Eardrum Vibration? Tensor Tympani Myoclonus?

[Rachel Murray]

This is the thread that changed my life - I was getting to my limit of psychological strength, I couldn't understand why my T was different from everybody else and then I read this thread, googled TTTS and all my symptoms were there right in front of me. I confess I cried of emotion. Seven months of trying to understand this vibration that doctors kept saying it was T and I knew it wasn't because I have 3 different sounds of T and could notice the difference and suddenly everything is so clear now!
My TTTS is very strong and annoying but now I know what it is and have faith one day it will vanish!
I am finally in peace.
THANK YOU!

 

[Eric N]

Just thought I would post another update as I am going through a very hard time with this vibrating tinnitus right now.

The vibration is only in my left ear and on a few occasions it has gone 100% but usually never more than a week, also sometimes it's gone when I wake up but it comes back at the end of the day. Right now though I have not had a good day for 3 weeks and the buzzing is very strong.

I don't think this is Tensor Tympani Myoclonus because it can be masked, if this was a real vibration masking sounds would not cover it up right? Unfortunately I have to turn the masking sound sometimes up to 55 db just go cover it up.

Another symptom I notice is that it is reactive to touch, for example if touch anywhere on or near my outer ear it causes the vibration to spike significantly but the spike is gone as soon as I stop, bending my head forward also causes a spike. Is this possibly a pinched never? how could you test for this?

I just hope it settles down again I am not sure who to go see anymore, I have seen a few ENTS and a neurologist and they don't seem to know what is going on.

 

[Constable85]

Does it sound like light sabers? I've got a vwoom, vwoom sound in my left ear too. It came on during a cold and has decided to stay. Driving me batty!!!!

 

[praiser]

I'm glad I found this page. I believe my hearing is just super sensitive. I noticed this after my neck surgery. Levels c3-c6 (at the base of my skull). I told the surgeon about it but he had never heard about this occurring after surgery of he dismissed it. I wondered if it has to do with the nerves in the upper spinal column??? I do tend to notice it more when I'm laying in my recliner or bed. Maybe because there is something close to the ear like the pillow or back of the chair. It is very annoying!!! Sound louder than Star trek's ambient engine noise. I think it's neighbors vehicles or those going down our road. Because it comes and goes. I do not have any hearing problems. I sing in church 2x a week and this doesn't affect that at all! I've always had excellent hearing. Is there any explanation for this???

also putting my hands in front of my ears make no difference. It doesn't get louder or softer.

sometimes though..if I move my head, or twist/turn my neck, it stops....but then is it the vehicle I believe I'm hearing is now out of range? Uug!

 

[Jess123]

Hi Eric, how's your ear now? I read somewhere that this condition is related with anxiety. I have the same which started 2 weeks ago. Once you stop associating negative emotions to these vibrating sensations, they go away like magic. I'm hoping the same for myself.

 

[DinaS]

Hi all. I've had pulsatile T since 2011. Had TTS last year around this time and the surgery to section the stapedial and tensor tympani tendons in my left ear (in March 2015). I have on and off again issues in my right ear. I really don't want to have surgery on the other ear too. My case is definitely stress/anxiety related and like some here, I don't want to be on medication long term (clonazepam). I have found some success taking magnesium supplements.

I am curious if any of the previous folks on here could provide an update.

 

[Nowhearthis]

Dina, my neurotologist suggest I have surgery to remedy my MEM. I have severe thumping in both ears..madness! My biggest fear is the post-op tinnitus driving me further insane. And the worry it may never subside or go away...more stress...

How was it for you?

 

[dlbecker217]

I am dealing with this for the last few days and it's AWFUL. It's like a "vroooom, vrooom, vrooom" sounds. Just like you described, a car idle. I just recovered from a head cold and I'm wondering if it made my previous tinnitus worse. I'm praying its temporary. It almost makes it feel like my brain is vibrating. At first it was only at night, lying down, now it's started in the evening and randomly throughout the day. It's freaking me out.

