Concerned About Unusually Long (Up to 45 Minutes) Fleeting Tinnitus Episodes

F24 — Hi everyone, I’ve dealt with chronic Eustachian Tube Dysfunction since the summer of 2020. Since that time, sometimes I get the sensation of fullness and ringing in my ears as well.

There is a particular scenario I am quite concerned about, however, that is the reason for this question — I understand what fleeting tinnitus is, but what is it when you get fleeting tinnitus for ~20-45 minutes; this has now happened 3x since the summer of 2020, and it’s really disconcerting when it does.

The most recent episode was today where I was listening to music with only right AirPod in, song ended and took it out, left/opposite ear was screaming. It took 40 or so minutes to slowly dissipate. I totally freaked out and I’m still really upset about this.

I have an ENT appt next week for something else but I’m gonna bring it up then too. Hearing tests have all been normal in the past.

Please, any insight? I’m really frazzled.

 

ETD can cause middle ear dysfunction and I think fleeting tinnitus can cause when the ear loses pressure, that's may be your case.

Fleeting tinnitus is very normal to be honest, see the following link:

Loud Tone for a Few Seconds — Fleeting / Transient Spontaneous Tinnitus

 

Yes, it happened to me twice.

It wasn't the usual "eeeee" sound but an extremely loud static, walkie talkie noise. Like I had a walkie talkie next to my ear.

It took 40-45 minutes to disappear.

One of the strangest and scariest experience I've had. I don't know what caused this.

 

I had/have fleeting tinnitus with all possible sounds someone can think of. Static, drone, eeeeeeeee, uhhhh, many more. It's not always a high pitched eeeeeeeee

 

The "classical" tinnitus IMO is that loud "eeeee" that fades away in 10-20 seconds.

 

I get these from time to time. I treat it as a warning sign to ease off on what I expose myself to.

It might be a good idea to take a break from the earphones for a while.

 

That’s scary. I’ve been really shaken up over it since it happened because I don’t know what causes it and I’m afraid of damage.

Do you have tensor tympani syndrome?

 

Thanks for your reply. I agree with your decision to ease up on what you’re doing but I wasn’t doing anything (I was listening to music in the opposite ear and I don’t listen loudly anyway) so I’m not sure how to avoid it from happening again. I’m really scared of permanent damage.

 

Earphones/headphones can cause all kinds of strange effects. You don't have to be listening in one ear for that ear to be affected. Tinnitus is generated by the brain, not by the ears themselves, so one theory says the brain may be trying to "level up" by increasing the ringing in the opposite ear to that which was receiving the external input. I experienced this same effect today as it happens whilst listening to speakers that were located to one side of me.

 

You’re now the third person to have suggested that, but I’ve never heard of it before. Is there a name for that phenomenon? Also, how long did it take for it to subside for you?

 

Hey man.

I had this many times and it slowly stopped doing it as frequently. It’s what triggered my fear of tinnitus and focus on it despite mostly being in total silence. So I understand your worry.

It took me months to find this out but finally I read some threads on here where quite a few people have had longer episodes like us and said not to worry. Sometimes it even leaves a lingering sound at 20% volume - but it’s always gone next time you to sleep and wake up. It’s different to a spike.

So for now I’d stop worrying about it. Mine were loud, mainly in one ear but occasionally went to the other ear a few rimes. This happened over about 7 months once a month. Sometimes waking me up in the morning which was horrifying. Every other time before and after that was about 20 seconds. I also remember it happening once 15 years ago. Going back to sleep makes it go instantly for me. Otherwise it can linger sometimes.

it’s always a new frequency which is an indicator of fleeting tinnitus and not a spike.

 

Thanks for your response Do you ever have fluttering in your ears? It’s called TTTS and I think I have it. I’m wondering if that’s what causes these longer episodes.

 

I don't think so.

 

Oh okay. Apparently it causes fluttering in the ears and I get that sometimes.

 

I have episodes of TTTS, usually when I've been exposed to prolonged loud noise. This can last for a couple of days, or a couple of weeks.

And the tinnitus tones in general, of which I have multiple tones, can shift and morph from hissing to screeching to pure tones, and they can even switch ears or appear to be in the middle of the head. It's weird when you think it's your "bad" ear that has the bad tinnitus sound, then you wake up one morning and that sound has shifted to the other ear. As I say it's just the brain trying to make sense of it all. I'm not good at putting these things in technical terms but I can go by what I've experienced, and from reading other posts on this forum it seems like this is just all part of the strange set of conditions we all share. Habituation is possible - after almost three years I barely give it a second thought, other than when there is an increase in symptoms which I take as a warning to be more careful.

