Ear wax build up and improper removal

The wax that our ears produce may build up in the ear canal or the wall of the cochlea, hindering the free swings of the cilia. When the cilia cannot detect and translate external stimuli via the auditory nerve it could be due to excess wax, no impulses precede to the brain. This means that the brain will have nothing to translate into sounds; in that manner your hearing ability is impaired.

The amount of ear wax people produce varies. Some people produce more ear wax than others. When there is excessive ear wax, it can proceed to block the hearing nerve, thus preventing the transmission of impulses from the cilia to the brain. Your hearing ability may be reduced and/or your tinnitus becomes louder. The slab of wax may create its own sound, confusing the brain which the brain misinterprets as sound.

Excessive ear wax must be removed by a qualified physician or an otolaryngologist (ear, nose and throat specialist). If you try to remove ear wax on your own, you may damage your cochlea by whatever object you insert into your ear.

Other factors that may cause or worsen tinnitus include the following:

• What causes Tinnitus?
• Loud noises
• Damage to the cochlea
• A tumor on the hearing nerve
• Certain medication
• Ear infections and or sinus inflammation
• Old age or Otosclerosis
• Meniere's disease
• Allergic reactions
• Stress and blood pressure
• Abnormality of the Eustachian tube
• Other factors and conditions that may cause tinnitus

Related topics

1. Vertigo
2. Hypercusis
3. Recruitment
4. Meniere's disease
5. Tips to lessen the severity of tinnitus