Does Middle Ear Fluid Make Tinnitus Worse?

[Sam Troyer]

I've had tinnitus for about 15 years. Last fall it got radically worse.

If I clear fluid from the middle ear through sinus rinsing, it appears to decrease my tinnitus. Am I imagining this effect?

 

[UKBloke]

Am I imagining this effect?

No, you're not imagining it. The long-term tinnitus brain can be a curious reactionary thing susceptible to all manner of changes in input. For example, whenever my own ears have become blocked/bunged (oftentimes seasonal) I've noticed lots of weird variance to my tinnitus: typewriter, steam-hammer, volume up/down, finger in left ear quietens tinnitus in right, and vice-versa. It's capricious and does its thing. Don't worry, yours is not exclusive in that sense.

 

[momus]

With me it's ear wax buildup, but anything in my ears or over them makes my tinnitus seem worse. Fooling around w/ my ears always makes me nervous, but when I do finally get the courage to clean them w/ hydrogen peroxide and an OTC product called Earwax Removal Aid (comes in a tiny bottle w/ Carbamide Peroxide 6.5% in it), things generally get better. Humidity also makes my tinnitus louder, or at least more noticeable.