Clicking Sound With White Noise

[Job]

Hello,

I have only posted once in these types of forums before, and that was when I first got T back in 2009. Well, a speaker went off pretty loud near my head just recently and has increased my T. It has been increased for the past 5 weeks. I am despairing that my T, which I worked so hard to maintain (avoided many social events), is now so much worse; whereas my previous T could be easily masked (did I habituate??) this one is more difficult. I think there is just one new sound ... Anyways, I'm sure I will get over the T ... keeping my fingers crossed that it will die down or I will habituate soon.

The bigger problem is something I am hesitant to call T. When I listen to white noise, I hear a clinking sound. When I turn off the white noise, the clinking goes away, immediately. This also happens in my car when the AC is going, or when I'm running the fan or driving the car. It is just barely there; I initially wasn't sure if the sound was coming from the AC or from my ear/head. Thankfully, I had learned to deal with my previous T to the point I could sleep without sound; most days recently I have been able to sleep in silence without the clinking sound with my new louder T.

I have been reading some of the posts here, and I saw someone mention otoacoustic emissions. Not sure if this is what you would call an "evoked" otoacoustic emission, since it only makes itself know in the presence of white noise. And it doesn't matter how loud the white noise is, I can hear it. When the white noise goes away, the clinking also goes away. Someone named Karl posted about this yesterday, I believe.

Also, I still feel pain in my right ear from the loud speaker sound. A day's worth of sounds seems to bring some pain (barely, and just for a second or two at a time, usually). Also, I tried listening to a fan last night for the entire night and my ear ended up hurting. Any advice on this front would also be appreciated.

I have one prescription on my side, Pentoxifylline. Any suggested modifications? I saw one guy write about Pentox + piracetam + other stuff.

Anyways, I am going to the ENT on Friday. Any advice on what I should say to him/ask him? Encouraging words are also welcome. I am most set on taking care of the clinking noise, since it does not seem like T ....

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.

 

[Job]

Also, I would like to say that it is **kind of** like a clinking sound. I guess sometimes it is more like a wavering high-frequency sound that goes away whenever the white noise is removed.

I am really torn on HBO therapy btw. I heard it could make things worse.

 

[Karen]

Hi, Job, and welcome!
I can relate to how you feel, regarding your earlier tinnitus that you had habituated to, as compared to your more recent T experience. That's what happened to me, too. I had tinnitus for 20-some years, from a loud sound, that I had gotten used to. Then, in 2010, my tinnitus suddenly became much worse after I took an ototoxic drug.

I'm sorry you're still having pain in your ear from 5 weeks ago. The pain will probably go away eventually, but I know it is very troubling right now. I remember having some ear pain right at first, too, and it did go away. How I wish the tinnitus had gone away, as well!

I remember reading @Karl's post, too, about otoacoustic emissions. Perhaps he can comment on this, and offer you some assistance on your clinking sound. (If you put an @ sign before the person's name, it will flag this post to his attention). Best wishes, caring, and support.

P.S.--- I like your kitty avatar!

 

[Job]

Hi Karen,

Thanks for responding! I will go back and edit the post so that I include the @ sign. Thanks also for the kind words. As for the kitty avatar, I like kittens, and I feel a little better after looking at them. It was either the kitten or Michelangelo ... Michelangelo looked far too depressed, so I chose the kitten.

 

[Job]

Hello,

I have been reading some of the posts here, and I saw someone mention otoacoustic emissions. Not sure if this is what you would call an "evoked" otoacoustic emission, since it only makes itself know in the presence of white noise. And it doesn't matter how loud the white noise is, I can hear it. When the white noise goes away, the clinking also goes away. Someone named Karl posted about this yesterday, I believe.

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.

Hm, I can't go back and edit so ... @Karl. Sorry if the manner in which I am going about this annoys anyone ....

 

[Job]

Wow, now I think I have pulsatile tinnitus in my left ear after getting a haircut. Let's see if it's still there in the morning. Before, I thought that God hates me. Now, I know he hates me.

