Intermittent Low Droning/Humming Tinnitus Sound

Hi everyone. I've frequently lurked Tinnitus Talk since I've developed tinnitus about four months ago hoping to find a good success story from someone with the same symptoms that I do. Unfortunately, it seems that my type of tinnitus is rare and information about it is very restricted for both sufferers and specialists. Here's the story of my journey so far...

It began one late evening while I was sitting in front of my PC watching YouTube videos like I always do and I started to hear something like a idling car engine or low vibration sound. At first, I thought it was the neighbours using some kind of machine next door(I live in an apartment building). So, I started to walk around my room trying to find the source of the sound from only to find out that it came from inside my head. The reason why I thought that at the time is because it would react every time I talked, moved my head, heard a sound. (It would stop completely and then pick back up again.)

Three sleepless days later, I had enough and decided to see my GP. The doctor checked both ears and noted that my left ear canal was quite red and deduced it was probably an infection. I got a prescription of antibiotics for 10 days (Ciprofloxacin) and got sent on my way home. Three days later, I noted no changes whatsoever so I called my doctor again stating the antibiotics didn't work. I stopped the current treatment and got a new prescription (Clarithromycin) again for 10 days. These didn't work either at stopping the sound but I least I took the full treatment. Went back 10 days later and the doctor referred me to an ENT and told me that tinnitus is the bane of both ENTs and audiologists and I would probably have to learn to live with it.

1 month later, I went to my ENT appointment and explained all the symptoms I had so far. With everything I said, the ENT told me it was probably Eustachian tube dysfunction since I had; an history of seasonal pollen allergies, left ear pressure and the drone/hum goes away after a hot shower (for a temporary relief). Got corticosteroid nasal spray prescribed along with both appointments for an hearing test and a laryngoscopy.

I passed the hearing test with flying colors (all within normal range with about 5% difference between left and right) so all I'm left with is the laryngoscopy which I will go to in about a month.

The takeaway?

First month was absolutely dreadful: extreme anxiety and stress and the drone was almost always constant and loud. Lots of tears and dark thoughts.

The second month got a bit better as I got back from vacation and went back to work (yeah, tinnitus onset was at the start of my 3 weeks summer vacation). The drone/hum was less constant now only showing up when waking up in the morning (which would fade away after my morning shower). Anxiety was still very high and started to have mild depression symptoms. Also, I started to feel lightheaded for a few hours every day. Could be a symptom of the damned anxiety.

Third month, the drone would show up only once a week during the morning. Anxiety and depression still pretty high but I decided to take action in order to deal with it (exercise, taking a walk, etc...). I started to fell a little bit better.

Now, on the 4th month. No real change except the last 2 and a half weeks where the drone didn't show up at all... until yesterday morning. I'm getting really frustrated by the random nature of it. I'm really trying to stay positive but I'm starting to lose hope.

Now, I would like to have your thoughts on this. Like, if you have any advice that helps you cope because I'm still pretty anxious and can't seem to take my mind off it.

Thanks.

 

Hi CykoJon, see my post in Introduce Yourself. My tinnitus 'sounds' like yours - low intermittent hum, for me sounds a bit like a foghorn. It took me three years to figure out that it was tinnitus because it only seemed to happen at home, which made me think it was something in my house or neighbourhood. Very frustrated that no one else could hear it!! I thought I was going crazy. Now that I know what it is and that it is not a health risk, I'm able to cope with it. I think exercising, taking walks, are really helpful. I know the randomness of the noise is a big issue - in a way if it were constant, it might be easier to adapt to it as a kind of white noise. Sometimes when it is bothering me, I put my headphones on and listen to some great dancing music -seems to help at least for a while. And I'm getting exercise too.

 

Check out the (couple of) low hum tinnitus threads that exist on Tinnitus Talk if you want to talk to other people that hear the same.

You also mention that your hearing test came out great. That is to be expected as those tests do not check frequencies lower than 250 Hz.

 

I've read your intro post and all I've got to say is I would love to have your mindset towards tinnitus. I'm still making an effort to take my mind off it with exercise and white noise. Maybe someday I'll reach your point where it won't bother me anymore or even better, it might go away. Can't lose hope.

 

Hey, so sorry you are suffering with this. I want to offer you some hope.

I first came down with tinnitus in January 2020 and wow, my life changed before I knew it. I saw about 4 different ENTs and they all said the same... ‘stress induced’.

Going through a lot at the moment and have been when the drone sound reared its ugly head. Infertility and about to embark on IVF is the main issue! We now have a start date for IVF and everything seems to be falling in to place. I have noticed that in the past couple of months my drone sound has diminished by 3/4’s. I don’t believe this sound is the standard tinnitus sound. I was able to stop it by blocking my ear and wearing earplugs.

I am not saying that everyone will be as lucky as me but it seems that in a lot of cases (no matter what the cause) tinnitus does seem to either reduce in loudness or go away entirely. Please hold on to hope x

 

Thanks for your kind words and I hope things go well for you and your IVF. I have to admit that, after 5 months into this, I'm starting to get into a better place mentally. Some days I still get mildly depressed but I'm trying to control my reactions to the drone when it gets loud in the morning.

Also, some new development... I'm one of those that can control my ear muscles voluntarily (always been like that) and when I do it, I feel there's something wrong with my affected ear. Makes a weird scratchy delayed sound. Maybe something to ponder with the ENT.