If you have ever noticed a ringing, buzzing or hissing in your ears when the room around you goes quiet, you are in good company. That sound is called tinnitus, and it is one of the things people ask us about most often here in Wickersley. It can be unsettling, but it is rarely a sign of anything sinister.
Two of the most common causes are things we look at every day: a build-up of earwax and age-related hearing loss. Here is how they connect, what you can safely try yourself, and when it is worth getting your ears checked.
What exactly is tinnitus?
Tinnitus is the name for hearing a sound that is not coming from the world around you. It might be a ring, a buzz, a hiss, a whoosh or a low hum, in one ear or both. It is a symptom rather than a disease in itself, and for most people it is more of a nuisance than a worry.
One proposed explanation is that, when the ear stops passing on certain sounds clearly, the brain changes how it processes incoming signals and tinnitus becomes more noticeable. It is not the only possible explanation, and an assessment is the best way to look for treatable causes. That is why the two causes below matter so much: they both change what the ear is sending to the brain.
Can earwax cause tinnitus?
Yes, it can. Earwax is completely normal and healthy, and in most people it works its own way out without any help at all. The trouble starts only when it builds up enough to block the ear canal. A firm plug of wax can muffle your hearing, make the ear feel full or itchy, and for some people it sets off or worsens tinnitus.
The reassuring part is that when wax is the culprit, the ringing often settles once the blockage is cleared. A word of caution first though: please do not go poking about with cotton buds or ear candles. They tend to push wax deeper and can do more harm than good. If your ear simply feels a bit full, it is often fine to leave it a week or two and let it clear naturally. You might not need us yet.
If it does not shift, our wax removal is done by microsuction, a gentle method that lifts the wax out under a microscope with no water and no flushing. It is quick, and we can see exactly what we are doing the whole time.
How does hearing loss come into it?
Hearing loss and tinnitus very often travel together. Most hearing loss in adults comes on slowly with age, or from years of exposure to loud noise, and it wears down the tiny hair cells in the inner ear that pick up sound. As those cells become less responsive, the brain turns up its internal gain to try to hear better, and tinnitus can be part of that adjustment.
This is why so many people first notice their tinnitus and their hearing loss at around the same time. Treating the hearing loss can quieten the ringing for some people, because well-fitted hearing aids bring back the everyday sounds the brain has been straining to find, which often pushes the tinnitus into the background. Beyond the ears themselves, research increasingly links untreated hearing loss with wider issues like tiredness, low mood and cognitive decline, so it is worth taking seriously rather than simply putting up with.
When should tinnitus send you to your GP?
Some tinnitus needs a doctor rather than an audiologist first. Please see your GP promptly if your tinnitus comes on suddenly, is only in one ear, beats in time with your pulse, or arrives alongside dizziness, ear pain or a noticeable drop in hearing. These are worth checking without delay.
We want to be straight with you about what we do here. We assess your ears, advise you honestly, and treat the causes we can, namely wax and hearing loss. We do not run a dedicated tinnitus therapy programme. If your tinnitus is not down to wax or hearing loss, the NHS is the right first port of call, and the British Tinnitus Association is an excellent, trustworthy source of support and information.
So what is a sensible first step?
If ringing in your ears is bothering you, the most useful thing is to find out whether wax or hearing loss is behind it, since both are straightforward to check. A free online hearing check takes a couple of minutes at home, and if anything looks off we can take a proper look in person. You can read more about how we approach ringing in the ears on our tinnitus page.
Not sure where to start? Come and get your ears looked at properly. You can book a hearing assessment online or ring us on 01709 437250 and we will point you in the right direction.
