A Weird State of Low Humming Tinnitus Sound

A few months ago, I remember my tinnitus had suddenly become worse - I suffer from high pitched ringing noises usually, but this was more like a low pitched humming, or buzzing. It's especially loud and volatile, its almost like the noises I listen to don't really affect it any, which sucks. With the high pitched sounds, I've had to constantly use specific sounds to try and mask it, it's been bad.

With that low pitch noise, it's been way harder. I sometimes get scared to go to the kitchen and get a drink since the silence is like a chamber; a chamber that bellows and let's that hellish noise spread.

It went away after a few weeks, but this Thursday it happened to return. I was coming down with a sickness on Tuesday, just a sore throat. On Wednesday though I had felt absolutely abysmal, possibly the worst I have in ages. Despite this, the lower pitched tinnitus didn't return.

But on Thursday, I woke up, had some paracetamol... and it returned.
I deal with a lot of anxiety, I keep worrying that it won't go away. And frankly, it's awful in this state. But I dealt with something exactly like this before... it's probably just another temporary spike. I don't know if me being sick caused it or not, or my sinus system acting up... or whatever. I'm a bit scared at the moment, and I'm probably worrying myself. It'll go back down... it did before. Even though it took a few weeks.

Does anyone else experience this kind of sound or behaviour? I'm curious if it's actually more common than I know.

 

I get a lower pitch added when my ETD is playing up! Get some over the counter Sudafed and see if that helps ?

 

Sudafed? I've not heard of that one before... I suppose it can't hurt to. And I do wonder if this could be ETD related, considering I was sick when it began. I don't remember if I was ill when the first burst started though, but I know for a fact I did end up feeling ill during it!

 

Mine is almost like a precursor to being ill! What country are you from? Sorry I’m in the UK and Sudafed is really common here but it might be under a different brand name where you are

 

Oh! I am too! Sorry, I might have forgotten it is all! I dunno if I even have ETD though...

 

Does it stop when you talk, or when you plug your ears or cover your ears really, really tightly? Is it bilateral or unilateral?
I had the low, unilateral hum 3 times in my life, don't have the vaguest idea what caused it, probably stress. And after 1-3 weeks, it went away every time. Out of the blue, just as it started. I could make it stop with earplugs in or in any other aforementioned way. It was really, really awful though, and I had a thumping in my ear as well, so maybe it could be related to the tensor tympani muscle.

There is a thread for the low hum sound, so it's not that rare.

 

The noise doesn't stop when I talk no, and its in my head, as opposed to my ears .Not sure which one that makes it, sorry!

Will say, it is reassuring to hear that it went away every time, and the time frame does match up too... maybe it's just something from my body getting messed up, and it'll sort itself. =3=

It's pretty loud but had it been quieter, I'd likely be much less bothered since it beats a high pitched ringing. Unfortunately, it seems to be obnoxiously loud. I've had to put on earplugs to sleep, and sleeping on my sides isn't an option. If I sleep on my sides, then the noise gets louder since nothing is working to block it.

 

It also happens when I have some fluid trapped or a sinus infection! Sudafed over the counter stuff is good and only about £3.00

 

Ah, that's good to know! I'll keep it in mind... Soon I'll be seeing an ENT. And hopefully I'll get the help I need. I wish you the best of luck too!

 

Yea I get this sound and I actually feel it in a closed space, luckily It’s easily masked but is super loud in quiet areas.

 

I have same background tinnitus (my base tinnitus is high pitch ~11kHz).
It’s difficult to describe it clearly.
A mix between fluorescent lamp and electric transformer.