Can earwax buildup cause tinnitus? Can cleaning your ears cure it?
Earwax is a sticky, interesting substance. Cleaning out earwax ranges from satisfying to disgusting, but either way, it will improve your health and your hearing. Tinnitus is a common ear condition where a person hears a high-pitched tone or ringing, and it is connected with hearing loss. Some tinnitus and hearing loss are permanent, but some are temporary. Can earwax cleaning cure tinnitus?
What Causes Tinnitus?
Tinnitus is a misinterpretation of sound waves somewhere along the way between the outer ear and the auditory nerve in the brain. It can have multiple causes, such as the following:
Problems with the body not even related to hearing, such as a kidney implant or an ototoxic medication for another health problem, can impact your hearing health. The ears are sensitive and pick up on various problems, including blood circulation issues. However, earwax buildup can also cause a hearing disruption.
How Does Earwax Buildup Cause Tinnitus?
Earwax buildup is more likely to happen if you wear earplugs or earbuds often, you have not cleaned your ears regularly, you use Q-Tips to clean your ears, you have dry or excessive earwax, or you have narrow ear canals. Hearing aid use can also cause earwax buildup. The more earwax that builds up and gets stuffed into the ear canal, the more likely you will have conductive hearing loss and tinnitus.
How to Get Earwax Cleaning
You can perform earwax cleaning on your own by flushing out your ears with a syringe. It may take a couple of hours to flush them completely, but your patience will pay off. You can also visit your primary doctor, an ENT specialist, or an audiologist to remove the earwax safely.
To prevent future earwax buildup, wiping your ears out with a towel after a shower will usually help your ears drain out well enough. For more thorough cleaning, flushing the ears with a syringe is best. If you are looking for an audiologist to help you clear your ears and your tinnitus in the Baltimore area, contact Clarity Audiology!
Trust the Experts at Clarity Audiology & Hearing Solutions
Need help with your hearing? Clarity Hearing can help. Clarity Audiology & Hearing Solutions is an independently owned and operated clinic that focuses on quality of care and personalized, friendly service to the surrounding areas of Ellicott City, Catonsville, Columbia. Our Doctors of Audiology are highly trained with advanced degrees and take the time to provide the personalized care and attention that you need and deserve. We provide advanced hearing aid options that are personally calibrated with cutting-edge digital technology to fit your hearing loss, your unique ear anatomy, and your individual listening needs.
You can call us today to schedule a FREE Hearing Protection Consultation at 410-698-6594! For more blog posts, news, and updates, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and LinkedIn.