Does It Mean Anything If My Tinnitus Stops When I Cough, Speak or Sniff?

My tinnitus started in February after a bad ear infection. It was really loud the first night, I was very sick, stayed that way for about a week, then gradually improved but leveled off at a constant low hum. Constant only at night which is frustrating... even if in the same house with nothing changing acoustically (i.e., it's quiet all the time). I get it during the day only sometimes.

I have noticed that it goes away when I am speaking, when someone is speaking to me, or if I cough or sniff my nose in or out with any force. The tinnitus does not resume immediately but more likely with a 1 to 2 second delay. It makes watching TV or having some conversations really annoying as the tinnitus starts and stops. I can't hear it over the other noises I just mentioned, and I don't even hear the tinnitus immediately when the noises stop. It takes about 1 to 2 seconds for me to hear it again.

Does any of this mean anything in terms of diagnosis or some type of tinnitus I may have?

My doctor still thinks this was caused by the ear infection and will go away as the ear heals. I'm so depressed and concerned about it.

Thank you.

 

It seems like it definitely is your sinuses, or something to do with your tubes being somewhat clogged up and the impulse of talking/sniffling/coughing jars it enough to unclog whatever is left in there. If you're experiencing silence when this happens, then maybe there is a chance it will go away like your doctor said. For now, it's best to just ride it out and let your sinuses clear.

Maybe you can do steaming? Or breathing in hot steam into your nose and exhaling out of your mouth to see if that helps with possibly speeding the process along IF it is stemmed from that issue.

 

Hey @RamblinMan ! I seem to have something similar in my right ear!

Mine started 2 months ago, I don't know what caused it. It just started suddenly. I went through the basic tests, I don't have hearing loss but quite severe problems with my TMJ and neck, also maybe something with ETs. I've also been quite stressed and anxious for a long time before it started so maybe this full body tension has to do something with it.

But anyway my T also starts and stops just like yours. Speaking, certain sounds, sometimes also head/jaw movements make it stop and then after 1 or 2 seconds the sound starts ringing again. The beeping is super annoying as it goes on and off in the background when e.g. somebody speaks to me or as I'm typing.

I have had moments of silence during these 2 months. So that when the ringing stops, it my stay away minutes or even hours. Maybe depending on how relaxed or tense my muscles are.

I also noticed that when I clean my ear with oily liquid and lay down so that the liquid is touching my eardrum, the sound decreases to a minimal level, so that I can't hear it anymore. I have no idea what that should mean

Not knowing what the heck is going in my ear is making me depressed and I didn't seem to find anyone with similar experiences until now... I would like to understand why the ear does that and if I can do something about it. I'm now waiting for my appointment for further examinations so now I just try to keep calm and enjoy life by doing things that make me happy.

I hope yours improves soon!! I have a feeling it will sooner or later.

- Ilona

 

@RamblinMan did you every get to the bottom of what caused your hum? Did it go?

 

There are other threads on this if you want to know more guys.

Some people have it go but we all have these on and off symptoms.