Is This Tinnitus? It's Intermittent and Stops When I Swallow, Breathe In and Shake My Head

[Kriszti]

Hello Everyone!

My name is Kriszti, I'm 31 and I'm from Eastern Europe. Here is my tinnitus (?) story an I have some questions at the end.

In 2016, my left ear rang for 2 weeks, went to audiology, ended up with an Eustach tube problem, but the ringing stopped. At the beginning of 2017, it made an appearance again for a couple of days, but stopped again.

My problem is that I've been having a low frequency ringing in my left ear yet again for about a week now. It sounds a bit like if I had a washing machine operating in my head. I didn't have any noise trauma, it seems to be derivating from nothing. Probably anxiety could cause this, because I've been struggling with university and my life for a long time. I even considered going to a psychologist before this condition found me. In August, I had all kinds of problems with my ear: both were stuffy and leaking fluids.

My problem and what differentiates this ringing from the previous ones is that for 1,5 and later for 1 day it stopped, than came back. It's currently ringing again which makes sleeping close to impossible for me. Also what I don't understand, that it stops, when I take a long, deep breath with my mouth open, or swallow and while I'm shaking my head. It stops if I cover my ear hard enough creating like a vacuum, or when I put my finger in it pressing really hard. Interestingly it also stops when I press my finger into my other ear!

My question is: could it be from an Eustachian Tube problem? I'm not very good at anatomy, but I recall that's what responsible balancing pressure in the ears. My ENT didn't say this, but he was not very thorough examining my ears.

I'm extremely anxious that this will last forever.

Thank you for any answers, and sorry for my English, I'm not a native speaker.

 

[Backpacker]

Vibrating tinnitus, low hum, drone, whatever it's called is not so common (like high pitched, for example) but there are more and more people on this forum with it. For some people it comes and goes. Don't stress yourself about it too much, but even if you do, don't worry, anxiety will not make it louder, vibrating tinnitus is enigma of its own.

it stops, when I take a long, deep breath with my mouth open, or swallow and while I'm shaking my head. It stops if I cover my ear hard enough creating like a vacuum, or when I put my finger in it pressing really hard. Interestingly it also stops when I press my finger into my other ear!

I know exactly what you mean. Fun fact: it also kind of goes away for some time after a longer bus ride. I know because I have had several tones, and listening to "only" tonal tinnitus from my left ear without vibration in my right is such a relief it almost feels like silence.

 

[Earing]

Ear infection? Impacted wax? Blocked eustachian tubes?

 

[Kriszti]

Thank you, Bacpacker. What I really don't understand is what makes it go away for a day and then come back? First I thought it was because I went to a shopping mall, and it may have triggered it, but yesterday I was trying to study all day quietly and bamm by the evening it came back. Yes, it's vibrating as hell, and I'm miserable. I still have hope that it maybe because of my Eustachian Tube and will go away, but less and less. Sleepless nights don't make it easier as probably all of you here know.

@Earing, I really don't know, I went to an ENT, I suppose he would have seen if those were the issues. I feel it's stuffy and seems a bit wet, but I guess that could be normal. I don't want to get my hopes up. Maybe, habituating would be a bit easier if I didn't have those days, when it seems alright, then this evil vibrating, humming noise comes back.