A doctor shares a simple fix for tinnitus, which is often caused by ear wax build-up. The doctor explains that ear wax lubricates and protects the ear, but when it builds up and hardens, it can cause hearing loss and irritation. The doctor prescribes daily olive oil ear drops to soften the wax, which should slowly dislodge and reduce tinnitus symptoms.
Medicine rarely achieves instant returns. We reach for a drug, we watch and wait, we manage rather than cure. So, when something can be fixed quickly and simply, it is genuinely one of the most satisfying moments in the job.
Take Jo, a patient I saw recently who came to me in a state of real anxiety after she seemingly overnight developed tinnitus. She knew people whose lives had been turned upside down by the condition – the relentless ringing, buzzing or hissing that only you can hear, with no external source and no off switch. She was frightened it was going to happen to her too.
Tinnitus is far more common than most people realize, affecting around one in ten of us. It can be profoundly debilitating – disrupting sleep, eroding concentration, and driving anxiety and depression. The sounds vary: ringing, buzzing, whooshing, clicking, whistling, a constant tone. For some people it comes and goes; for others it never stops.
Jo's was a ringing in both ears. She had also noticed her hearing wasn't as sharp as it used to be – her husband complained she was shouting and had the television up too loud, while she was convinced, he was mumbling. When I looked in her ears, I found the answer almost immediately: Both ear canals were packed with dark, hard, dry wax.
Ear wax lubricates and protects the ear, but when it builds up and hardens, it causes hearing loss and irritates the eardrum. That irritation, in turn, can produce tinnitus. I prescribed a week of daily olive oil ear drops to soften the wax. Following this routine, the wax should slowly dislodge, opening the eardrum and reducing the tinnitus.
I explained to Jo, as I do to all my patients, that cotton ear buds are never the solution to ear wax build-ups. This is because the sticks can push the wax further in, further worsening hearing or tinnitus problems. Jo also decided to pay to have her ears microsuctioned – where the wax is removed by a healthcare professional using a small suction device.
However, for most patients, olive oil drops should do the job. Once the wax was removed, Jo's recovery was miraculous. Her hearing returned to normal and the ringing stopped. Now she thinks it is her husband who is shouting.
It is such a simple fix, and yet I am constantly surprised by how many tinnitus sufferers have never been told to check their ears for wax. Moreover, in this situation, while I prescribed the olive oil drops, these products are available over the counter in most pharmacies. Unfortunately, microsuction is generally no longer offered at most GP surgeries – due to NHS cost-cutting – meaning patients will typically have to pay around £60 for it.
But, for many, it can be transformative. Of course, ear wax is not the cause of every case of tinnitus. Another is a little-known condition called temporomandibular joint syndrome – or TMJ. The temporomandibular joint is the hinge that connects your jawbone to your skull, and when it is not working properly, this can trigger tinnitus.
The TMJ sits in very close proximity to the ear, and the two share nerve pathways. Dysfunction in this joint, whether caused by teeth grinding, jaw clenching, arthritis or poor bite alignment, can produce tinnitus alongside the more obvious symptoms of jaw pain, clicking, painful chewing, headaches and earache. This is why I always routinely ask tinnitus patients whether they have any of these symptoms now.
And the good news is that treating TMJ dysfunction can bring real relief for tinnitus. This usually starts with jaw exercises and a custom-fitted mouth guard worn at night to reduce grinding and clenching, combined with anti-inflammatory medication. Where those measures are not enough, Botox injections into the jaw muscles can reduce clenching very effectively, and steroid injections directly into the joint are another option. As the joint settles, tinnitus often improves alongside it.
Certain medications can also cause tinnitus as a side effect, including anti-inflammatories, aspirin and some antibiotics. In some cases, this is reversible when the medication is stopped or changed, but patients should never alter or stop any prescribed medicine without speaking to their doctor first. For some patients, tinnitus can be linked to later-life hearing loss. Hearing degrades over time and, in some cases, this can lead to tinnitus.
The same issue can occur in patients who have had their hearing damaged by long-term exposure to loud noises. For these patients, hearing aids can often help reduce tinnitus symptoms
Tinnitus Ear Wax Ear Wax Removal Olive Oil Ear Drops Microsuction Temporomandibular Joint Syndrome Botox Injections Steroid Injections Hearing Aids Later-Life Hearing Loss Exposure To Loud Noises
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Quick Fix for Tinnitus Relief: Olive Oil Ear Drops and Jaw ExercisesA healthcare professional's simple fix for tinnitus patients with ear wax build-up involves daily olive oil ear drops which soften the wax and reduce the ringing. With the wax removed, many tinnitus patients experience miraculous recovery, including improved hearing and the absence of the persistent ringing. However, the routine process can be bypassed by purchasing olive oil ear drops over the counter or having microsuction treatment performed by a healthcare professional.
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