Middle ear obstructions or blockages in the ear canal can damage your auditory system and cause other conditions, such as tinnitus. These blockages increase pressure in the inner ear and disrupt the functioning of the eardrum. The most common obstructions we encounter are due to
Excess earwax (also called ceruminosis)
Dirt or foreign objects
Loose hairs from the ear canal
Middle ear infections
Here is what you need to know. Our body produces earwax to trap dirt particles and protect our ears. However, excess earwax can trigger tinnitus and have significant consequences.
Tinnitus is a debilitating neurological and audiological condition that affects more than 50 million Americans. Patients typically hear persistent whistling and buzzing in their ears and head. This condition is most often linked to various underlying health issues.
For some patients, tinnitus may be due to age-related or noise-induced hearing loss. For others, it may result from head and neck trauma, exposure to loud sounds, whiplash, earwax, etc.
Very often, tinnitus caused by an earwax blockage goes unnoticed. In many cases, removing the blockage is enough to relieve the symptoms. That said, in some situations, the obstruction may have caused permanent damage resulting in chronic tinnitus.
So, if you have just started hearing persistent whistling in your ears, your tinnitus may be due to an earwax blockage. In this article, we offer solutions to prevent or treat this condition.
Alright, let's get down to business.
What is earwax?
Our body naturally produces many substances, and earwax is one of them. Earwax is a waxy substance secreted by the body to protect our ears from infections. Research shows that earwax contains
Six to nine percent cholesterol
60 percent keratin
About 12 to 20 percent alcohols
Long-chain, saturated and unsaturated fatty acids
Essentially, everyone has earwax. Its composition varies from person to person, however, and also depends on age, environment, ethnicity, and diet.
Earwax is mainly composed of desquamated skin layers and is produced by sebaceous glands located in the outer part of the ear. As the skin of the ear canal grows from the inside out, chewing and other jaw movements push old earwax along the canal. After a certain time, it reaches the outside of the ear and falls out.
Research shows that earwax is slightly acidic and possesses lubricating and antibacterial properties. Even if it seems dirty and repulsive, a reasonable amount of earwax is essential to your good health.
Without earwax, our ear canal would become dry, waterlogged, and prone to infections. That is why good earwax combines sebum and sweat with dead cells and impurities.
Yes, we understand: it is hard to believe that a substance so unappealing, sticky, smelly, and sometimes a source of itching is essential to the good health of your ears.
The benefits of earwax
Let's see why a little earwax is indispensable for you.
Earwax acts as a natural barrier that prevents bacteria, dust, and other dangerous debris from entering your ear. Thanks to its sticky and oily nature, it effectively traps microscopic particles that get into the ear canal. Without this protective barrier, your ear would be in danger.
Earwax forms a protective coating for your ear canal and also plays a moisturizing role. Without this sticky substance, your ears could become prone to itching and flaking, which would increase the risk of irritation and infection.
Insects do not like the smell of earwax: it therefore acts as a repellent. Its sticky texture also traps insects that might accidentally fall into your ear.
Excess earwax and tinnitus
Your ears are self-cleaning: earwax should therefore evacuate naturally once dry. However, while this process goes smoothly for some people, others suffer from earwax blockages.
An earwax blockage occurs when earwax accumulates in your ear to the point of becoming too hard to be removed by washing or to fall out naturally.
Blockages generally form when objects like cotton swabs, earbuds, or hairpins are used for some time to clean the ears. These objects end up pushing the earwax deeper into the ear, which causes damage and a blockage.
Sometimes, the blockage forms because your ear secretes an excessive amount of earwax. Likewise, people who produce dry earwax experience this type of accumulation more often.
In many cases, excess earwax can trigger tinnitus, a debilitating disorder characterized by persistent whistling and buzzing in the ears. Tinnitus has a negative impact on the overall health and social life of patients. The latter often suffer from depression, anxiety, irritability, and difficulty concentrating.
If you live with tinnitus, it is best to consult your hearing care professional to check if your condition is due to an earwax blockage.
The good news is that removing the earwax or the blockage can provide relief and make temporary tinnitus disappear. In severe cases, however, the blockage may have damaged the auditory system and caused permanent, chronic tinnitus.
Here are other symptoms that an earwax blockage can cause
Pain in the affected ear
A feeling of a blocked ear
Difficulty hearing (which can worsen over time)
Roaring, buzzing, or whistling in the ear or head (tinnitus)
Itching in the ear
Drainage and a bad odor coming from the affected ear
Coughing
Dizziness and nausea
If you experience any of the symptoms of an earwax blockage mentioned above, do not try to remove the earwax yourself. Talk to your doctor about it.
