Low Hum Tinnitus in Left Ear and High-Pitched, Rushing, Popping Tinnitus in Right Ear

Hiya! I am so glad I have found this group. I just got off the phone with the doctor who was not very helpful at all.

I have the low hum tinnitus in my left side which is like everyone has been describing. I’ve had it for 3 weeks. It went away for just a few hours once and to be honest it was weird. But otherwise it’s constant. I feel like it’s a muscular spasm thing also.

I have high-pitched, rushing, popping tinnitus in my right ear from ear drum damage caused by operations and infections. I have learned to cope with this and it’s mostly not too bad, though has its trials.

About 10 weeks ago after ear suction (which I have every 6 months) I got a massive blocked head feeling. I went completely deaf in my right ear (which is already half deaf) and my whole head felt awful. I got headaches every day, especially at night. Then, the blocked feeling lifted a bit and the same week I developed the low hum. Some describe it as the Hum of Death. It’s not fun.

Now I am mainly with just the low hum but also strange head tension. I try and self-massage and put healing balms on. Keeping my ears dry and warm. I’ve stayed in a lot because I am scared noise will make it worse and also I have felt really tired and achey.

I had a really bad cold the past two weeks that didn’t start getting better until I took some antibiotics and a nasal spray for possible sinus infection. The cold is passing now but the low hum as strong as ever.

The vibration is the worst part of it. It’s making me clench my jaw and feel tense. I have TMJ issues and have been battling that for a few years now, using a mouth guard and relaxation techniques. However, now with the low hum, it’s even harder to relax.

Earlier I burst into tears again as I didn’t sleep well enough and each night I am trying my best to relax and get to sleep but it takes me forever. I wake early and can’t get to sleep. I might just go out later and see my friend’s band. Despite feeling like a sack of potatoes and really achey it seems that most people on here find going out helps distract them. Maybe sitting here focusing on it is not helping. But I am so tired!

So that’s basically where I am at. I am really affected by this and it’s making my life a misery. I have gained a bit of reassurance that at least I am not alone but I don’t know if I can manage this for very long. I am a performer playing saxophone and it seems like that’s not a good idea at the moment! I have no idea but my energy levels and headaches has forced me to take time off. That’s really upsetting me as well.

I wish the healthcare was better here in the UK. I’m back on the waiting list for ENT but it sounds like this could be a long journey. I am going to remain optimistic and have found that some videos on YouTube give me some relief.

If anyone has any other tricks or help, that would be amazing!

I am so glad this community is here! Thanks for saving me as I really was starting to climb the walls x

 

Welcome to the forum. Sorry to hear you are dealing with such challenge with the tinnitus.

The only thing I can try to comfort you is that I have almost the same tinnitus, a loud humming, jet engine like ringing on the left ear, which has gone deaf, and an ultra high-pitched ringing on the right ear. The high pitch has been with me over a decade now, and the other low humming is more recent from a sudden hearing loss about 2 years ago.

Life was hard at first but the comforting thing is that the body eventually gets used to it and I now live a normal life, traveling, going on a cruise recently, fishing and gardening.

I also had bad hyperacusis both times for about a year each. It was really tough to live with both tinnitus and hyperacusis. Fortunately the hyperacusis faded in about a year each time. I have written two success stories here, one called "From Darkness to Light..." and another one on how to recover from SSHL. I share some helpful strategies in the stories. I also shared the story of Melody Gardot and how she could have such a singing career having both severe tinnitus and hyperacusis. Check the stories out.

For sleep, try Melatonin or other calming natural supplements like Chamomile.

Hang in there and give it time. Best wishes. God bless.

 

Hi there @Elma, welcome to the forum. Sorry to hear about your condition. Here on this forum, you're in good company. I hope you're able to connect with fellow low-hum sufferers to gain tips/tricks on how to do with it. I don't have a low hum myself, but I do deal with my own brand of tinnitus frustration.

One thing about your description that really stands out is your inability to get good sleep, which most if not all would agree is a pretty important thing to have when you're dealing with an affliction like tinnitus. When my tinnitus onset, I had severe sleep issues due to it. I had to do some serious problem solving to figure out a method to help with sleep.

People on the forum often share their methods, and there's a lot of different ideas, some that might work well for you or might not, it's a lot of trial and error.

For me, what worked in the beginning was using a sleep aid. I started with Tylenol PM, then I used Hydroxyzine for a bit. Then Trazodone for a long while (like months). Now I don't use any. I also view morning light to set my circadian rhythm, reduce my screen time at night, and try to go to sleep the same time every night. Oh, and I've cut out coffee and alcohol, since they both affect the quality of my sleep

Another thing I do is sleep with a pillow speaker. My tinnitus is mainly in my right ear, so I lay down with my right ear to the speaker. I connect the speaker to my phone and play nature sounds the whole night. Rain, thunder, and crickets work the best for me. I lay on my side and read a book until I get good and sleepy.

One last thing I do is use a CPAP machine since I have sleep apnea.

I've had to try out different arrangements to find what works best, including changing what pillow I use, getting a mattress topper, changing the pajamas I wear (I now wear less to keep my body temperature lower than I used to--I used to really bundle up), and trying different sleeping positions.

It took a long while and I'm still experimenting, but it's been worth the effort. It at least gives you a constructive goal to focus on and a small sense of control while dealing with something we don't have a lot of control over.

Anyway, hope that helps, and I truly hope your condition improves over time.