 

[Ladymate45]

I think mine is from a dairy allergy. I know it sounds strange but it only occurs when I drink milk or eat plain nonfat yogurt. Hope this helps.

 

[Sueloe]

I have a couple of sounds in my ears/head, and one of them are vibrations in my left ear. I went to 3 different ENT's where I live, but no one could help. Then I found a post, where someone went to an ear surgeon, and I asked to get sent to one too.

He said that my stapedius muscle is vbrating constantly, and I am now waiting for an operation. Can't wait to get this vibrating sensation away from my life, very hard to concentrate most of the time while hearing this 24 hours a day...

 

[Diversion]

I'm glad to have found this thread as it's the only thing that is similar to what i'm experiencing.. Although I don't get any thumping/spasm sounds when i'm not hearing anything.. Certain frequencies or types of sounds cause my left ear muscle to contract/swoosh sound.. I found that I when I have my headphones plugged into my cell phone and begin to type on the iPhone keyboard, the keyboard sound really makes my left ear make a quick swoosh/contracting type sound.. I also hear my heartbeat in my left ear quite often. It's not every day.. I have my good days and my bad days.. Today is a bad day and typically it starts out bad in the morning after waking up and my sensitivity to sounds in my left ear get better as the day goes on.. Then repeats itself all over again the next day. I've had three ENT visits and they think I have ETD (Eustachian Tube Dysfuction) and I believe they are right about that as well because I can't fully if ever "clear" out my left ear when holding my nose and blowing gently.. My right ear can be cleared very easily. I do think for me, that the ETD enhances or is the direct cause to my ear muscle being overly sensitive.. I've taken nasal steroids and they don't do anything for me.

The strange thing is I had this back in October occur to me, (even worse than it is now) and then I got a pretty bad sinus infection in November which affected my ears but it actually made this "problem" go away for about 6 months and now i'm dealing with it all over and it really just stresses me out all day and upsets me.

It makes me sad knowing there's no definitive fix/cure for this.

 

[Vaba]

My right ear (which has perfect hearing but bad T) has crazy tensor tympani syndrome.

Every time I'm exposed to certain common noises, my eardrum retracts, making a FWUP or THUMP sound. Happens in any environment with a normal noise level.

Nowhere near as problematic as my other symptoms. Even though it would bother other people, it's fun to play with, because I can control it. At least I can escape it when it's quiet...

Of course, doctors can do about as much for this problem as they can for idiopathic T.

 

[Diversion]

My right ear (which has perfect hearing but bad T) has crazy tensor tympani syndrome.

Every time I'm exposed to certain common noises, my eardrum retracts, making a FWUP or THUMP sound. Happens in any environment with a normal noise level.

Nowhere near as problematic as my other symptoms. Even though it would bother other people, it's fun to play with. At least I can escape it when it's quiet...

Of course, doctors can do about as much for this problem as they can for idiopathic T.

Yep same here, turns out if i'm in a loud environment, everything is fixed/normal for me.. no issues.. Almost like the ear re-adjusts whats considered to be loud and it doesn't trigger a thump sound. I read about re-training your ear so that it doesn't react harshly against "normal sound levels".

 

[Vaba]

Yep same here, turns out if i'm in a loud environment, everything is fixed/normal for me.. no issues.. Almost like the ear re-adjusts whats considered to be loud and it doesn't trigger a thump sound. I read about re-training your ear so that it doesn't react harshly against "normal sound levels".

I'm not worried about it. It's sometimes amusing. It doesn't happen if the environment is consistently loud. It only happens with loud impulse sounds, like clattering coins, slamming doors, or shrieking children. Interestingly, it only happens in one ear. The ear that is on the numb side of my face never thumps. It's only one sided... which is the concerning part for me.

My real problems are the fact that I have serious T with miniscule amounts of hearing loss (not even in the "slight" range) and half of my face is numb.

 

[Diversion]

I swear by my Bose noise cancelling headphones.. They are a lifesaver in the office when people make abrupt clanking sounds or type in obnoxious ways that make my ear blow up.. I'm in IT and typing sounds are killing me (and that's no bueno cause even my typing can trigger it on bad days).

