After 6 Years of Coping with Tinnitus, I Developed a Low-Pitched Humming — Caused by Stress?

Hi everyone.

I’ve had tinnitus for 6 years. At the start it was hellish but I somehow managed to cope. Eventually I got used to the noise and it fluctuated up and down.

Sadly I’ve gone back to square one and my anxiety levels are tripled. I’m not coping as I’ve developed a low-pitched humming along side my usual high pitched sound.

The scary thing is that tinnitus can clearly do what it wants. Adding whatever noises it wants into the mix. I was told it was caused by stress. I am indeed going through a terrible stressy time at the moment. I moved house and realised next year I may not be able to afford my mortgage due to the interest rates going up and up. It’s left me a in a state. I feel like I’m despairing again :-(

The old sound is louder. The new sound I’ve had a month. It’s really upsetting me. I am so scared I’m stuck with it and more noises will add to it.

I don’t know how I’ll cope if I’m honest.

 

Did anything trigger it that you can recall?

 

Does the humming stop if you cover your affected ear with your hand?

 

There's an interesting thread of people (including myself) that have the exact same thing.

I guess, like with all of us, the humming stops when people talk to you or when you put your finger in your ear?

I know it sounds crazy right now, but trust me, you WILL be able to cope. It will take a while, for sure, but you are not alone - many people have it (check the thread here).

 

Hi Vicki,

Although you have no idea what originally caused your tinnitus, something is usually responsible for its onset. The most common cause is exposure to loud noise and typically, it's listening to audio through headphones at too high a volume. This includes earbuds, headsets, AirPods, noise cancelling and bone conduction headphones. Other types of loud noise exposure can cause it too.

Since 2016, you have had tinnitus and managed to habituate and get on with your life. This is splendid news. When tinnitus increases after a long habituation period like yours, and after ruling out an underlying medical condition and stress as the cause for the increase, the most likely reason is exposure to loud noise or regularly using any type of headphones as mentioned above, even at low volume.

It is probably a good idea to make an appointment to be seen at ENT, so tests can be carried out on your auditory system to check everything is working as it should. If exposure to loud sound or headphone use is responsible for the increase in the tinnitus, please click on the link below and read my post: Can I Habituate to Variable Tinnitus?

Hope you start to feel better soon,

Michael.

Can I Habituate to Variable Tinnitus? | Tinnitus Talk Support Forum

 

I have it too in my right ear. It’ll get louder if I tap on the affected ear.

 

@Michael Leigh, I haven’t listened to loud music or had any exposure to noise.

i can fully assure you of that. I never do, because I’m paranoid about loud music etc. i wear earplugs when I cut my grass. Trust me, I haven’t been exposed to loud noise.

Currently sat up in bed upset despairing. I can’t cope with it. I don’t know what I’m going to do. It’s worse this time.

The humming doesn’t stop when I plug my ears. I wish it did - I’d put earplugs in.

I can’t believe after 6 years of managing it, I am back to the cornered animal scared and vulnerable all over again.

The low-level hum started 4 weeks ago. I had my usual high pitch tones but they settled and would go quieter when I wasn’t stressed. I barely took notice because I knew I could sleep with the other noise.

Now I have this hum, it’s like a loud vibration hum and if I pop my ears, it’s worse. I’m a stressed nervous wreck but that’s what I was like before the new tinnitus started. I was a coiled spring worried sick about my new house and interest rates on mortgages. It was on my mind and making me feel sick and nervous. Then I heard the hum and latched onto worrying and it got louder and louder.

I don’t know how I will cope. I’m honestly not sure I can do this all over again. I barely scraped through last time. I was a mess and it was a dark time of my life. Here I am again, worse.

 

That is good @VickiD.

Do you ever listen to audio through headphones, earbuds, AirPods even at low volume?

Since you are aware of the risk of loud noise and wear earplugs, if you haven't been using any type of headphones, then the increase in your tinnitus is probably not related to sound. I think you should make an appointment to be seen at ENT, then get a referral to an audiologist that specialises in tinnitus management.

Take care, and I hope you start to feel better soon.

Michael

 

No, that's not how it works. None of us "low-hummers" are saved by earplugs. You really need to go check our low hum thread, lots of good information in it.