You might think you can solve the problem with simple cotton swabs. But there is no better way to know if you have excessive earwax accumulation than to have your ears examined by your doctor.
Moreover, having these symptoms does not necessarily mean that you have excess earwax or a blockage. These signs can be associated with another health problem. For example, ear pain can result from head or ear trauma. Sounds evoking tinnitus can be due to noise exposure, whether occasional or prolonged, or to ototoxic medications.
Your doctor is therefore the best person to make a correct diagnosis and recommend the most appropriate treatment.
Treating tinnitus caused by excess earwax
If your tinnitus is caused by excess earwax, loose hair, or a foreign object, removal of the earwax by a qualified healthcare professional will make it disappear.
Let's review some recommended earwax removal methods.
Medical diagnosis and treatment
As we said above, earwax is supposed to evacuate on its own. If your blockage symptoms are significant, you should therefore consult your doctor.
Your doctor will examine your ear using a specific medical instrument called an otoscope. This device magnifies and illuminates the inside of your ear and allows the doctor to spot a blockage, an infection, or other pathologies.
Depending on your situation, your doctor may use one or more methods to make your tinnitus disappear. Here are some of the most common treatment options.
Ear irrigation
Ear irrigation involves sending pressurized water into the ear canal, using a rubber bulb or an oral irrigator, to loosen and remove the earwax. The water entering the ear may tickle or provide a strange sensation, but it is certainly not painful.
Today, healthcare professionals use electronic ear irrigators so that the water jet sent into the ear remains at body temperature and at a normal pressure.
It is important to note that irrigation is not suitable for all patients. For example, people who have undergone ear surgery within the last 12 months should not undergo this procedure. Likewise, people with a perforated eardrum or conditions such as a middle ear infection or severe ear pain should not have irrigation.
Ear drops
Applying ear drops can also soften earwax in a few days and facilitate its removal. These drops can irritate the delicate skin of your ear canal or your eardrum. This is why you should only use drops recommended by a doctor.
Your doctor may also recommend a ceruminolytic product, such as
Carbamide peroxide
Murine Ear Wax Removal
Debrox
Mollifene, etc.
Manual removal of excess earwax
If irrigation or drops are not enough, your doctor may need to remove the excess earwax by micro-suction. During this procedure, they use a small curved instrument called a curette to suction the earwax out of the ear canal and clean the ear. Other instruments, such as hooks, scoops, and curettes, are also used to perform this action.
Home remedies to eliminate excess earwax
It is common to see people push objects like earbuds or cotton swabs into their ears to remove impurities.
Warning: this action can cause severe ear pain, infection, and damage to your auditory system.
If you cannot see a doctor, some recommended home remedies will help you overcome the earwax blockage.
One of the most effective methods consists of cleaning the outer ear with a warm, damp washcloth. This cleaning softens the earwax and promotes its removal. You will, however, need to repeat the operation several times before feeling relief.
Another effective home remedy consists of applying a few drops of oil or ear solution into your ear canal. You will easily find mineral oil, glycerin, olive oil, baby oil, or sweet almond oil in any local pharmacy.
To apply the drops effectively, tilt your head so that your ear is facing upward. Place one or two drops in, then wait 1 to 2 minutes before letting the liquid drain out. By repeating the operation for two weeks or more, the earwax will soften and come out of your ears.
You can also perform irrigation at home. Using a rubber bulb, gently send warm water into your ear. Like drops, warm water helps to soften the earwax. After a few days, it will gradually evacuate.
If your tinnitus persists after removing the earwax, you will need to undergo other tests to discover the cause and find effective treatments.
Unfortunately, permanent tinnitus cannot be cured. The good news is that current treatments will help you live with this condition.
In summary
Even if earwax lubricates, cleans, and protects the ear canal, excess earwax can trigger sounds similar to tinnitus in your ear.
The fact is that tinnitus symptoms do not only concern people with a blockage in their ear. They are also associated with various underlying health problems, including head or neck trauma, ototoxic medications, etc. However, if your tinnitus is caused by excess earwax or a blockage, removing this obstruction will make it disappear.
If you have symptoms of tinnitus or an earwax blockage, consult a qualified healthcare professional to get an appropriate diagnosis and treatment.
