Is This Low-Pitched, Like a Slow Fan/Low Rumble, Pulsatile Tinnitus?

Hello forum,

This is my first post in the PT support forum. I’ve had normal tinnitus for 3 and a half months. During that time, it has changed quite a bit.

About a week ago, I was stretching my neck (my neck and back are a tight mess). I was putting my head upside down towards the floor. While doing that, I had a very low pitched sound, like a slow fan, come into my head. I’ve still noticed it over this past week, but I can also kind of feel it. It’s really hard to explain. Now it’s kind of a low rumble in my ears, that I kind of feel in my head, chest (could just be anxiety) and I also get what sounds like a car driving by outside my house. It’s almost like the Doppler effect. It’s like a slow driving car. Over the past few months, my normal sounds in both ears have gone from pure tones, to the electric hiss with pitch, now the electric part seems to be gone, just hiss with some pitch, and the last couple days have been very soft compared to normal.

Any thoughts?

I’m taking .25 Xanax to help me sleep (I wasn’t sleeping at all-it was Xanax or go crazy). I’m also taking turmeric/curcumin, magnesium, vitamin B and D supplements, NAC, etc.

I’m definitely more aware of my heart the last few days. Not sure if it’s anxiety or what.

Thanks!
Tom

Also - I can feel a pulse or throb in my ear, on and off. I have had this before. I think before tinnitus even.

 

http://www.tinnitusjournal.com/arti...de-also-known-as-the-hum-or-the-taos-hum.html

 

Another interesting fact. If I lean my head back towards my back (looking at the sky)- the slow fan sound stops- the pitch just stays constant. There was mention of that in the article. Anyone know of a treatment?

 

Yes, it is.

http://neuroangio.org/diagnosis-and-treatment-of-pulsatile-tinnitus/

 

@MusicTeacher

Hi Tom,

Sorry to hear about your tinnitus. I've been suffering for 18 months now and recently started Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT). It has a huge success rate, especially if your T is noise induced. I'm 4 months into it and it may be a few more months before noticing a difference. Have you heard of Peter Studenik? He wrote a book about how he cured his tinnitus and hyperacusis with TRT. Some other details I learned along the way are Low Light Laser Therapy (LLLT). Supposedly it's best to get started with it before 6 months into T. Someone on here recommended emLas 520-BCB device (http://www.konftec.com/html/Products-EN/EM-520.htm). I wish I had started earlier. Thinking about purchasing a device for myself just to see if it does anything. My tinnitus, like yours, started in one ear, then the other ear, then the head. Now it is migrating back to my ears, which I prefer. I have also been extremely anxious and wondering how much of the "head" noise is anxiety or ear related. In therapy I learned that in a high state of anxiety we can have distorted senses (blurred vision, ear ringing, etc.). The anxiety center also has some info on it too:https://www.anxietycentre.com/anxiety/symptoms/ringing-in-the-ears.shtml. I was on klonipin (another benzo like xanax) for about a year for sleep. I finally got off and now take a very small amount (1-2 mgs remeron). It puts me out with 3 mgs melatonin. If you happen to do TRT, it's important to get off all benzos otherwise it's harder for your brain to habituate to the sound. Good luck. I am a high school biology teacher and feel for you. We have a hard enough job teaching. Last thing we need is ringing in our ears

 

@Renee W
Thanks for the note, Renee

I’ve been struggling pretty bad on this end. Just started meditation a couple weeks ago and am trying not to listen for the tinnitus. I looked into TRT - it’s really expensive. But I may end up doing it if I can’t find some relief. This affliction is exhausting, as you know. I need to get my anxiety back to a normal level. I’m curious about the laser treatment. Are you moving ahead with it? I’ve seen it mentioned here... as a bio teacher - does it makes sense to you?

Thanks!!! Wishing all of us some peace.
Tom

 

I have several low frequencies sounds that are very similar the ones you’ve described, and what’s really made a dent in them is a low sodium diet. I honestly never thought it could work, but I thought why not after it was suggested that they could have been caused be secondary hydrops following an acoustic exposure.

Only the low rumbles though - all of my other tinnitus tones haven’t changed at all but I didn’t expect them to.

I’ve been on it for 2 weeks or so now, and I stay between 1000-1200mg a day. I plan on sticking with it for a full 8 weeks. The only thing is you HAVE to stick with it everyday. Even a single day where you take in too much sodium can put you right back to the start.

 

I'm gonna try that @HootOwl, thanks for the info.

Have you tried Ginkgo too?

I spoke to you before and you have very similar tinnitus to mine.

 

Hey Pink, I went into more detail on the other thread.

I haven’t done a ginkgo regiment, but it is anti-inflammatory so if yours is a case of ETD it could be of some benefit. I don’t tolerate it well from a digestive standpoint (the few times I’ve tried it), so I haven’t really given it a full go.

 

Hi @HootOwl , thanks for your response on the low frequency humming post. My doctor said that I need to stop ginko as it may be having an affect on kidneys. Not sure if that's true but I'm gonna listen.

I found that if I put my ear plugs in the humming goes away. I also did a kettlebell home workout and it went away for 1/2 or so. I'm wondering if my humming problem is mechanical.

 

Do you have high blood pressure?

 

I do not. In fact if anything my blood pressure is a little lower than most. I was at 80/60 at my last doctors visit.

 

Hi guys

I've been experiencing this humming sound for the 3 months now, I've also started getting headaches also and from the very start I couldn't sleep. I would wake up at 3 am ish week days and weekends it was sometimes different or not as bad. I've started wondering what could be the cause of it because it's constant.

The only thing I've noticed helps it shaking my head left to right really fast which makes the hum go away but as soon as I stop the hum comes back. Obviously this is not a solution at all.

I've been looking into EMF sensitivity. Perhaps that might help hearing more about it?

Magda Havas speaks about it and also some strong evidence from a Martin Pall.
Let me know how you get on? It's completely wrecked my life.

Cheers!
- Curt

 

Did this keep working over time? I was thinking of this too, or a diuretic.

 

No, the diet did not help. But it turns out the rumble was ETD. It took about a full 5 months after I completed the 8 week low salt diet to fully clear and is now low enough to the point I consider it gone.