Can My Buzzing/Humming/Vibrating Tinnitus Still Stop? I Feel Like I'm Going Crazy

[Kriszti]

I have the low buzzing-humming-vibrating kind of tinnitus "just" for a week. I know it's really early on to predict anything and I'm at early stages, and maybe my threshold is pretty low, but I feel like it's debilitating.

I haven't slept more than 2 hours a night. I think that I will give up and turn to benzos. I didn't have any success with herbal sleeping stuff, melatonin and so on.

The tinnitus is not directly noise-induced, but it could stem from using earphones, but my suspicion is that it's stress induced, because I'm a very anxious, depressed person.

I used to have tinnitus 3 or 4 years ago and it stopped, but I don't remember it being this severe. I definitely could sleep back then.

During the week I wasn't hearing it 2x1-1,5 day. Can it be a good sign? I couldn't sleep tho either.
My hearing is intact, I had a hearing test yesterday, no hearing loss is visible.

If I put my finger in my ear, the sound stops. Yesterday, I had some decreasing success with earplugs in it too, but now it's not working.

Doctors did not suggest anything, I got blood circulation enhancing tablets, a prescription for a Xanax type of pill, and "The Talk". They told me that steroids and IV circulation enhancing stuff is unlikely to help me, cause it's not acut noise trauma and my tinnitus is not high frequency.

Another, maybe a bit TMI question: is it possible that tinnitus is in correlation with menstruation hormones, prolonged PMS?

Sorry for the vent, but I'm really desperate right now, and basically can't talk to anyone about this, I don't want to talk about this to my family, they got their own problems.

 

[Kriszti]

And I'd like to add, that for like 3 weeks in August, I had stuffy ears with fluids in them, it was like water leaking from them. They were cleaned by ENT. Can this buzzing be a late reaction for that too?

If tinnitus has a cause, the brain still memorises the sound in about 3 months and after that there is no cure ever?

 

[Michael B]

As soon as I saw the word earphones I knew I had to write and suggest the possibility of not using them. I'm pretty sure my tinnitus was caused by earphone use and yours, as you suggest, could have been caused by it as well. The way I see it, why take a chance that if it caused your tinnitus, it might make it worse. Sometimes it's a matter of elimination.
As far as sleeping, may I suggest a sound machine for the night stand or using a phone app designed for tinnitus.

 

[Bill Bauer]

During the week I wasn't hearing it 2x1-1,5 day. Can it be a good sign?

Yes!

If I put my finger in my ear, the sound stops.

This is very unusual.

the brain still memorises the sound in about 3 months and after that there is no cure ever?

Where did you read that?! This contradicts the experiences of many people who had posted here.

Basically ears take forever (3-24 months) to heal, so you shouldn't assume that what you are hearing now is what you will be stuck with.

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/thread...eone-else-who-has-tinnitus.26850/#post-307822

 

[Kriszti]

I didn't read it anywhere. Two ENT doctors told me this. That if my tinnitus doesn't get better, it probably never would, because the brain memorises the sound and will give it all the time. So not true than?

I feel like I'm going crazy. It feels like not only my ear is buzzing but my whole head. My tinnitus is only in my left ear, and if I put my finger in it even gently, I can't hear it. If I cover my ear very tightly, kind vacuumy, it stops. Yesterday earplugs made it easier too, today, it doesn't work. I kind of think that it has to do with the vibrating of air, but the earplugs not working contradicts this.

 

[Kriszti]

Also in the middle of August they (ENT) cleaned my ears with microsuction. Can this buzzing be caused by that? 2 months later?

 

[Raphael7713]

I didn't read it anywhere. Two ENT doctors told me this. That if my tinnitus doesn't get better, it probably never would, because the brain memorises the sound and will give it all the time. So not true than?

