Hearing a Low-Frequency Base Hum in Multiple Houses — In Some Places I Don't Hear It

Hi, quick introduction, I'm from Bristol, UK. 29. And specifically remember the first day I got "tinnitus". It was the 1/1/2020. There was nothing unique about the night before or the day.

TL.DR at bottom.

I still don't know if you can call it tinnitus because after trying to get a GP appointment in February, I got a phone call instead to refer me to an ENT specialist in the hospital. I was put on a waiting list and finally given an appointment for 19th June, 2020.

Due to COVID-19 I was contacted by the hospital to be told my referral was postponed and they will ring me to rebook... Sometime mid next year. I have pestered the referrals and basically hit a brick wall everytime. So I haven't seen anyone as of yet apart from an occupational health nurse at work who said my ears looked in good health and my hearing test was very good with a range of - 8 to - 2 dB across my hearing range.

Now to the tinnitus. I have heard a low frequency hum (around 80-90 Hz). I have heard this in my girlfriend's flat, my girlfriends parents house, my new house and in a hotel.

It used to be pulsatile when we lived in the flat. Like a car engine idling outside down the street. Now in the new house it has changed into a continuous drone.

There are seemingly random times I don't hear it (I ran a bath the other day and it was completely silent). I don't hear it at work in a very quiet office. Yet as I pull up to my house and turn the engine off it instantly starts.

Due to hearing it basically everywhere I've been the common denominator is me, however I can't ever 100% believe it's in my head and not something out there that only I can hear. The amount of times I've walked around the house and pressed my ears up to the walls to listen.

My tinnitus is also completely covered by noise. For example, if I play music I can't hear it. If I watch a film I won't hear it unless it's very quiet in the film.

I also have TMJ, I have been grinding my teeth at night for years and my jaw clicks audibly to people everytime i open my mouth.

My tinnitus is predominantly in my left ear (same side that clicks). To be honest, I can't rule out that it's only in my left ear.

The tinnitus is such a low drone and makes sleeping terrible even after 8 months. It really is impossible to get away from it and sometimes feels like it's actually emanating from my own skull, it's that loud.

I've tried many different sound therapies. I've also read a book on dealing with it that didn't help.
I have turnt off the electrics main breaker and drained down the water system in the house to see if it stopped the noise but no bueno.

Onto my feelings through this I have gone from having panic attacks every night when I would try to sleep and hear it to being consistently and severely depressed. In all honesty the only way out would be to off myself and finally get some quiet. It has been very hard on my partner as well and has taken over my whole life affecting my work as well.

TL;DR

I have low frequency base hum in multiple houses etc and have been waiting to see someone for 8 months. Very low mood and haven't found any coping methods or anything that even helps yet.

 

Manifestations of a low-frequency sound of unknown origin perceived worldwide, also known as "the Hum" or the "Taos Hum"

 

It would be interesting to know if the population experienced low-drone "tinnitus" en masse from the start of this year! My experience is virtually the same as yours!