 

[volsung37]

I have a vroom vroom humming sound in my right ear. Came on 4 months after my left side 'ordinary' T. Been there for 2 months now. Annoying at night when it sometimes changes to a throb in beat with my pulse. Thought it might have something to do with taking largish doses of anti histamine to sleep. My MRI showed a very minor T2 signal in the right mastoid air cells which normally represent non-specific inflammatory change or ETD. Anyone have experience of this?

 

[Surfgoth]

My tinnitus has always manifested as the standard "ringing in the ears", but is not always noticeable. Lately I'm noticing the low frequency vibration/hum in my right ear only...this is a new thing. I don't like it. I came here looking for answers, and I saw this post about the Star Trek Ambient Noise. So as I'm sitting here in a silent room, with the vibration/hum in my ear...and I start this Trek Noise and it's INSTANTLY gone. I hit 'stop' and the hum in my right ear is there again. WOW. Just...wow.

So...NOW what do I do?!

Update, I still have this problem strangely though once in a blue moon it will go away, the longest its been gone was 1 week and this has only happened twice.

So at this point I am still left wondering if this is a very low pitch tinnitus or actually vibrations.
This track masks it almost 100% so I am have it on 24/7.

 

[Maureen777]

@Eric N Hello there. I know this is quite an old post of yours, but do you still have the "motorboat" sound? I've had it for a couple of months now, and I wonder if it ever goes away?

 

[Eric N]

@Eric N Hello there. I know this is quite an old post of yours, but do you still have the "motorboat" sound? I've had it for a couple of months now, and I wonder if it ever goes away?

Yes it is still here, changes in intensity but always there to some degree. It can go away for a few days once in blue moon but it always comes back

 

[Maureen777]

Yes it is still here, changes in intensity but always there to some degree. It can go away for a few days once in blue moon but it always comes back

Okay, thanks. Sigh. Oh well, I guess it's something we just have to learn to live with. I play that Star Trek ambient video sometimes that you suggested, and that helps a bit.

 

[iAzra]

A week ago my right ears started with this vibrations. I had T and H for around 6 years but this is something completely new cause I can FEEL it as well as hear it. What I have noticed that it likes the sound. So it stops when sound is present. I have tried the Star Trek track but only got some relief at very loud setting, how loud do you listen to it? Does it mean that my roaring vibrating T is that loud?!

Did anyone get this to go away? T and H devastated a lot of my life but this frightens me even more. I could protect from noise with plugs but now there isn't much to do to escape the FEELING of it in my right ear.

Also a question - did you have any construction work near you prior this onset? I have had low vibrating truck passing few days next to my window since they were building a road in front of my flat so really near. It was never more than 70 dB but it was vibrating low sounds. As I understand, it could mean that they were actually higher than 70, but low freqs sound need more power to be heard at all?

I was also under a stress a few days back, that didn't help too I guess..

I am devasted by this new issue

 

[Maureen777]

I first got this loud vibrating noise a few days after I had my ears syringed. My tinnitus got louder too. (About 3 months ago). The vibrating noise was so loud, and I got really scared, so I went to the emergency department at the hospital. I guess they didn't think it was that urgent, because I still hadn't been seen by a doctor after 6 hours. It was 7am and I had been awake for almost 24 hours, so I went home. I couldn't believe that the sound went away though, as soon as I got home, so I was able to sleep a bit. But of course the sound came back later. What helped sometimes was that as soon as I walked into the kitchen and the fridge was on, I couldn't hear the sound! And I would turn the fan on in my bedroom and that would drown out the sound a bit. Anyway, fast forward 3 months, and I'm happy to say that the vibrating sound is still there, but not nearly as loud as it was before. Sometimes if I have a loud day though (noisy bus, skytrain, and overall traffic noise), it seems to make it worse.