I feel like I'm going crazy. It feels like not only my ear is buzzing but my whole head. My tinnitus is only in my left ear, and if I put my finger in it even gently, I can't hear it. If I cover my ear very tightly, kind vacuumy, it stops. Yesterday earplugs made it easier too, today, it doesn't work. I kind of think that it has to do with the vibrating of air, but the earplugs not working contradicts this.

I mean, ENTs are professional and know way more than most of us, but that sounds like bullshit. Don't believe everything they say even if they are educated.

 

[Juan]

I didn't read it anywhere. Two ENT doctors told me this. That if my tinnitus doesn't get better, it probably never would, because the brain memorises the sound and will give it all the time. So not true than?

I think that is not true. My personal feeling after many years with complicated hearing problems is that the hearing of each person deteriorates in a certain way. Some people get nasty hyperacusis, like me, other get very bad tinnitus, others just get progressive hearing loss. In this process of deterioration the journey is not always for the worse, there are trade offs. Maybe in time your hearing changes and your tinnitus improves or gets less intrusive.

 

[Bill Bauer]

So not true than?

No.

It is shocking that they would say that. It also explains the poll below.
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/thread...orum-more-useful-than-your-ents-advice.28006/

 

[Optigirl19]

You'll be okay.

I had this too. In fact I think I probably still do have it. But it's gotten to the point where I can't hear it anymore. Either because it's quiet or because I've habituated to it.

Trust me, my whole body used to feel like it was vibrating. Once your brain stops focusing on it, that sensation will stop and you will barely notice the noise.

Best of luck.

 

[Kriszti]

Thank you. I'm at a very new low. I was very against it, but I took a sleeping pill, and I still can't sleep. I really don't know what to do.

 

[Optigirl19]

I'm sorry that you cannot sleep. I've been there and it is truly awful. I feel for you, I truly do.

Just hang on. I promise you it will get better. You've only had it for a about a week, so odds are that it will go away. I had mine for about 2 weeks before it left. And right before it left, I just decided to accept that it was there and focus on living my life. Even though I could hear it above everything and could feel it shaking my body, I just kept on acting like it wasn't there. And soon enough, it wasn't. Either that, or, as I said earlier, I've habituated to it.

Either way, I have my life and my sleep back. And you will too once you get through this horrible period. Just hang on, try to sleep (easier said than done) and please do not take any drastic measures at this time. Benzos are no joke at all and will make your life more miserable than it already is if you get hooked on them.

God bless you / Good luck my friend.

 

[Backpacker]

This is very unusual.

It's actually very common for vibrating low frequency tinnitus. Together with a pause when moving head left-right. And a delay of for example : 5-10 minutes after entering the house after all day spent walking outside, or a day of delay after a longer bus travel sometimes (somewhere it says also 2-3 days after long distance flights but I wouldn't test that). Usually the vibrating ear has no hearing loss. It can be very disturbing if it's loud because of the feeling of the whole left/right side of the head vibrating. Or it can be almost not disturbing if the intensity reduces, like a computer somewhere in the background. There is a link to an article about it somewhere on the thread about low frequency hum.

 

[MRItechssuck]

Kriszti I hope all is well...

 

[Kriszti]

Kriszti I hope all is well...

Thank you. I wouldn't say all is well, but actually maybe a bit better than at night. The buzzing is still awful, but I have a bit better day (knocking on wood).

Hope you all feel a bit better as well.

 

[MRItechssuck]

Have you found a loud fan or background noise to sleep by?

You might want to buy a sound machine soon to cover up the head noise.

Good luck...

 

[Kriszti]

Thank you.
My problem was, that I tried white noise, meditative music, calming noise, movies, everything put on the highest possible volume on the tablet (I told my flatmates that I'm really sorry, but I'm really not well, and they said that they can't hear it through two closed doors) and the tinnitus buzzed through everything.
Today is a bit calmer. Don't know if it's because of the Frontin. I managed to get 2-3 hours of sleep in the end, and it's more than other days on the whole week.

