Cyclical Low-Frequency Tinnitus + Hyperacusis After Viral Infections — Anyone Else?

[UkTelfordGuy]

Hi everyone,

I've been dealing with a frustrating and confusing pattern of ear and tinnitus symptoms for about 8 months now, and I'm hoping to find others who might relate or have found some answers.

It all started after a series of viral infections last year — including what felt like lingering ear fluid and sinus congestion. Since then, I've been stuck in a repeating cycle that goes like this:

1. It starts with a low-pitched tinnitus that sounds like Morse code or random blips — often at night or in silence.
2. That turns into a low, constant hum (kind of like an idling engine or distant subwoofer).
3. Then it builds up into this loud, deep jet-engine-like humming that lasts for days and messes with my concentration and sleep. It triggers anxiety almost subconsciously — like my nervous system is on edge even when I try to stay calm.
4. After a few days, the hum fades. But then I'm left with really sensitive ears, like mild hyperacusis or sound distortion. Normal sounds feel sharper or more irritating than usual.
5. Then I get a few days of near-normal hearing — almost like nothing ever happened.
6. And just when I think it's over, the cycle restarts.

This has been repeating for months. I've seen an audiologist (normal hearing), ENT (they mentioned some fluid but nothing conclusive), and I've tried decongestants, nasal sprays, and even sound therapy using ocean/white noise through hearing aids.

I also get neck and shoulder tension, sometimes a weird adrenaline-type rush in the back of my neck after a bad phase, and I wonder if this could also be related to nervous system imbalance or Eustachian tube dysfunction.

I'd love to know:

• Has anyone else experienced this exact cycle?
• Was your tinnitus caused or worsened by a virus?
• Did it eventually stabilize or go away?
• Any success with vagus nerve stimulation or physical therapy?

I'm trying to stay hopeful, but the cyclical nature of this makes it hard. Any shared stories or advice would be hugely appreciated.

Thanks for reading.

 

[AverageJoe12]

Can you try an antiviral like Valtrex? It might be worth a try to see if it helps keep these symptoms under control. Supplements like Zinc and Lysine are also options to consider. Latent viral infections could be contributing to some of our ear symptoms—Meniere's disease is believed to be linked to that, for example.

 

[UkTelfordGuy]

Going in and out of anxiety during this cycle is the hardest part.

 

[grepfold]

Hi, you are the first person I have come across who has described "Morse code" or random blips — which is exactly what I experience too, on top of an older, constant high-pitched whistle. When I search online, I only find references to pulsatile or fluctuating tinnitus, which are quite different. There does not seem to be a specific name for this random pattern over a single tone.

The tone in my left ear either appeared or became constant (rather than occasional) after my last COVID vaccination. The other tone began during a bout of muscle and neck pain.

 

[UkTelfordGuy]

I have seen three ENTs, had a cervical MRI, and visited a gastroenterologist. Just yesterday, after a long wait, I finally saw a neurologist.

And still, I have no clear answers—only that my sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems have essentially switched. So now, fight-or-flight has become my normal state instead of rest-and-digest.

I was prescribed 10 mg of Amitriptyline for three months and told to just wait and see.

I still experience this cyclical pattern, and it's frustrating. But it feels like my brain is slowly starting to understand that I am not actually in danger, if that makes sense.

 

[grepfold]

That's interesting. I have a different condition that I initially thought was unrelated, where functions that should be controlled by the parasympathetic system seem to be handled by the sympathetic system—or the other way around. I've wondered about vagus nerve involvement, although the vagus nerve affects so many systems that it's easy to blame without clear evidence.

It's good that you were eventually able to see a neurologist. I've been told I cannot see one through the NHS or get a cervical MRI. Then again, fortunately, my symptoms are mostly mild.

 

[Nes]

I don't know if it's exactly the same, but I also experience a cyclic low tone in my right ear only. I would describe it as sounding like Morse code, but more similar to pipe noises. For me, it often turns into a constant hum by the end of the day or at night. It usually takes a few weeks or even months to fade, but I also notice slightly improved hearing when it is not present.

I have TMJ, and I believe the issue is either related to my jaw or my Eustachian tube.

My tinnitus was caused by both noise trauma and a virus that occurred at the same time.

It does go away, but the duration varies. Sometimes it lasts just a week, other times it takes up to three months. Right now, I have been hearing it for one or two months, though I don't remember exactly when it started again.

Physical therapy helped somewhat, but techniques aimed at calming the nervous system did not. That is why I am fairly certain it is caused by something physical, likely related to my jaw or Eustachian tube.

 

[grepfold]

It sounds the same, @Nes. In my case, it resembles Morse code in the sense that it follows a patterned tone. It's also similar to pipe noises—soft, like blowing across the top of a small bottle in irregular bursts. Unlike Morse code, which turns on and off abruptly at a constant volume, this has a slightly more gradual onset and decay.

It can also sync with very quiet real sounds of any pitch, as if those external noises are causing some kind of resonance. However, the sounds still occur randomly in silence. Louder sounds don't seem to trigger the tone, although I suspect they simply mask it.

At night, in silence, I can make the tone sync with a small sound like a breath. When I stop after a few seconds, the tone seems to stop too—but only for a moment.

This mostly applies to the lower tone I hear in my left ear, which is around 440 Hz (the A above middle C). I also have a higher tone in my right ear, which varies more quickly and doesn't sync with external sounds. Thankfully, neither is very loud, and I'm mostly aware of them only in silence at night.

I read somewhere that pulsatile tinnitus is often linked to neck and muscle issues, and I suspect this type may be related as well. I have a tight trapezius muscle that sometimes causes neck pain. I haven't had any success getting my GP or ENT department to acknowledge a connection, but I'm fortunate that it doesn't cause me significant problems.