.

Good luck,
Stacken

 

[Ace]

I initially tried to have my wax removed at home by using an ear irrigation kit. I think my tinnitus got a little worse from that.

I'd insist on having it done manually with a curette. No compromises.

Good luck,
Stacken

Noted. Thanks for sharing your experience. Do you think your tinnitus was permanently affected by that, or did it go back to previous baseline?

I do wonder though, if there is some other drop besides olive oil that might work better at allowing the earwax to fall out on its own. Does anyone have any experience with the alternatives explored in this video? This ENT says that olive oil, albeit commonly used, is not very useful past a certain point.

 

[Stacken77]

Do you think your tinnitus was permanently affected by that, or did it go back to previous baseline?

As far as I know, I believe the worsening was permanent. I did it shortly after my initial acoustic trauma, and my ears were a bit sensitive.

 

[Matchbox]

Noted. Thanks for sharing your experience. Do you think your tinnitus was permanently affected by that, or did it go back to previous baseline?

I do wonder though, if there is some other drop besides olive oil that might work better at allowing the earwax to fall out on its own. Does anyone have any experience with the alternatives explored in this video? This ENT says that olive oil, albeit commonly used, is not very useful past a certain point.

@Ace, did your buzzing 500 Hz ever resolve? Been awhile.

 

[Ace]

As far as I know, I believe the worsening was permanent. I did it shortly after my initial acoustic trauma, and my ears were a bit sensitive.

I'm sorry to hear that

And update from me...

This morning I'm feeling a bit of intermittent popping/clicking/movement right around my left eardrum. This is not a jaw popping feeling, nor does it seem like a typical Eustachian tube feeling, nor is it the typical Tensor tympani "rumble". I can recreate this popping feeling by bending down to grab something on the floor, but it also seems to come on from more subtle movements.

My fear is that when the ENT was looking in my left ear to assess whether the wax could be extracted with a curette, he may have pushed it further in and touched the ear drum (I did feel a slight pain deep in there when he was looking), and now as I leave the wax alone to dry it might be affecting something in there. However, maybe this is a positive thing as well, a sign that the wax might be more ripe to be moved manually. Can anyone relate to this feeling?

I'm gonna schedule another ENT appointment ASAP. I think perhaps time is of the essence here.

 

[Ace]

@Ace, did your buzzing 500 Hz ever resolve? Been awhile.

Ah yes, the F3-or-so tone. I don't know why I originally stated it to be around 523 Hz, because I think it would be more accurate to say the center of that reactive area is 173 Hz. But I am happy to report that I have been able to successfully take my mind off of it, to the point that it may as well not be there. It does not affect me while I make my music, nor does it affect me while I go on about my day-to-day business, or anything like that. I am not sure if this is due to habituation or what, but I feel like the effect is much less now, and it does not pose a hindrance almost ever. What I will say is this - like tinnitus, if I go looking for it, I can find it. Yes I do hear it bounce off the outside traffic from blocks away, as I had a couple years ago when I made that thread. But just as soon as I can draw my attention to it, I am able to take it away without granting it power over my mental state.

I will say that sometimes my tinnitus flares up, and sometimes my sensitivity towards certain frequencies flares up. For almost a month now, due to the earwax I suspect, the tinnitus in my left ear is up. Subsequently, perhaps as a result of me being a little overzealous about using earplugs as a precautionary measure in both ears during my driving job, the sensitivity has been up for about a week, and there are a handful of new reactive frequencies that are being quite burdensome. Actually, last night after focusing too much on one of 'em, I started feeling a subtle soreness/warmth sensation in my right ear that would come in and out for about a second, repeating like maybe every 20/30 seconds or so, which freaked me out and I just went to lie down and let it subside, which it did. Though that was new and scary, mentally I still am holding up much better than I had with past instances, since these types of circumstances feel like familiar territory... for better or worse! Thanks for asking, and I'm sorry I didn't come back with an update in the past few years.

