Several different sounds, headaches. Advice?

Hello everyone. I'm a 34 year old female and I've had ringing in my left ear as long as I can remember. It wasnt a biggie since I couldn't remember what it was like before it. But over the course of the past 5 years (give or take) its changed dramatically. Its now a constant 3 toned ringing in my left ear with occasional intrusion of a very loud, sustained tone that halts me in my tracks, wincing, every time. This was isolated in my left ear exclusively until my headaches became more complex and painful. I have chronic daily headaches, meaning there isn't one second of headache free living for me, then I get migraines a few times a month on top of them. Now I not only hear ringing in the left, but a sonogram-like heartbeat in my right ear. Both are usually isolated to their own ear although on occasion I will hear the beat(r) in the ringing(l) ear. And a few days ago I noticed that sometimes I can quiet the heartbeat sound a little if I press just behind my earlobe at the upper jawline, unsure if that would be Eustacian tube related or the vein/nerve bundle in that area, but it's freaky.

So I was curious if this is something I should be more concerned about because it seemed like it worsened in concert with the headaches, or if this seems more like a "normal" chronic tinnitus progression with aging. I don't take any medication aside from the very occasional asprin because I don't metabolize medication normally (ultra-rapid) and often have paradoxical reactions, so I stay away from most medication and have since I was a teenager. Ideally, I'm looking to find a way to help myself without medication, if it's even possible.

I'm just a little perplexed and trying to connect the dots myself. Constant headaches and base of skull neckaches, loud and sometimes painful tinnitus, and other seemingly unrelated symptoms have me more worried over the years by the fact that they are changing progressively, and not for the better.

Any advice/suggestions welcome.
-K

 

If you haven't already, then you should see:

1) A neurologist + MRI
2) A chiropractor
3) Depending on the outcome of the above, you should possibly also see an ENT

 

Maybe you can also try acupuncture?

 

Nytes
I echo @attheedgeofscience; given your description of the symptoms, it is definitely worth having an MRI (or whatever required study) to take a look. Meanwhile...

Prayers!

Mark

 

Hi! Im having much of the same symptoms as you.

Tinnitus that comes and goes in both ears, sometimes a ring, somtomes a hiss, daily headaches, also that "base of the skull headache", a sensation of a tight upper jaw and something that can remind of sinus pressure. I also have some weird "tick" sound now and then that seems to originate from the back of my head and around my sinuses.

I have taken MRI and CT (of my head)
Seen 4 neurologists
2 ENTs
Countless doctors
Seen a chiro
Been to a physio

So far they have found that there is a negative density in my left occipital condyle, probably caused by a lipom.

Im heading to a specialized ear lab in one month to have some extensive testing.

I will also have imaging done for my entire back to have a look at the discs and my jaw joints within a few weeks.

Ill let you know if Im able to figure something out.

Also, please keep us updated if you are able to figure out the cause of your symptoms as well.

Best wishes

 

You might want to read about muscle trigger points and their relation to T. Here's one good video that instructs you to massage yourself. There are also threads here about T and trigger points. Neck and posture could also be an issue, for example if one has a forward head posture. (There's a thread of mine about that here as well)

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