 

[Kriszti]

It's actually very common for vibrating low frequency tinnitus. Together with a pause when moving head left-right. And a delay of for example : 5-10 minutes after entering the house after all day spent walking outside, or a day of delay after a longer bus travel sometimes (somewhere it says also 2-3 days after long distance flights but I wouldn't test that). Usually the vibrating ear has no hearing loss. It can be very disturbing if it's loud because of the feeling of the whole left/right side of the head vibrating. Or it can be almost not disturbing if the intensity reduces, like a computer somewhere in the background. There is a link to an article about it somewhere on the thread about low frequency hum.

Oh, yeah. I experienced it today. After spending 3 days home agonizing and not sleeping, not eating, I had to go shopping with earplugs. After getting home it wasn't buzzing/vibrating for 20 minutes, but now it's starting again. This is cruel. Gives false hope.

 

[Kriszti]

I just don't understand, this vibrating buzzing is an enigma itself. After I felt that it was starting again, it didn't. Stayed quiet for 5 hours. Then at the night came back full range. No sleep again. Not with Frontin either.
I have very, very bad abdominal cramps as well, but I'm scared to take Advil.

 

[Kriszti]

After the horrible night and morning, today was a surprisingly quiet day for me. I needed some change of scenery (is this the correct expression? ), so I came home from the city to the countryside. Now I'm hoping that this will make the trick and let me sleep.
Hope everyone is doing better.

 

[Kriszti]

Hey everyone,

I've been freaking out here for nearly 2 weeks since this condition started / began again for me.
I had the low buzzing, vibrating type of tinnitus in 2016, 2017 and now. It's like a mix of a washing machine and a fog horn in my left ear and head. First two times it subsided, and it was not as bad and loud as now.

Now I haven't been sleeping for 2 weeks even with Frontin, lost 10 kg (I'm overweight, but that's still a lot) and I feel overall miserable even though during the weeks I had 2x1-1,5 quiet days.

The last 2 days, my tinnitus lessened a lot, I'm actually on the third day with much less noise. I managed to get 5 hours of sleep without any benzo. I'm of course dreading the loud humming coming back. My ears feel funny, stuffy and wet, and I feel some kind of pressure in the affected ear.

Questions

1. I would like to ask (and sorry if it's TMI, I never thought I would talk about this on the internet) whether menstruation could interfere with tinnitus? I realised that it started to feel quiet almost precisely when I got my period.

2. I went to a neurologist, and because the tinnitus is unilateral and I have a history with really bad aural migraines and some vertigo, I will have MRI. I know that it can make tinnitus worsen. I'm planning to ask the place via email about what kind of precautions are needed, and what kind of equipment they provide to lower the loudness of the MRI. Any thoughts? The neurologist told me that even though CTs are quiet, they won't be of any use.

3. The weather is about to change like - 10-15 C less than now. Can it affect the loudness of tinnitus?

4. I am confused about ear protection. I currently use 3M 1100 foam earplugs, but it caused some problems in the past. I used them for studying and covered them up with headphones and music, because my upstairs neighbours annoy the hell out of me. I won't do that ever again. Last week I plugged my buzzing ear up when going to appointments and to the university. I read that it's really not recommended. But plugging both ear up, I'm afraid, I will be run down by a car or bus. How do you cope with loud noises of traffic and everyday life? I'm not planning to go to concerts, cinemas, bars anytime soon, but I need to go out of the house. I don't have a driving license, so traffic can't be avoided. I don't want to overprotect, but I feel I need to do something. I live in a capital city in Eastern Europe, it is not as loud as London, New York, but it is still pretty loud.

And last but not least thank you all for the immense help you offer on this forum. I really appreciate it. I feel like I'm going crazy, and nobody can understand this unless suffering from tinnitus, so thank you very much for this community here.

 

[Kriszti]

Update and a new "friend"

3 weeks in, my low frequency tinnitus has been quieter. I still hear it when in a quiet room, but it's currently not constant buzzing, sounds like a foghorn, rather than the washing machine sound.

