One-Ear Tinnitus Associated with Use of Debrox

About a month or two ago, I used Debrox like I usually do by filling my ear canal with the stuff, letting it sit there with my head turned sideways for 5 or more minutes. I could not hear the usual bubbling from the rapid decomposition of the product's active ingredient. I thought that might be due to heavy wax buildup. So I decided to just plug my ear up with some cotton and let it stay in there overnight. That is what I had been doing for years with no problem; usually worked like a charm!

All I had to do (the next morning) was irrigate my treated ear with a warm solution of very strong hot bancha tea (with sea salt mixed in); I got this remedy from a macrobiotic book of remedies for all sorts of ailments (page 143 of Macrobiotic Home Remedies by Michio Kushi; 1985). I used a small bulb and moderate pressure over and over and expected the wax to just pop out after several pulses of my hand-powered rubber bulb. However, this last time no wax was removed. I had apparently removed it all during the first time I used this method a few days before. (I had used it again, only because I still could not hear very well out of it.)

All this is just speculation! But I am beginning to think the Debrox might have caused a nerve injury (as evidenced by the tinnitus in just that ear), at least because of the the way I had used it. Maybe I shouldn't have let the stuff sit in my ear so long? As a chemist, I am aware that peroxide derivatives are unstable and so I figured the active ingredient in Debrox (carbamide peroxide) would be neutralized after only a few minutes in my ear canal. Perhaps its reaction product (a carboxylic acid, a type of weak acid) caused irritation of my nerves, affecting my hearing? I hypothesize that because my ear did not have my usual abundant layer of wax in it to protect my ear from the debrox, it had greater access to my ear's sensitive nerve tissues.

More research needs to be done by all of us so affected! And also probably by the company that manufactures Debrox (made in Germany)! The company that distributes it is MedTech Products, Inc, Tarrytown, NY. Does anyone believe they would have some explanations for symptoms like mine that are associated with their product? All their website says is "You should not use carbamide peroxide if you have a hole in your ear drum (ruptured ear drum), or if you have any signs of ear infection or injury, such as pain, warmth, swelling, drainage, or bleeding."