I have a loud, annoying low-frequency hum around 100–200 Hz in my left ear. It started about four months ago after a systemic infection that affected my ears. I likely have some damage from this. The infection caused high-frequency loss, and although I also had measurable low-frequency drops, those improved according to a follow-up audiogram.
In a completely silent room, the sound is a steady hum. However, when I am exposed to any background noise—such as passing traffic, the TV, or people talking—it shifts into a totally irregular pattern, almost like Morse code. If the air conditioning comes on in a quiet room, the tone pulses between two frequencies even though the fan itself is steady. In the bathroom or bedroom, it remains a steady tone, but in my living room and kitchen, which face a busy street, it becomes chaotic. It is very intrusive and has been negatively affecting my daily life and mood.
I cannot tell if the tone is constantly being masked and unmasked, since its frequency overlaps with most environmental and speech frequencies, which are always changing. Or could this be diplacusis? Can this improve over time? And if not, is it possible to habituate to such an annoying and ever-changing sound?
In a completely silent room, the sound is a steady hum. However, when I am exposed to any background noise—such as passing traffic, the TV, or people talking—it shifts into a totally irregular pattern, almost like Morse code. If the air conditioning comes on in a quiet room, the tone pulses between two frequencies even though the fan itself is steady. In the bathroom or bedroom, it remains a steady tone, but in my living room and kitchen, which face a busy street, it becomes chaotic. It is very intrusive and has been negatively affecting my daily life and mood.
I cannot tell if the tone is constantly being masked and unmasked, since its frequency overlaps with most environmental and speech frequencies, which are always changing. Or could this be diplacusis? Can this improve over time? And if not, is it possible to habituate to such an annoying and ever-changing sound?
