Considering recent insights about the body’s myriad microbiomes, it’s probably not surprising that our ears, too, are homes to microbial communities that host a multitude of bacteria, fungi, and other tiny organisms.
In fact, our ears appear to have multiple microbiomes — in the middle ear, ear canal, and inner ear — and bacteria from one can cause issues in another.
But they typically work together to support the health of our ears, including by playing a role in our hearing.
Our ears have “a unique self-cleaning mechanism” that helps keep these communities healthy, explain the authors of a study in Otology and Neurotology. It’s called cerumen, better known as earwax. This underappreciated substance may serve several key functions, including “acting as an antimicrobial by maintaining the acidic environment” of the ear canal, and helping to lubricate and protect the ears.
In addition, researchers have proposed an “auditory-gut-brain axis,” according to a review in Frontiers in Neuroscience. “The ear has a microbiome of its own, which would be expected to communicate and interact with microbiomes located in other parts of the body, including the gut,” the authors write. And poor gut health can have a negative effect on hearing.
A review in Audiology Research suggests it may soon be possible to counteract common auditory disorders, including hearing loss and tinnitus, by way of the gut, with the help of probiotics, prebiotics, and a healthy diet.
This article originally appeared as “Yes, Our Ears Have Microbiomes too — and They Play a Role in Our Hearing” in the January/February 2026 issue of Experience Life.
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