 

[Saraazar]

I first got this loud vibrating noise a few days after I had my ears syringed. My tinnitus got louder too. (About 3 months ago). The vibrating noise was so loud, and I got really scared, so I went to the emergency department at the hospital. I guess they didn't think it was that urgent, because I still hadn't been seen by a doctor after 6 hours. It was 7am and I had been awake for almost 24 hours, so I went home. I couldn't believe that the sound went away though, as soon as I got home, so I was able to sleep a bit. But of course the sound came back later. What helped sometimes was that as soon as I walked into the kitchen and the fridge was on, I couldn't hear the sound! And I would turn the fan on in my bedroom and that would drown out the sound a bit. Anyway, fast forward 3 months, and I'm happy to say that the vibrating sound is still there, but not nearly as loud as it was before. Sometimes if I have a loud day though (noisy bus, skytrain, and overall traffic noise), it seems to make it worse.

Yes it is still here, changes in intensity but always there to some degree. It can go away for a few days once in blue moon but it always comes back

I have this vibration feeling in my ears constant, never goes away except when I'm in deep sleep.. any suggestions? I've had T for two month caused my medication

 

[Maureen777]

I have this vibration feeling in my ears constant, never goes away except when I'm in deep sleep.. any suggestions? I've had T for two month caused my medication

Sorry, I don't really know what to suggest. It's a constant battle for me as well. I have figured out that stress seems to make it worse, though.

 

[shasta0863]

Sorry, I don't really know what to suggest. It's a constant battle for me as well. I have figured out that stress seems to make it worse, though.

Did the ear syringe cause any pressure do you think in the ear?

Since mine came back after using a new earplug that seals on the outer ear (while part of it is in the ear), and I pressed in a lot trying to mold it, creating a lot of negative pressure I think in the ear, I wonder if there's a common theme.

Do you have any soreness in ear/or tightness associated with this? ETD/Sinusitis issues?

You mentioned before the low rumble, is it usually constant? Or does it change all the time, sometimes barely noticing it or a few pulses to the extreme where it's a continuous vibrating vroooooooooooooooooooooom and feels more intense too until it calms down?

 

[Saraazar]

Did the ear syringe cause any pressure do you think in the ear?

Since mine came back after using a new earplug that seals on the outer ear (while part of it is in the ear), and I pressed in a lot trying to mold it, creating a lot of negative pressure I think in the ear, I wonder if there's a common theme.

Do you have any soreness in ear/or tightness associated with this? ETD/Sinusitis issues?

You mentioned before the low rumble, is it usually constant? Or does it change all the time, sometimes barely noticing it or a few pulses to the extreme where it's a continuous vibrating vroooooooooooooooooooooom and feels more intense too until it calms down?

For me the vrooooooom feeling continues until I sleep then it is better but start again once I wake up.

 

[Saraazar]

This is the thread that changed my life - I was getting to my limit of psychological strength, I couldn't understand why my T was different from everybody else and then I read this thread, googled TTTS and all my symptoms were there right in front of me. I confess I cried of emotion. Seven months of trying to understand this vibration that doctors kept saying it was T and I knew it wasn't because I have 3 different sounds of T and could notice the difference and suddenly everything is so clear now!
My TTTS is very strong and annoying but now I know what it is and have faith one day it will vanish!
I am finally in peace.
THANK YOU!

@Rachel Murray how's is your TTTS, did it get resolved? I have a similar condition as you and do need your help. Please respond, would appreciate it

 

[Azakare]

I had this happen to me very rarely in my right ear since 2 years ago and only when I was lying in bed. A low vibration sound (that I could also feel) inside the ear, as if I was involuntarily rumbling it.

6 months ago, after a severe bout of dysacusis (followed by T and H) in my right ear has made the rumbling now become the norm in my daily life. I'm at least happy the high pitched noises and noise-induced pain have become almost non-existant, even if it took practically half a year.

Somewhat similar to Eric's case it has its good days where it's not present. However 95% of the time it comes back a few minutes after I relax and lay in bed and then takes ages to stop, which I find really weird.

It also stops for half a second when I turn my head from side to side. Definitely muscle/nerve related. Took Cyclobenzaprine as prescribed by ENT, but it didn't help as much as I hoped.
Didn't wish to risk any surgeries, so I'm trying to just live with it in the meanwhile...