 

Doesn’t seem related to me. I only get one click a month when changing pressure. Nobody knows why the longer episodes occur. If you’ve been around loud sounds maybe that could indicate something, otherwise it’s totally mysterious. Not worth worrying about based on what I’ve seen.

 

I have 2 missing otoacoustic emissions from my left ear (8 + 9 kHz); my right ear has them all intact. Audiogram/tympanogram all normal.

I also get these random bouts of long-ish fleeting tinnitus in my left ear that are extremely disconcerting (can last up to 45 minutes which is really scary for me).

Do you guys think this is related? Thanks in advance, as I get really anxious about these things.

 

This happened to me just the other night after I took an audiogram. It improved by the following morning, and was completely back to normal late that evening. My tone has never changed before. Scary stuff.

 

I have no idea if the two things are related. I do get TTTS and also had a prolonged fleeting tinnitus episode the other night. I think the best thing to do is just try relax when it happens. As scary as it is, we have no control over it.

The anxiety related to this condition is the worst.

 

Walkie talkie static sound?

 

The anxiety is the worst. I’m a shell of a human being because of health anxiety.

 

Yes, that hissing static with the crackle. It was extremely loud, much louder than my usual. I thought my tinnitus was very stable.

 

Wow. I freaked out when it happened. And I hear all kind of sounds, eeeee, morse code, whooshing, glass effect sound, screeching insect... but this was something else.

So clear, so loud and brutal...

 

It was crazy, for the first second I felt relief as it was nice to hear something different. Then the panic set in.

I find it weird that a sound I have heard constantly for 7 month just disappeared. How can that happen.

If you don’t mind me asking, how did you get your tinnitus? Also the whooshing, is it in time with your heartbeat? I have pulsatile tinnitus also.

 

Long story short, my tinnitus appeared for the first time 10 years ago. It took me 2 years to habituate and then I was ok for about 7-8 years.

One year ago, after some stressful events, it came back but this time worse.

You can find all the details in my thread, "I was habituated, nine years later..."

I do hear my heartbeat in my ears but only in a certain position and I think it's normal. It doesn't bother me.

Yes, it is strange for sounds to appear/disappear but tinnitus is very complex and unpredictable.

I haven't really figured out yet what is wrong with my ears.

 

I will read your thread. Always ‘nice’ to find people who share similar symptoms.

 

I’m feeling desperate here so any chance you guys may have any ideas @aura, @makeyourownluck or anyone else?

Basically I just get these random attacks of sudden (but quickly resolving) hearing loss and tinnitus (can be brief or last as long 45 minutes, which so far is the longest it’s lasted) and ear fullness (usually comes on afterward and lasts a few hours or days) and all of my tests are completely normal (audiogram, tympanogram, etc. although I am missing 2 otoacoustic emissions but not sure if it’s related and my doctor didn't seem to think so/or touch on it) and my doctor is apparently not at all concerned about it but I still am and my only two theories (after researching since June 2020) is a Tensor tympani muscle spasm or some sort of fluid imbalance (this is the part that scares me).

Also, I don’t get any dizziness or vertigo but I know with some types of hydrops that’s not necessary apparently.

Thanks in advance if anyone has ideas

 

I've had episodes of fleeting tinnitus last hours, despite as @aura correctly stated, fleeting tinnitus by it's very definition, (traditionally) being brief/momentary.

The best way I can describe it, is akin to the sensation one gets when travelling through a tunnel on a train, and feels the resulting pressure change in their ears.

Except in this case, the feeling hasn't gone away after a couple of minutes, and the tone of the tinnitus remains changed for an extended period of time. These occasions have been scary, as some of you have said, but to date, none of them have permanently affected me or worsened my condition.

I also agree with @Mister Muso. It's a good idea (if you can) to identify potential triggers and to try to avoid them for a while (once you've made the link).

For example, in my case I found that excessive exposure to (computer/laptop) fan noise and caffeine were increasing incidents of these events; so all my laptops are now fanless, and I vacate to a quieter location if it seems like my ears are becoming fatigued by any continuous fan-like noise.

Not going to comment any further on the caffeine, because I made a whole post about giving that up a couple of weeks ago, but then I had two large cups of that evil delicious White Tea just yesterday...

 

What a boneless dog you are @Damocles!

My experience is any type of thick hoodies aggravates the fleeting tinnitus episodes. Especially in rooms with fans or noises.

So everything is worth thinking about to avoid those happy times...

 

I’m confused what you want to know here? Fleeting tinnitus is almost always not an issue. You’re worrying about something that almost everyone has and that goes away.

You want some kind of answer that nobody has.

Fleeting tinnitus episodes can increase and decrease in quantity over given periods. As stated earlier in this thread you need to quell anxiety as this is almost always not considered an issue. Sounds like you’re just worrying to me.

If something changes permanently then that is when you investigate it.