Screeching and Whistling Caused by Fans and Car Tires

[Stanlex]

Everytime a car passes by I hear a whistling sound. The same sound that I also hear when a fan is running. I also hear some high pitched sounds from computers and so on.

Now. What the hell is this? I noticed these things just after I got a massive tinnitus increase.

I'm 95% sure I didn't experience noise trauma. The tinnitus and these other effects started a day after I used headphones for few hours, on 35 dB (lowest volume), 7 weeks ago. I know that C-spine can cause tinnitus, but I don't know about sound distortion.

Is it a form of hyperacusis that I am oversensitive to certain frequencies and the brain plays them on a higher volume than they really are? Or what? It drives me crazy.

What is the prognosis with this? Will it eventually fade after a few months? It hasn't moved a bit since onset.

I don't feel I have pain from hearing. Just that the sounds are distorted. I got to the point where I don't know if a particular sound is real or just an effect of distortion.

 

[Zach777]

I have this as well every since my hearing issues started 3 weeks ago. Amongst many other symptoms I too have a whistling sound caused by certain sounds. For me it's mostly fans, car engines, and faucets that will trigger the whistle. Once those things are turned off then the whistle stops. My guess is that something in my auditory system or within the inner ear has been damaged from something and so it creates different tinnitus tones based on certain frequencies coming into the ear. That's my guess anyway, I am thinking it will heal overtime.

 

[TheHonoredOne]

I get the same whistling distorted sound when I am in the car and it's driving on a road. The road and wind noise makes that weird sound.

 

[Tau]

Same here, whistles and beeps. I think it's hyperacusis combined with recruitment. Has not healed in 3 months, in fact, it's only got worse after exposure to noise (MRI, restaurants, 30 dB headphones for work).

 

[Stanlex]

Update.

It is still there. Not sure if it got better.

The thing is that I probably know the cause. Apart from tinnitus and this I have massive bilateral ear pain that is most likely due to a TMJ disorder. The pain started when my tinnitus started, but got worse and worse over the months, however my ears are completely fine and no infections are inside. Most likely there is some TMJ imflammation that affects the eardrum, therefore the sound alteration. I guess that it has also something to do with the tinnitus.

I started to wear a TMJ splint only three weeks ago, and the plan is to wear it for 6 months. I am very hopeful it will help with that.

 

[Tau]

Based on what you are experiencing, I think it's inner ear damage (inner hair cells or synapses). Noise damage is cumulative, it's how I got my first distortions, similar to yours (beeps/whistles/hums over broadband sound).

 

[Stanlex]

Based on what you are experiencing, I think it's inner ear damage (inner hair cells or synapses). Noise damage is cumulative, it's how I got my first distortions, similar to yours (beeps/whistles/hums over broadband sound).

I have never survived any noise damage. This is most likely not my cause.

 

[Tau]

I have never survived any noise damage. This is most likely not my cause.

Well, something caused it. I have literally the same symptoms, and then some. For me it's nerve damage in the cochlea from noise.

Other people have speculated that the COVID-19 vaccines may cause sensitivity to sound, so then you can get noise damage from lower exposure. I'm unsure myself, I think we need more data.

 

[Matchbox]

I have never survived any noise damage. This is most likely not my cause.

Cyclobenzaprine and a basic anti-inflammatory would quickly tell you if this is your problem.

You need a 3d x-ray at an orthodontist to rule TMJ out for sure.

 

[Stanlex]

Well, something caused it. I have literally the same symptoms, and then some. For me it's nerve damage in the cochlea from noise.

Other people have speculated that the COVID-19 vaccines may cause sensitivity to sound, so then you can get noise damage from lower exposure. I'm unsure myself, I think we need more data.

I am not vaccinated, never contracted COVID-19 and my problems started when I was locked at home for 9 months, without using headphones or other loud things. I have also never been to any concert before that and that's all basically.