After Two Years of High-Pitched Tinnitus, a Sudden Onset of Additional New Lower Pitch Sound

Hi all,

I have a question about tinnitus and thought this would be the best place for it as I've been on the forum on a few occasions and everyone seems really helpful and knowledgeable about the subject.

My bilateral tinnitus first started back in September 2020. What caused it I don't know; my doctor, the health service and a private professional could never help me get to the bottom of it. After the first few months of hell and trying to find out what the cause was so I could try and fix it, I eventually gave up and learned to live with it. Thankfully, compared to some people on here, my case while distressing didn't seem too bad and since then it's slowly but surely got better. After nearly two years of fluctuations, good days and bad ones (a couple where it stopped completely), it had got to the stage where my daily live was normal again. Even though it hadn't gone away it had improved to where it didn't bother me anymore and I had no feelings at all towards it.

Fast forward to a couple of days ago and out the blue I've had a massive flare up but this time it's a bit different. Where my first experience with this was that it was a high pitch sound; this time it's the same high pitch and also a much lower pitch sound, almost like the buzzing of an air conditioning vent or something like that. It also now just affects my right ear and is accompanied by a pressure/feeling of fullness.

I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced anything similar where they've got to the stage of being nearly completely habituated to this now massive change and worsening with no apparent cause? I'm wondering if this is just tinnitus being tinnitus and throwing me a curve ball (which seems unlikely given my improvement) or if it's something else? Potentially an infection or earwax build up and due to my previous experience with tinnitus I might be being paranoid?

I appreciate that the real answer to this is probably go to the doctor and get it checked but to be honest I don't have much faith in my GP and don't know if going down the rabbit hole of trying to find a cause again is the best idea for my mental health.

Any advice or personal experience anyone could give/share would be appreciated.

 

Hey, a few of us have a low hum that comes and goes, aircon sounding is a good reference point. Under 100 Hz.

Sometimes it goes away for people, sometimes it doesn't. I've been doing lots of research when possible and still haven't come to a conclusion (as I take time off researching when it's not bothering me).

Although there are lots of signs it operates differently to normal high-pitch tinnitus i.e. cuts out when any noise is apparent and therefore possibly has another cause.

I wouldn't say wax or infection is the cause though. Interesting you got both flare ups at the same time.

Best advice would be to ignore it when you can and hope it goes away eventually. Often it does! for many its easier to live with than a high pitch.

Keep us updated with how you go or if you have any questions about others' experience with it.

 

Welcome to the forum. Sorry you are dealing with the new challenge of tinnitus. I have similar challenge. I have had a high pitched tinnitus on my right ear a while back but I gradually habituate to it. I even wrote a success story about the struggle. Then about 18 months ago, I suddenly lost my hearing on the left ear overnight resulting in a massive new humming and rumbling tinnitus, like a jet-engine exhaust. Bad hyperacusis plus many nasty symptoms followed. Needless to say there was some initial resistance to this new curve ball in life. But I remember the strategies I have learned from my first tinnitus so I try to flow with this new struggle without too much emotional upset. I am now at peace with my hearing loss and the two toned tinnitus and living my life still as normal as I can. I wrote another success story on my SSHL experience. You can check out my Success Stories for more details.

Don't panic nor despair. Things can get better. Best wishes. God bless.

 

I have similar symptoms as well - I had high pitched tinnitus start earlier in the year, followed shortly thereafter by a low frequency car idling / humming sound in one ear that is similar to what others describe on this forum. Oddly, being in louder environments seems to inhibit the hum for a period of time.

 

Since this happened so recently I would strongly suggest you speak to an ENT as soon as possible. Get in today if you can. You need a hearing test. This sudden onset of low pitched tinnitus on one side is highly suspicious and could indicate a sudden hearing loss.

This is usually treated with a course of steroids and if that does not resolve it often they will inject steroids into the ear drum into where they can be absorbed by the inner ear which is where I suspect the problem is.

You still have time. Do it now.

 

He already missed the window for steroid injections. Doing one now might just make it worse.

 

Hi all. I just joined Tinnitus Talk today. Thanks for posting information.

I have had tinnitus for over a decade due to exposure to loud music. I also have had the exact same issue with lower hum in right ear only, starting about 6 months ago.

Please provide any updates as to how things progress with your symptoms. Thanks.

 

Literature I read says you have up to 4 weeks. It depends on the severity but chances of it worsening are much smaller than the potential of it helping.