 

[Karen]

Hi, again, Job,
It's good that you're going back to the ENT on Friday. Make a list of all the questions you want to ask him; I hope you get some good answers.

Do you have pulsatile tinnitus after getting a haircut? Well, I guess it's possible, but it also could just be that your ear is reacting to the sounds that were going on around you at your hairstylist's. Tinnitus can do strange things; sometimes it can mimic other sounds for awhile after you hear them.

Please post again after you see the ENT to let us know what you find out!

 

[Petloy]

Hi Job, the pulsatile T may be you having a slight? hyperacusis? I hope your T goes down soon, does your pulsatile T have rhythm? Or it could also be Myclonus, does it sound like a clicking or thumping sound?

 

[Job]

What happened was the barber turned on his clippers next to my ear and I know they were not adjusted properly, so they were unusually loud. I have been to this place many times before, and so I was not expecting this at all. Very loud. It is not hyperacusis, although I do think my threshold is even lower now.

I was in my car (this is where it is most noticeable) and the tinnitus that was induced by the clippers is a pure tone that goes Wee Wee, and then dies back down. I'm hoping it stays down. When I woke this morning it was pretty quiet in my left ear ... none of that Wee Wee sound. But with the sounds of the day, it has come back. I would say it is purely reactive.

When the clippers were next to my ear, I could feel my ear drum flutter. It fluttered hard, too. Also a feeling of fullness and maybe I lost some higher frequencies, but I got a hearing test and everything is "normal" up to 8 kHZ (20 db loss at 8 kHz in both ears, everything else is 15 db or less ... I need a 12kHz test, dammit!).

Also, in the event that I'm not getting enough blood to my ears, I've been bending over for a second or two and then "squeezing" so as to try and force blood into my head. I hear a whooshing sound in my right that goes away in a couple of seconds and something like wind in my left. Is this a good or bad idea?

 

[Job]

Also, for whoever is reading this: For the past four years, I thought there was only white, pink and brown noise. I recently found out about violet noise and like it a lot more. Not as harsh.

 

[Karen]

Hi, Job,
Well, we "whooshers" have a steady heartbeat sound that is caused by turbulent blood flow in/near the eardrum. From my experience, bending over seems to make that sound worse. I'm not sure forcing blood into your head is the best idea. Now, there are supplements, such as vinpocetine and, for some people, gingko biloba, that increase blood flow to the head. You could consider trying one of those supplements to get that same effect, in a more managed way.

 

[Petloy]

Hey Job, when I bend down there would be times I can hear crackling sounds as well, but if your Pulsatile T occurs only after bending down I think that is good news. I know how clippers can be loud, As for me I wear foam plugs going to the barber. I think you have just a temporary trauma, that fluttering sound could be your stapedial muscles reacting to the loud noise, I sure hope all will go back down for you. Keep us updated!

 

[Job]

So the doc didn't say anything about the clinking noise; said it is probably just more tinnitus.

He had the nurse take some blood to do some tests.

He also gave me a prescription for clonazepam. I know this drug has not been good to some on here, but I need some relief. I don't know how else I'll get through the next 3 weeks of my job (teacher). Hopefully with the summer break I'll have time to rest my ears, destress, and things will get better. If things don't get better, I'll probably quit my job by the end of July. Good idea or bad idea?

 

[Hudson]

I wouldn't quit your job. The best way to deal with tinnitus is to stay busy and carry on with life as normal, and your brain will adjust to it. Quitting your job will just mean that you'll have more time on your hands to worry about your tinnitus and make the cycle worse. Look into some support groups in your area, find something to stay busy man.

 

[Job]

Thanks for the response, Hudson. I've also thought about that; if I left my job now, would I just spiral into nothing, constantly worrying about my tinnitus? I'm not aware of any support groups ... there are some ATA support groups, but that would mean I'd have to go into Los Angeles, I think ... the stress of getting in and out of LA is almost as bad as the T ... btw, if anyone thinks I should go get some care at House Ear Clinic, think again. Went there four years ago, was told to live with it after being given prednisone and niacin.