You know, after writing that, it did occur to me that perhaps SOME of the sensitivity is due to having the earwax removed from my right ear, because one of the frequencies I began noticing sensitivity toward flared up immediately after I started driving home from my appointment. Then again, perhaps it was a delayed side effect of the olive oil drops I inserted into my right ear the night beforehand (and on many days in the previous week), because mere moments after inserting the drops on Tuesday night, I noticed a new static-y tinnitus tone in that ear, and I can imagine other side effects arising. For now I will allow time to see if these things subside. Wish I could schedule an ENT appointment as soon as possible but it looks like I might have to wait til Monday morning to do so.

 

[Ace]

Sorry for bumping this, but a week after the extraction of earwax in my right ear, I must admit the heightened sensitivity in the right ear is bugging me. Does anyone else have experience with this, and how long was your sensitivity heightened following earwax removal?

I appreciate your time, thanks.

I don't just blame the earwax extraction here btw. I think it's a combination of the fact that I was overusing high NRR filters in my musician's earplugs in the weeks leading up to the extraction, and also that since a little over a week ago I have been taking a break from work on the road for unrelated reasons, which has limited my daily noise exposure even more. I will be getting back on the road and try to be less reliant on hearing protection so as to desensitize my hearing, as similar strategies have always worked for me in the past with hyperacusis-like symptoms. Last time it took about a month, perhaps a little more, so I guess I'll have to buckle up and get to it.

 

[Ace]

Question... Is it safe to wait until Monday when ENTs are open or should I get the wax removed at a general clinic or hospital right away? Should I keep using olive oil drops too?

I was using olive oil drops for almost 2 weeks, but yesterday I used earplugs for an event and the earplugs went kinda deep. I think because the wax was softened and perhaps slightly larger due to absorbing some of the oil, it was easier to push in. Now when I simply rub my ear on the outer layer, I can feel my ear canal get plugged off and it sticks that way for a second before a popping sound which brings my hearing back into focus...

However, my hearing in the left ear is still noticeably muffled right now compared to my right, and I also had a "sudden tinnitus" tone which is lingering since a few minutes ago (not so uncommon but still extra scary given the circumstances).

The last thing I want is more or worsened hearing disorders as a result of this. I'm just reluctant to trust someone who isn't a specialist to work in my ears with a curette, and I don't want to do irrigation or suction either tbh.

 

[Joe Cuber]

I'd personally wait until Monday to see the ENT, but that's just me.

 

[Damocles]

Firstly: stop putting things in your ears (i.e. earplugs) until the wax is cleared out, as you're compacting it. This is the likely cause of the new tones, as pressure exerted on the eardrum can and will change the tinnitus (for better or worse) in the same way that pulling the outer ears, or manipulating the tragus will.

Secondly: stop worrying. For the same reason as what is outlined in the latter half of the above paragraph. Wax build up will temporarily increase tinnitus volume, as will ear drops of any kind (including olive oil). Once the ear canals are clear, tinnitus will return to baseline (given that the method of clearance is not traumatic).

Thirdly: see the end of Secondly. This is of the utmost importance. Do not rush this procedure. Visit a capable ENT who will agree to perform a manual wax removal. The time it takes to get this done will not have any long term implications. But compromising and subjecting your ears to microsuction, syringing, or some dodgy DIY treatment, very likely will.

Once this is done, your tinnitus should be greatly reduced and back to manageable levels.

On the question of continuing olive oil drops. I probably would. But I doubt it would be of much consequence if you stopped them, especially if you're finding they're increasing your tinnitus after use and perhaps making it harder to sleep etc. ENT will be able to remove the wax manually in any case, and keeping your anxiety down takes priority (imo).

 

[Ace]

I'd personally wait until Monday to see the ENT, but that's just me.

Thanks. It's not as bad right now as it was when I made the post. I was real spooked at the time. But definitely still uncomfortable. I'll try to search around and schedule a manual ear wax removal at the soonest time I can get an appointment.

