What Will an ENT Look for in a Tinnitus Patient? What Type of Earwax Removal to Ask for?

I just got mild ringing in my left ear a week ago. My fear is that it's hearing damage. I have an appointment with the ear doctor on Monday, and I wanna have them check for anything wrong with my ears. I feel like I've felt pressure in my ears, especially my left one for a while now anyway.

I think there could be some kind of fluid or earwax buildup, or maybe something like Eustachian Tube Dysfunction? I don't know if I match all the symptoms for that though.

Anyway, if there really is something like a fluid or earwax buildup, what can I expect during the removal process? I read that there's different ways to remove it but I'm not familiar.

What kind of treatments are there for ETD?

I hope it's something like one of these that could be fixed instead of the hidden hearing loss that I think I might have. Thanks.

 

You might be offered microsuction or syringing. You can use those keywords to search this forum, to see that those procedures have the potential to cause permanent tinnitus spikes (louder and more intrusive tinnitus). It is a good idea to insist that manual tools be used.

 

Thank you. So the idea I'm getting is that manual removal is safer than microsuction or irrigation. Are irrigation and syringing the same thing? I read that there's risks associated with earwax removal with manual tools to. Is there anything I can do to best protect and prepare myself? Thanks.

 

I am pretty sure they are.

If the risk has to do with an increase in tinnitus, please post that link here. I remember reading multiple posts about people regretting syringing and microsuction, but I don't remember anyone here regretting the use of manual tools.

 

Ear syringing and irrigation aren't the same thing.

Ear syringing is not used anymore due to higher risks. The old saying of getting my ears syringed these days usually refers to irrigation.

Irrigation on the other hand is using a pressurized water to rinse the wax out of the ears that is a lot more safer (although not risk free).

 

Using the manual tools is safer than irrigation, right?

 

Yes.

Although microsuction and irrigation are considered low risk with normal ears (no ruptured eardrums for example). Ear wax removal by professionals, like many other 'operations' are rarely ever 100% risk free. If it was that common, no practise would ever use it because of the threat of being sued.

You'll find threads here were people who have got worse but this is Tinnitus Talk - those cases in reality don't happen often when done by a professional. Shit happens though, unfortunately. The ear is very delicate.

I'm unsure if @Markku had it from the old style of syringing or irrigation?

Anybody worried about it though, I would always speak to an ENT before it's done so you can make a balanced decision on what's best to do.

I have had microsuction twice and irrigation once. The second time I had microsuction it was very uncomfortable and prefer the irrigation that I didn't find pleasant but easily bearable.

Also the problem in the UK is that same day/next day appointments for ear wax removal us always either irrigation or microsuction. (When you have blocked ears and feels like your head is under water, people want a solution fast). Getting access to an ENT with those tools is not easy and probably not cheap in the US.

 

I had my ears irrigated about a month after my tinnitus onset. No issues whatsoever. I did use special ear drops to soften the wax for 2 weeks daily before it was done.

I feel, in most cases, this is the issue more than the actual irrigation - the wax isn't soft enough and people aren't properly advised about how to soften it. The nurse told me to do it for 5 days, but I went with more than double based on what I'd read online.

 

Only ever get a manual clean if you have tinnitus and / or hearing loss. You just don’t want to risk it getting worse. You would never forgive yourself.