Strange Tinnitus

[Amanda Stedman]

Who here experiences tinnitus that reacts to the noises around them? I have had very mild tinnitus in both ears for a couple of months (high pitch, low volume, which I had mostly habituated to), but in the past few days my left ear is reacting to certain frequencies (especially electronic ones) around me. It is lower in pitch, and intermittent. Seems to be trying to match certain electronic frequencies around me.

Who can tell me about this? Or relate? It's frustrating because the noises that usually mask my "normal" tinnitus now set this new development off. It's not super loud, but definitely noticeable!

Side note, I went to the salon to get my hair done last Thursday (this started Friday) and during my wash some water trickled into my ear. I have TMJ so my Eustachian tubes do not function 100% and I'm wondering if this could be the cause. I had to take my 7 month old son to the doctor this weekend and asked her if she would go ahead and look in the effected ear and she noticed some fluid, but clear fluid. Thoughts, anyone?

 

[Aaron44126]

I had this on and off for two weeks. My tinnitus is normally high-pitched, it started as ringing and became more of a soft ring or hiss. But for a while I was experiencing lower frequency tones that were reactive to the environment around me. Laptop fans often set it off... I would hear a tone in addition to the fan sound, and if the fan increased or decreased in speed, the tone that I was hearing would increase or decrease in frequency accordingly.

After several days, this went away and I was left with just the hiss again... It has gotten better as my ETD has begun to resolve, barely noticeable at this point.

 

[alleycat]

Hi @Aaron44126

What have you done for your ETD to start to resolve? Would appreciate any suggestions as I have TMJ that's clogging up my ETD on my right side especially

 

[threefirefour]

Hi @Aaron44126

What have you done for your ETD to start to resolve? Would appreciate any suggestions as I have TMJ that's clogging up my ETD on my right side especially

Wait, that can happen? That would explain why both my ETD and TMJ are worse on my right.

 

[alleycat]

@threefirefour

Yeah, my ENT took a look at my MRI and CT scans and my misaligned jobs is a) pushing on my middle ear causing the nerves to act up, and b) causing my Eustachian tubes to get clogged which is why my ear feels full. So I've been on Sudafed since Saturday now, to try to get the fullness feeling gone. and my ENT asked me to go back after a week if the Sudafed doesn't work

 

[threefirefour]

@threefirefour

Yeah, my ENT took a look at my MRI and CT scans and my misaligned jobs is a) pushing on my middle ear causing the nerves to act up, and b) causing my Eustachian tubes to get clogged which is why my ear feels full. So I've been on Sudafed since Saturday now, to try to get the fullness feeling gone. and my ENT asked me to go back after a week if the Sudafed doesn't work

Wow good luck. I think I might have the same damn issue...

 

[Aaron44126]

Mine is the result of infection, not TMJ, so I believe that it will self-resolve over time. I've read stories of it taking months for people. Mine has been getting better very slowly since hitting the worst part in mid/late August. I was on Flonase for about two months but stopped taking it recently after it was causing other issues (dry eyes). I also took Sudafed for a few days in early October, that really helped clear out the clogged ear feeling (but at this point I am pretty sure that my Eustachian tube had begun to open mostly normally). I can tell that something is still off in there, it feels strange and if I move my jaw in a certain way I can hear and feel "cracking". But it's definitely better than it was at this time a month ago so I will just keep waiting...

If you have TMJ, have you been to see a dentist or oral surgeon? I don't think full out jaw surgery would be necessary, but a mouth guard type thing to wear at night could help correct your jaw alignment enough to allow your ET to get back into shape.

 

[alleycat]

Hi @Aaron44126

Yes I've been wearing a repositioning mouth splint for two months now, im also going to acupuncture for my TMJ/ringing. It's the clogged up ear feeling that's bothering me right now, I've been on Sudafed since last Saturday but unfortunately it has not helped much, right ear is still clogged. I'm going to see my ENT about this again next Tuesday. So hopefully she has another solution for my clogged ear feeling