 

[Joe Cuber]

Sounds good. @Damocles posted a lot of good advice above, hope everything goes well.

 

[Ace]

Firstly: stop putting things in your ears (i.e. earplugs) until the wax is cleared out, as you're compacting it. This is the likely cause of the new tones, as pressure exerted on the eardrum can and will change the tinnitus (for better or worse) in the same way that pulling the outer ears, or manipulating the tragus will.

Secondly: stop worrying. For the same reason as what is outlined in the latter half of the above paragraph. Wax build up will temporarily increase tinnitus volume, as will ear drops of any kind (including olive oil). Once the ear canals are clear, tinnitus will return to baseline (given that the method of clearance is not traumatic).

Thirdly: see the end of Secondly. This is of the utmost importance. Do not rush this procedure. Visit a capable ENT who will agree to perform a manual wax removal. The time it takes to get this done will not have any long term implications. But compromising and subjecting your ears to microsuction, syringing, or some dodgy DIY treatment, very likely will.

Once this is done, your tinnitus should be greatly reduced and back to manageable levels.

On the question of continuing olive oil drops. I probably would. But I doubt it would be of much consequence if you stopped them, especially if you're finding they're increasing your tinnitus after use and perhaps making it harder to sleep etc. ENT will be able to remove the wax manually in any case, and keeping your anxiety down takes priority (imo).

Thanks for taking the time to reply in detail.

Yeah, I'll be looking to get it manually removed, definitely no microsuction or irrigation. Thankfully, the full blockage + popping sounds don't seem to happen nearly as easily today as they were last night when I was super anxious about it. So it should be manageable and if I have to wait a little longer for an appointment then so be it.

 

[Ace]

One more post for now, and then I intend on leaving the thread alone until after I have my procedure to provide other earwax-havers some more anecdotal evidence, I guess.

I scheduled appointments for 4 different doctors to get the wax removed (because that way I got put on several different waiting lists in case someone's cancellation gets me in early).

There's an appointment for next week but the doctor on the phone said "don't bargain with me on the phone" regarding my options for manual removal vs microsuction vs irrigation lol. I might cancel that one. But maybe I should give the guy the benefit of the doubt because of cultural differences. Won't hurt to show up and if he decides in that moment that manual removal can't be done, then I'll just leave I guess.

Thanks for the support everyone.

 

[Joe Cuber]

"don't bargain with me on the phone"

That guy sounds like an ass.

 

[Ace]

Just got home after getting the earwax removed manually (from a different doctor, not the "don't bargain with me on the phone" guy).

I wasn't aware of this but apparently my right ear was half full of earwax as well, so the doctor removed it from that side too. I had not applied any olive oil drops on that side but still it was done without any issue.

On my left ear, there was a moment in which I felt like my eardrum took a couple slight jabs. In that moment, I definitely felt as though I lost some of my hearing and had ear "fullness", severe for a moment and then it balanced out some. I needed to ask the doctor to give me a moment and let me have a sip of water and get a little more relaxed (as I could be). The whole thing was frankly very overwhelming. The doctor assured me that there was no damage to the eardrum. I let him back in for some last scoops and he ended up getting about 90% of the wax out, by his assessment. There was definitely a lot.

I don't want to say anything definitive until I get a hearing test, but I feel as though my hearing in my left ear is somewhat muffled when it comes to higher frequencies. Maybe I'm just overwhelmed right now. Tinnitus does not seem any worse at this time though, so there's that. I need a dang nap. I'll let y'all know how I get on after some time passes.

Much love y'all.

 

[Joe Cuber]

Well that sounds tentatively positive, glad that worked out. When's your hearing test?

 

[Ace]

Well that sounds tentatively positive, glad that worked out. When's your hearing test?

I left a message with the audiology department that I usually go to. I'll try to get one set up as soon as possible.