Most of us can stop the hum by putting our fingers in our ears, this is (probably) because of the noise the finger makes against the ear canal. Earplugs are "dead" objects, and don't make that noise.

That's also why I sleep on the inside of my arm while pinching my fingers, the pinching creates a tension in my tendons/muscles, producing a sound that's enough to (on most days at least) keep the humming at bay.

You certainly can. We have to. Make yourself and everyone around you proud that you can handle this.

Are you in the US or Europe?

 

I’m in the U.K.

I feel so flat. I’ve gone back to square one.

The low-frequency humming is low but then gets louder; it’s hideous and it is intrusive. It stresses me out to a point I feel sick. I didn’t sleep last night. Lay awake nervous and the noise louder to a point my head was exploding.

It isn’t earbuds or loud noise that has caused this. It’s stress or something else.

I hate when people assume it’s noise damage. Julian Cowan Hill seems to talk the most sense as noise damage is the cause for some but not for me and thousands of others.

 

Vicki, yes, you can do it again! Learn to control your stress. You're worrying about material things. STOP! As before, time is your strength.

I hate to ask but are you seeking therapy?

I have lived through many relapses and I'm still here. Hugs. Pray for better treatments or cure!

 

If you have been using any type of headphones @VickiD, including earbuds, AirPods or headsets, then I suspect any of these devices could be the cause for the increase in your tinnitus. This can happen even when listening to audio at low volume. I have corresponded with many people over the years, who have successfully habituated to tinnitus, then after a year or more their tinnitus has increased. In most of the cases, the cause is exposure to loud noise which doesn't apply to you, or the person has been listening to audio through some type headphones.

A forum member contacted me who had habituated to her tinnitus for 6 years like you. She returned to using headphones and kept the volume low. Within one week her tinnitus increased.

If the increase in your tinnitus is caused by using earbuds, give it time and the tinnitus should calm down. I advise you not to use them again.

Take care,
Michael

 

Hi @Ken219 - yes. Starting Cranial Sacral Therapy tomorrow. I’ve also had a session with Julian Cowan Hill.

Do you believe the new noises can go? And that the old ones can settle? I’m terrified of it getting worse.

:-(

 

Hi @VickiD, I've started out exactly like you with a high pitched sound that I got used to with time followed by a low hum that made my life hell when I first acquired it.

Initially, I thought there couldn't be anything worst than the dentist drill in my head but the low hum proved me wrong. Just like @Ben Winders, I can make the hum stop when I put a finger in my ear but since that isn't really a viable solution I was miserable for a long, long time.

It got to the point I decided I'd like to give a WNG a try and it made a huge difference to me. Finding a noise I could live with (I've got both noises is the same ear) was a big challenge because what helped with the hum would aggravate the drill... And learning to live with a noise on top of the noises I already had wasn't easy either. But it was worth it and made that horrible hum a lot more bearable.

I've since acquired a third noise in my good ear and hyperacusis in both ears as the cherry on top of the cake, but I've learned to live with all of these new challenges. What I'm meaning to say is, please don't give up. You've adapted once and with a little bit of time and patience you will hopefully adapt again.

All the best,
Leila

 

Moving house is an incredibly stressful experience - I never thought I would survive my last housemove - also the process of selling and buying was a nightmare. I think you are in a stress trap and may well be the cause of the new sounds increase etc and I do think you can get back to manageable levels.

Do you have a partner because obviously you need support?

Bear in mind that the government has made a huge mess of the UK financial scene - in a way it has been simmering for years as we have had artificially low interest rates.

But the point is you will find sympathetic mortgage lenders prepared to stretch terms - mortgage holidays etc as a way of helping borrowers cope. So relax about that - millions are in the same boat and there will be help as widespread repossessions will break the UK financial institutions and that can't be allowed to happen.

Good luck and I hope it gets better soon.

 

@VickiD, I find the work of Laurence McKenna very useful.

Anxiety, fear and reactivity create a vicious circle. Learning to pay less attention to the tinnitus, treating it as just another experience all help in creating a more benign mental/emotional environment. One needs to decouple the tinnitus from fear and anxiety, allow it to become a neutral event. Just observe it with no emotional reaction.

 

Hi Vicki,

First and foremost, you managed to get through this once before, you'll do it again.

