Could My Low Humming Tinnitus Noise Be Related to Stress from Parents Dying?

Hello. I have recently started getting what I can describe as a low humming noise in my left ear, sometimes it is loud, other times quieter, but always there. My hearing has not been as good in my left ear for a couple of years but 5 weeks ago the humming began and has not stopped.

I was wondering if this could be related to severe stress?

My Mum died in March and my Dad died in April. I work for the NHS and am struggling during the whole coronavirus outbreak. My husband and 2 of my sons have chronic asthma and I am constantly on edge.

At night I hardly sleep as the humming is there constantly. I find myself worrying about strokes and brain tumours at my 3am moments.

I spoke to my GP but she is not referring anyone at the moment to audiology.

Thanks.

 

Thank you Kriszti for your reply. Sometimes it sounds like vibration, sometimes constant hum and other times intermittent hum, quite a deep sounding hum. I had one day last week when I thought it was quieter than usual but it was back to normal volume the next day. I do sometimes feel it is a little quieter when I put my finger in my ear but other times it isn't. It seems the more I tune in to it the worse it gets. Neither of my parents had Covid it was sudden death for both and such a shock. I have had health anxiety issues in the past but this is a new symptom for me.

 

Hi Lily - I’m very sorry to read of the loss of your parents so recently. The NHS is in the UK right? It’s staggering the loss of lives to COVID-19 in the northern hemisphere. I can only imagine the stress you are under working amongst it.

Living with tinnitus is hard - the low hum could be from stress - I reckon it will subside in time. There are often temporary variations with this condition.

 

Lily 04
I do think that grief and stress or trauma can cause or exacerbate tinnitus.

 

Hi Lily. I wanted to reach out to you. I am sorry for your loss, firstly. Secondly as an NHS worker I cannot really begin to understand the stress you are under.

After my mother died I was suicidal, and that's when I got tinnitus. I believe my tinnitus was connected with very poor sleep and a bad cold.
My advice is to get massage. It helps me now bear the tinnitus.

I have some benzos for really bad nights. I take melatonin.
Your condition may be vestibular, to do with the neck and blood flow. It's worth getting checked out, head, neck jaw issues. but in the end, depression and lack of sleep can cause tinnitus.
Your parents must have been and family must be extremely proud of you at this taxing time of Covid.
When you get tinnitus at first you think ' well, I can bear this' but when it becomes louder it is very challenging. Try to prevent this through sleep.
At night I visualise myself in a forest so that my T is more visualised as part of a natural environment.
Sometimes this works. Take care please.