 

[Ace]

A week after earwax extraction, I think my left ear tinnitus is about as bad as it's ever been, but it's fluctuated up and down so much this year that I just don't know.. Several weeks good, several weeks bad, some good days followed by another bad week, and it keeps going back n forth like that. Some of those weeks I was wondering if it was worse than ever so maybe that might call my current assessment into question but I really do feel convinced that it's been worse than ever in the last few days. My mental response to it is surprisingly measured and mostly lacking in pure despair, only because I'm so used to rolling with the punches at this point. Still, depressing and anxiety inducing for sure.

I checked with an urgent care center on Saturday just to be sure - According to the doctor there, my eardrum was not ruptured, and there was only a little bit of earwax on my ear canal wall. None stuck to my eardrum or anything.

I will leave this thread alone until I get the results from the test or if I see some lasting improvement. More short term updates will be on my profile. It's only been a week since my ear drum got bumped. Holding onto some hope here, especially since it didn't actually get ruptured after all.

 

[Stuart-T]

Hello Ace. I have read through this thread and as I also had severely compacted earwax, I thought I would chime (no pun intended) in.

Unlike you - I did not have ongoing tinnitus - seems yours was caused by your work as a musician?

I got a hissy ringing in my left ear in February 2022 - 1 month after having COVID-19. The doctor said my ears were plugged with wax and gave me the olive oil instructions. I tried this but the wax was not coming out on its own so I tried Otex ear drops and that seemed to start breaking it up a bit - still not coming out though. The tinnitus was not too good - at its worse a resonating hissy ring in my left ear. I did book microsuction and that took care of the right ear 100% - the left ear he could not get it all out - and was not prepared to try as he did not want to get anywhere near the ear drum. I kept going with the olive oil and Otex but still not luck. So I did a dodgy DIY job with an oral irrigator I have had for ages - trying to keep the level reasonable. Well a few nights of that got it out. My tinnitus level did drop and I no longer get that resonant tone but I am stuck with tinnitus in my left ear. It sounds very similar to when I first noticed I had it - a hiss which I would rate at 4/5 with occasional sharp higher pitch whine. It sounds overall like overhead power lines which are wet. I'm fairly well habituated with it. I have had an hearing test and it is equal on both sides - some minor impairment between 4 kHz and 8 kHz (30 dB).

So don't know if long term damage from compacted earwax - or the irrigator maybe - or COVID-19 related.

BTW I also - despite compacted earwax - did not notice any hearing loss. But when I started on the olive oil - the wax must have expanded and I could hardly hear anything in the left ear.

Anyway, that probably does not help but since I have had earwax issues, I thought I would contribute.

 

[Ace]

I wanted to provide an update for future visitors of this thread:

August was very up and down, with some rough and depressing weeks but some genuinely good days too in regards to tinnitus volume. That's kind of been the trend of the year for me - good weeks, bad weeks, the cycle repeats over and over.

However - September was GREAT! I've developed the habit this year of keeping a memo in my phone to track how my tinnitus is doing each day so I can identify patterns or triggers, and I can confidently say that September was my best month this entire year, if not this whole decade (starting 2020). Tinnitus baseline seemed so low on some days it was hard to believe. There were a handful of days where tinnitus was a nuisance, yes, but all in all I feel great about how that month went. Whether I can attribute that to lack of earwax, I'm not sure but I can imagine that it was at least of SOME help?

Unfortunately, my tinnitus is still feels very temperamental this year. I am currently dealing with a spike, I believe as a result of getting hit with the occlusion effect kinda hard a couple times while talking with my earplugs in (which is honestly the dumbest reason for a spike and I'm so annoyed at the idea that that's even possible). Stressing out over that. However, hopefully the September I had can alleviate some of the fear that anyone reading this thread might have if they do get their ear drum bumped during a manual earwax removal procedure like what happened to me. I don't think that caused any lasting damage. For that reason, I probably won't have anything else to add to this thread unless someone asks me something here.