Life has not been easy these past few years, and (for example) irrespective of what side of the pandemic politics one is on, the underlying stress and chronic uncertainty it's caused many people has been inordinate. Add to that in your own situation the stress of moving and mortgage payments etc, life can be a bit of a minefield right now.

In my own situation I know excessive volume exposure due to headphone use caused my already existing mild tinnitus to ramp up quite severely. Stress exacerbates it.

Aside from various things like sound therapy, twice now via NHS audiology I've been offered CBT. I'm an obstinate bugger, however, and refused it. That said, I do wonder whether a person in your situation, where volume is not the root cause of your tinnitus, may benefit from CBT at this point.

You've not mentioned whether you've approached the NHS but if I were in your situation right now I would speak with my GP and make efforts to get into audiology. It can be a difficult path to push through and in many respects I've found one almost has to tell the GP the treatment one wishes. But as I say, I do think CBT for tinnitus might be of some use to you at this point.

Good luck with it all.

 

Thanks for your responses - really appreciate it.

I was at breaking point last night and eventually fell asleep exhausted with it.

The house move wasn’t that bad. I moved 8 months ago to a lovely little house and I have been enjoying doing up the garden. I have been fairly relaxed and not phased about that. My mortgage is manageable at the moment and I expected it may rise £100 more and that’s okay if so.

But I’m surrounded by so much stress at the moment & I have felt like my stomach is in knots for weeks.

4 weeks ago, all this started. I was stressing about my house. I heard a low level humming. Ignored it for a few days - seemed to be there on and off and then I focused on it and panicked. After a week I realised it was getting worse - louder and back to square one. A place I didn’t ever want to go again! I thought I’d cope because I had last time but this time is worse. More sounds and louder.

Can these spikes and new sounds go back down to baseline level? Has anyone had that happen?

Sick of it. Therapies are so expensive. People charging £70-80 an hour to talk when I’m wondering how I’ll pay my mortgage! Bloody vicious cycle.

 

The spikes will calm and return to baseline if they are caused by stress @VickiD. Since you live in the UK, my advice is to talk to your GP and explain how you feel. You might be advised to take prescription medication to help reduce the stress, this would be my first option. Alternatively, you can try the herbal route, Kalms or St John's Wort. Kalms is available from chemists and supermarkets like Asda and Sainsbury's. St John's Wort can be bought online or from places like Holland & Barrett.

It is your choice whether you want to go for private treatment for tinnitus but I advise some caution here, because tinnitus is not usually a quick fix. It is something that takes time and private treatment can be very expensive.

You will get the best help and long-term aftercare for tinnitus under the NHS that no private treatment can match in the UK. Since you have had tinnitus for 6 years, my advice is to ask your GP to refer you to ENT. After tests your consultant will probably refer you to Audiology. There you are likely to see either an audiologist or hearing therapist that specialises in tinnitus management. Treatment can vary depending on which hospital you attend.

Michael

 

Hi @Michael Leigh, thank you for your comprehensive response.

I have spoken to Julian Cowan Hill but as lovely as he is, he charges a lot and you said it before about it not being a quick fix. Stress takes time to reduce.

I did get a good deal on Cranial Sacral Therapy and had a session this morning which has relaxed me. To me, that’s a huge step because I’ve felt like a coiled spring for over a month - literally at breaking point.

I will make an appointment with my GP but the last time I went down the NHS route - they basically said there was nothing they could do! Which as we know is simply not true.

For those of us who have no hearing damage - we share something in common, stress and anxiety. The auditory system is closely linked to tinnitus and I know when I’m less anxious the volume comes down. But lately a new noise occurred and it’s terrifying to think it won’t go or get worse. It’s bad enough so it leaves a cycle of worry and fear.

It’s horrible not feeling in control

 

Hi @VickiD.

I am pleased that you found a therapy session with Julian Cowan Hill helpful. YouTube have plenty of deep relaxation videos that come with narration and are free to download, some are specifically geared towards treating tinnitus. If you can spare 20 to 30 minutes 4 times a week, I think you'll find them helpful.

Please do not be deterred by anyone in or outside the NHS who tells you nothing can be done to help tinnitus patients because this simply isn't true. Granted, help does vary between hospital trusts, however, if you are prepared to travel, it is your right to be referred to a hospital that is willing to treat you. I have been an out-patient for 26 years under the NHS and continue to have very good treatment.