In the meantime though, I developed a new, very high pitched, electric sound. I can't even decide where it's coming from. Both ear, left ear, head? I was not exposed to any additional noise, no headphones, I'm masking at night, protecting my ears. Can it be from the very severe lack of sleep? I still can't get more than 4 hours a night and I wake up like in every hour or so. Or maybe monitoring my tinnitus made me aware of this sound too and stressing about it made it louder?

What's interesting is that yesterday evening I had a piercing, horrible headache which made both of my sounds practically silent. Headache lessened, sounds came back.

 

[Mister Muso]

I have "the hum". I'm 98% certain it was noise induced.

It stops momentarily when someone talks to me. I've found the same effect from listening to an audio book, so whenever it's stopping me getting to sleep I find an audiobook can help.

 

[Kriszti]

I have "the hum". I'm 98% certain it was noise induced.

It stops momentarily when someone talks to me. I've found the same effect from listening to an audio book, so whenever it's stopping me getting to sleep I find an audiobook can help.

And do you use any other sound enrichment for sleeping? I mean do you listen to an audio book with white noise or other noise in the background? So when the audio book ends, the other calming noise keeps on running during the night? Sorry, I hope that it makes sense. Struggling here with English too.

 

[Mister Muso]

And do you use any other sound enrichment for sleeping? I mean do you listen to an audio book with white noise or other noise in the background? So when the audio book ends, the other calming noise keeps on running during the night? Sorry, I hope that it makes sense. Struggling here with English too.

I've used brown noise in the past, until I got high frequency tinnitus which responded well to white noise and brown noise at first but now gets aggravated by it

Certain ambient music with deep bass can help. Try looking up an artist called Liquid Mind on YouTube or Spotify.

But mostly it settles down after I fall asleep and it doesn't bother me till the next night. And most nights it hardly bothers me at all as I've got more used to it.

 

[Kriszti]

Freaking out again - as per usual.
The low pitch sound is lessened to a very manageable level, still there, but quiet, now it sounds like some bass in the distance.

BUT. About 2 weeks ago I realized an electric sizzle sound, very high pitched, and I thought that it was bilateral. Now I kind of feel that it's in my bad, left ear. It's fleeting. Sometimes it's the sizzle sound, sometimes it's tonal, and now it's a very loud whistle. While I was preoccupied with the worse, low sound, it did not bother me this much, but now it's too sharp like a knife in my ear.

Is it bad/good/nobody knows that it's changing? Sometimes I don't hear it much, sometimes it's very loud. I didn't have any additional noise trauma , I stopped using headphones, mainly use my phone on speakers, use earplugs, foam ones and silicon ones (both of them make my ears hurt), masking at night, using earmuffs around vacuums and so on. I don't get it why this started. I actually felt much better in spite of still not sleeping much.

I'm scheduled to have an MRI in a couple of days, and I'm really, really anxious about it making the tinnitus worse.

 

[WendyLP]

How did your MRI go? How are you doing?

 

[SonZ]

Any update? I sometimes have an annoying vibration in my ear too. It usually gets set off by a certain low frequency sound range.
Hope you are doing well.

 

[Kriszti]

@WendyLP
I'm sorry, I didn't see your comment. So, I had the MRI, showed nothing unusual, but it spiked my tinnitus for about a week or so.

@SonZ
Thank you.
The low hum completely went away. Don't have any idea what causes it, what makes it stop. I think, it will come back in the future, because this was the 3d time I had it, but this was the worst bout. Mine was not reactive to a certain frequency rage.
The UHF, bilateral sound which followed the buzzing became permanent and a new sound joined in in February. 6 month in, faded some, but still feeling quite miserable.

Hope both of you are doing ok.

 

[Audiophile_bg]

@WendyLP
I'm sorry, I didn't see your comment. So, I had the MRI, showed nothing unusual, but it spiked my tinnitus for about a week or so.

Hope both of you are doing ok.

How is your tinnitus now? Did it come down to baseline?