Low Rumbling/Frequency Tinnitus — Possible to Habituate?

[annevinth]

Hi everyone

I have had a deep rumbling/motor noise sound in my left ear accompanied with some hyperacusis for 8 months now. I came after a dural puncture from a birth epidural. A blood patch first alleviated the tinnitus along with headache for three months. Then one morning I woke up with this again and it has been there ever since. I am still in a diagnosis process, doctors trying to figure out if I still have a spinal leak or maybe a perilymph fistula (although not dizzy) from the puncture. But I have not gotten any better since 8 months ago. I am really struggling to live with this. Feeling so distressed, depressed and down. I feel like it is literally impossible to habituated to this sound/feeling. I got some high frequency tones in my ears after a second blood patch, and although in the beginning I was down about this, after just a few weeks they don't really bother me. But it is completely different with this low rumble/vibration feeling in the ear. It acts very differently from the high frequency; it stops whenever I talk or people talk to me or other sound impressions - I feel like this makes it very difficult to just ignore because it just goes on/off all the time. Also I found out that long car rides can eliminate the sound or makes it much quieter for a day or two. And I have actually been driving every other day to keep it at bay.

But i just really need some success stories from people with similar tinnitus sound, who has gotten adapted/habituated. I feel this is a very different and much different tinnitus than the "regular" high pitched noises. And it is now because I want to underestimate how terrible ringing tinnitus can be, I just feel like there isn't much information about this kind of weird low frequency tinnitus which seems to act a bit different than the other.

So please, if you have gotten any tips, success stories or just info about this thing i would really appreciate it.

 

[Samantha R]

Hi everyone

I have had a deep rumbling/motor noise sound in my left ear accompanied with some hyperacusis for 8 months now. I came after a dural puncture from a birth epidural. A blood patch first alleviated the tinnitus along with headache for three months. Then one morning I woke up with this again and it has been there ever since. I am still in a diagnosis process, doctors trying to figure out if I still have a spinal leak or maybe a perilymph fistula (although not dizzy) from the puncture. But I have not gotten any better since 8 months ago. I am really struggling to live with this. Feeling so distressed, depressed and down. I feel like it is literally impossible to habituated to this sound/feeling. I got some high frequency tones in my ears after a second blood patch, and although in the beginning I was down about this, after just a few weeks they don't really bother me. But it is completely different with this low rumble/vibration feeling in the ear. It acts very differently from the high frequency; it stops whenever I talk or people talk to me or other sound impressions - I feel like this makes it very difficult to just ignore because it just goes on/off all the time. Also I found out that long car rides can eliminate the sound or makes it much quieter for a day or two. And I have actually been driving every other day to keep it at bay.

But i just really need some success stories from people with similar tinnitus sound, who has gotten adapted/habituated. I feel this is a very different and much different tinnitus than the "regular" high pitched noises. And it is now because I want to underestimate how terrible ringing tinnitus can be, I just feel like there isn't much information about this kind of weird low frequency tinnitus which seems to act a bit different than the other.

So please, if you have gotten any tips, success stories or just info about this thing i would really appreciate it.

Hi,
I'm so very sorry to hear of your struggle.
I am experiencing the same sensation as you. I believe it's the inner ear muscles in spasm.
Mine started up due to what appears to be an accumulation of fluid in my middle ear.
In desperation to stop this sensation (I find the vibration worse than the noise), I took 30mg of Oxazepam and the sensation stopped and remains stopped this morning.
Whilst if it starts up again, Oxazepam is not a long term solution, there may be muscle relaxants that you could try, and worst case, I believe surgery can be performed to cut the muscles.
How are you these days?

 

[Samantha R]

Edit: I meant to say 'middle ear muscles in spasm', sorry, not the inner ear.

 

[Rinz]

How is it going with the both of you now? Did it get better or were you able to cope?