Odd Symptom: Sudden High-Pitched 'Ping', Pain in My Left Ear, Now Slight Fullness

Hi all,

Has anyone else experienced this:

I was watching TV and all of a sudden heard a high pitched 'ping' from somewhere, had a pain in my left ear and now ear feels slightly full.

This 'ping' had no obvious source, so could have been in my own head. I was indoors, live in the country and can't think what else it would be if not from me myself. I had an earplug in the ear and was in a room with no windows open.

Not sure what caused this, but it's got me in the cycle of anxiety...

 

Lots of things could have caused this, Elfin, from fleeting tinnitus to compacted earwax (or even otitis externa) from your overuse of earplugs.

You’ve not had a good time these last few months have you? I really feel for you and wish I could make all your problems disappear.

However, you now have a deep rooted fear of sound which is not helping you at all. In fact, it is likely the cause of all your misery. Once it’s as bad as you’ve got it it can be incredibly difficult to overcome. You’re not alone though; there are many on here in the same boat as you. My advice is to stop wearing earplugs in your house right now; you don’t need them. Do what we’ve discussed before and try and get your mind healthy again. A good way to achieve this is with the love and support of friends and family, and to start an exercise regime.

Did you ever look into cold water therapy? Swimming in cold water may help you quite a bit; especially if you stick to it and do it routinely. You have to try something because you’re spiralling out of control.

 

I experience pain and fullness in my ears if I wear earplugs too much. I also occasionally experience fleeting T and find that it is far more noticeable if I am in a quiet room or wearing an earplug.

Why were you wearing earplugs? It sounds as if your home is in a quiet setting.

 

Same, my ear canals are easily irritated, so continuous use of plugs is not great for me. Our ears are designed to breathe and to regulate pressure. They don’t like being continually blocked off and doing so can cause other problems.

 

Exactly. I do not understand why that point is often overlooked. It’s not healthy for our ears.

@Elfin You were watching TV. Unless you had the TV very loud, undoubtedly your auditory system was trying to hear and comprehend. It’s very likely that your brain tried to increase your auditory gain, essentially straining to hear which can inadvertently make tinnitus seem louder. Perhaps that is why you heard a ping.

 

I experienced this ones when i was lying in bed still awake a few months ago. I heard a ping. I asked my wife, did you hear that? She said no. I heard it ones again. I don't keep my smartphone in the same room but in another room with the door open. It was almost exactly the iphone 'ping' sound (but shorter) like an incoming SMS, so i stood up and walked to the next room to check my phone. Then i realized it was my ear because i didn't recieved any SMS. It was VERY scary and i was stunned. I luckely have never had this ever since. But i'm still experiencing pain and fullness which can last for days.