When you see your GP for your appointment, explain how you have been feeling and mention that you have had tinnitus for 6 years. Since you have moved to a new area your doctor may not be well informed about your tinnitus and may need to refer to your medical notes. Your doctor may advise medication to help you with stress, this is something I advise you to consider. I have covered the benefits of medication for tinnitus in many of my posts on my started threads, please read them. Tinnitus can make stress worse, and stress makes tinnitus worse, it can become a vicious cycle, so stress needs to be managed. There are various ways this can be achieved.

During the consultation with your GP, wait for the appropriate time and say the following words exactly as I write them: Doctor, I would like to make a request to be referred to ENT. If you wish you can explain that you have habituated to tinnitus for 6 years, but the recent increase that has lasted for over a month, is out of character and is making you very concerned etc. Try to keep calm and listen to what your doctor has to say.

The doctor might suggest taking medication first and see how you get on. Whether you wish to take medication is your choice. Leave the surgery and give it a week. If the tinnitus is still causing you problems, return to your GP and make another request to be referred to ENT. Keep making appointments and if necessary, write a letter to your doctor requesting a referral to ENT. I don't think it will come to that. Please try and keep as calm as possible, this is very important.

Best of luck, and take care,
Michael

 

Avoid any of these charlatans who charge copious amounts of money for nonsense quackery advice.

At the moment, taking it easy and time are the only things that can help you. So just keep in mind that your tinnitus will eventually stabilize or reduce with time. You mentioned that you mow the lawn with ear plugs - this isn't sufficient protection. Some lawn mowers can get over 100 dB. You should have heavy duty ear muffs like Peltor X5A for stuff like that.

I actually don't recommend that you do any loud things like that for the time being, whether or not you Believe your tinnitus is noise induced (better safe than sorry), until your tinnitus settles, and it will. Also check yourself for any treatable co-factors like TMJ, etc. I recommend a consultation with Kjetil from MSK neurology. It can be pricey, but he's the best specialist in physical causes of tinnitus in the world. Money well spent. Much better than "buzzy charge craniosacral therapy" quackery nonsense than Julian Cowan Hill offers. Stay safe, give yourself time and take it easy.

Cheers

 

At breaking point. Not slept.

I can’t believe I’m here again, only this time worse. Louder tinnitus and unable to get any rest bite.

I can’t go on like this

 

Please give yourself time. If you are not spiking daily or don't have severely reactive tinnitus you will be fine. In the meantime try some approved by Tinnitus Talk remedies for anxiety.

 

I agree, CBT or even Mindfulness-based CBT.

• Here is a free online course: https://palousemindfulness.com/

• Dr Jennifer Gans, who used to post in the Doctor's Corner on Tinnitus Talk, also has a paid course geared toward tinnitus: https://mindfultinnitusrelief.com/about-the-program.html

 

Absolutely agree there. In the 90s I remember an hour of counselling or massage costing £25. OK, we have had inflation. But most therapists are charging up to £100 an hour. I am glad to say I have given them 0 of my money and hope I never will.

 

I’m having multiple tones and a loud hiss over the top. It’s unbearable. It’s loud and intrusive. I’m a wreck because I can’t sleep and settle.

 

What you are dealing with is normal. Stress and anxiety are a part of life, how it is dealt with is different for many people. The thing is this, tinnitus thrives off stress and it can annoy it. As someone that has been around the block (close to 35 years), I can say this, try to deal with it in a natural manner (if possible).

Tinnitus is such a delicate condition, that many things can annoy it. Stress & anxiety in my opinion are just as bad as noise trauma.

All in all, trying to deal with stress in a natural way is how I deal with things.

Adding even a new element into the mix, can possibly annoy the tinnitus.

For me it's been about adapting, accepting, and just moving forward.

As I say in all my posts, each day can be a "small" win for us.

 

Why are you suffering like this when you could go and get a short course of Clonazepam or other benzodiazepines to calm you and allow you to sleep? Go to A&E if necessary.

 

Hi. I have an appointment tomorrow to ask for that.

I also may ask for Mirtazapine as it helped me before. It’s called Remeron in the United States I think.

I have a lot of stress around me at the moment, and I’m a mess with this noise which has gone exactly back to how it used to be with multiple tones and louder. But there’s new tones added to the mix. I am not convinced I can get back to being okay again.