Earwax impaction and tinnitus

Tinnitus can be caused by an accumulation of earwax in your ear canal. In this article, we detail the mechanisms of an earwax blockage and its impact on both general hearing health and tinnitus.

What is tinnitus?

Tinnitus is the experience of hearing a sound in your ears that "does not exist." It is often described as ringing, but it can also be hissing, buzzing, rumbling, or clicking. The sound you think you hear can be intermittent or permanent. Some people perceive a very loud sound, while others experience a simple background noise. Tinnitus affects between 15% and 20% of the population. Tinnitus is not a disease: it is a symptom of an underlying issue, such as an earwax blockage in your auditory system. To understand what causes tinnitus, you must first understand:

How we hear

The auditory system includes all parts of the outer and inner ear, as well as the region of the brain that interprets sounds.

Sound is channeled through the outer ear and the ear canal to the eardrum.

The sound makes the eardrum and the tiny ossicles attached to it vibrate.

These vibrations reach the spiral-shaped cochlea in the inner ear.

The cochlea transforms the sound into nerve impulses that travel to the brain's auditory cortex.

The brain interprets the sound.

Anything that disrupts this system can cause tinnitus: certain medications, wear and tear or damage to parts of the ear, Meniere's disease, otosclerosis, high blood pressure, anemia, allergies, ear infections, and earwax blockages.

How does an earwax blockage cause tinnitus?

Earwax protects your ear canal and eardrum from infections. In principle, it migrates naturally toward the outside of the ear; however, when this does not happen and it accumulates in excess in the ear canal, it traps impurities, hardens, and obstructs the auditory system. Cotton swabs, earbuds, and headphones can promote the formation of these blockages.

In general, the obstruction simply results in poor hearing, but sometimes the system attempts to compensate for this drop in sound. When sound is interrupted by an earwax blockage and neural circuits no longer receive the stimulation they are accustomed to, they react by "chattering." Our brain then interprets this neurological activity as a sound, causing us to hear ringing, buzzing, rumbling, or other noises that do not exist.

How to remove an earwax blockage at home

You can see a doctor to have an earwax blockage removed, or use products you have at home as well as over-the-counter earwax removal kits and products. Some everyday products can serve as ear drops to soften hardened earwax. Tilt your head to the side and, using a dropper, instill a few drops of hydrogen peroxide, mineral oil, olive oil, or glycerin into your ear. After about five minutes, lie on your side on a towel to let the drops and earwax drain out. It may be necessary to repeat the process every day for up to two weeks to remove all the earwax. Once the blockage has softened, you can also purchase an earwax removal kit and use it to irrigate your ear with lukewarm water. The lukewarm water circulating in the ear flushes out the loosened earwax. If your tinnitus was caused by an earwax blockage, removing it should resolve the problem and restore your normal hearing.