P.S. @Stuart-T, I wish you well, it's a good thing you are fairly habituated and since it has been less than a year since yours developed, there is a chance it will fade further for you or at the very least you will be able to notice it less and less if it stays the same.

 

[ZFire]

Can impacted ear wax deep inside the ear canal or that's stuck to your eardrum produce an occlusion effect?

I have fullness right now, hearing difficulties, and a little bit of occlusion. Tinnitus seems worse. I hear something really squishy inside my left ear when rubbing the back of my ear. Do I need to see an ENT?

 

[Daniel Lion]

Can impacted ear wax deep inside the ear canal or that's stuck to your eardrum produce an occlusion effect?

I have fullness right now, hearing difficulties, and a little bit of occlusion. Tinnitus seems worse. I hear something really squishy inside my left ear when rubbing the back of my ear. Do I need to see an ENT?

Yes, you do. It's a good idea to have an ENT take a look. They may be able to help resolve this issue for you.

Keep us posted and take care,
DL

 

[Eleanor89]

Hello @ZFire, I have ear wax apparently in my right ear. I went to our NHS hospital to have it removed manually. However, she wanted to remove it using microsuction. I said no. It was too loud and I felt that she did not understand.

I place a couple of drops of olive oil in my ear every other night x

Hope this helps. Happy Easter ️

 

[ZFire]

Yes, you do. It's a good idea to have an ENT take a look. They may be able to help resolve this issue for you.

Keep us posted and take care,
DL

Hi @Daniel Lion. I went to see an ENT yesterday and it turns out I did have impacted ear wax. Most of it stuck to the eardrum, left ear especially. ENT took no issue with my request for a manual ear wax removal procedure. I felt discomfort as he was removing the wax that was stuck to my eardrum. He might have touched it slightly with the medical instrument (curette) he was using. I'm guessing this is normal when you're trying to remove wax that is located near or stuck to the ear drum (same thing happened to @Ace too). My hearing may have slightly improved. My ears were feeling more full after the procedure, but this morning, it's gone. Tinnitus still the same (highly variable and disturbing). Tinnitus is bothering more than usual these past 2 weeks. I might be spiking, but I can't tell anymore. It's already too loud.

Anyways, thanks for the advice. @Eleanor89 too.

 

[Eleanor89]

Hello @ZFire, I hope it improves for you. Sending hugs.

 

[Stuart-T]

Hello @ZFire, I have ear wax apparently in my right ear. I went to our NHS hospital to have it removed manually. However, she wanted to remove it using microsuction. I said no. It was too loud and I felt that she did not understand.

I place a couple of drops of olive oil in my ear every other night x

Hope this helps. Happy Easter ️

I think that is wise with the oil. Even if it takes a year of tinnitus, the oil will result in the wax coming out on its own - so I believe. It is the least risky option.

 

[Daniel Lion]

Hi @Daniel Lion. I went to see an ENT yesterday and it turns out I did have impacted ear wax. Most of it stuck to the eardrum, left ear especially. ENT took no issue with my request for a manual ear wax removal procedure. I felt discomfort as he was removing the wax that was stuck to my eardrum. He might have touched it slightly with the medical instrument (curette) he was using. I'm guessing this is normal when you're trying to remove wax that is located near or stuck to the ear drum (same thing happened to @Ace too). My hearing may have slightly improved. My ears were feeling more full after the procedure, but this morning, it's gone. Tinnitus still the same (highly variable and disturbing). Tinnitus is bothering more than usual these past 2 weeks. I might be spiking, but I can't tell anymore. It's already too loud.

Anyways, thanks for the advice. @Eleanor89 too.

Yah, I inderstand. It's always loud, so gauging changes is hard work.

I have heard that some ENTs use a steam mechanism to clean out wax and thus no touching, maybe that would have been better for you. Ask about this method next time.

I am glad you went and really hope your spike settles. Perhaps some strength training sessions will help you relax and feel some much needed calm.

My tinnitus is damm loud as I write you.

Wishing you peace and happiness, always.

DL