I Got Low Hum Tinnitus for Christmas...

Hello everyone!

In the middle of December, I came down with an upper respiratory infection. My ears got all clogged. On the 23rd, a low humming sound started. I went to an urgent care center to confirm see if I had an infection. As t turned out my ears were not infected, but just filled with fluid. Over the past 2 weeks, the full feeling has diminished, but the hum has remained.

I've read other posts here, and it seems like some of you also have low humming tinnitus that started with a cold, and hung around long term.

Right now, it is in my right ear. It goes away if I sleep on my right ear, but usually comes back in an hour or two. It stops humming when I talk or hum, or if someone standing close to me talks or hums. It also stops for a split second when I quickly move my head to the right. I'm hoping there's still some fluid in there that's causing this, and it will resolve itself.

Thankfully, I only really notice it at home or other quiet places and I'm able to sleep with the help of a white noise machine. I'm scared that it will get worse.

If it goes on for another week, I will probably see my primary care dr and possibly get a referral to an ENT to rule out anything more serious.

Did any of you have a low hum after a cold for longer than two weeks that resolved on its own?

Thanks!

 

Hi KeyLime,

Welcome to the site.

I would definitely go see an ENT as soon as possible so that he or she can see what is going on. Good luck!

 

Welcome to the forum. It seems your T is somatic in nature. Hopefully when the root cause of the tinnitus is found, your T which is quite mild can fade away. If the ringing bothers you when things are quiet such as sleep time, masking it with some sounds or music will help.

 

KeyLime, your T sounds exactly like mine, except mine is in my left ear. I got an upper respiratory infection in late December and at the end of the month a continuous low tone (a tone around the "E" below middle C on the piano) began and shows no signs of stopping. Sometimes it fills my head like a buzzing beehize. I've always been sensitive to sound in that ear, so it makes sense, in a way...

White noise (like office air systems or a car engine) sometimes quell it to the point where I barely notice it, so I consider myself lucky. An urgent care doctor didn't see anything amiss after taking a quick look, so I too am planning to make an ENT appointment after my insurance kicks in next month.

When I try to fall asleep, I do what I do with annoying car alarms - I imagine music to build around the tone, and am able to fall asleep. I try to think of the buzzing, constant tone as a blanket rather than an iron sheet. I have gone through periods of despair this week, but this life is short and I refuse to let this condition define or deflate me.

You're not alone!

 

Buzztone, that's exactly it! I was out all morning and didn't notice it all...for which I'm thankful! Hopefully it's just a lingering side effect of the virus and it clears for both of us soon!