Right-Sided Low-Frequency Tinnitus: Suspected Vascular or Somatic Origin with Vacation-Linked Relief

[daniel12345]

Hi everyone,

I've had low-frequency unilateral tinnitus in my right ear for five years, and I believe I'm narrowing down the possible culprit to two main possibilities: either vascular or cardiovascular in origin, or somatic. I hope this post helps me get closer to solving my tinnitus and that it may also be helpful to others. I'm definitely looking to connect with anyone who has similar symptoms. Thank you in advance for any ideas, suggestions, or possible solutions you may have.

Symptoms:

• A steady, low-frequency buzz or hum in the right ear
• Fluctuates in intensity between 0 and 5 (5 being the worst), but typically stays in the 2 to 5 range constantly
• I can physically feel the buzz or hum, unlike a high-pitched tone
• Sometimes turns into a drumming sound with physical exertion, such as getting out of my car and walking into my house
• After jogging, the sound often lessens when I re-enter my home, suggesting a connection with heart rate
• A constant feeling of fullness in the right ear
• The right ear does not pop
• The right ear canal feels tighter than the left when I insert my finger
• Pain near where the cervical spine, sternocleidomastoid, jaw, and ear meet, especially when I move my head forward and backward in the lateral plane
• The tinnitus is easily masked by low-frequency sounds and often stops when the refrigerator or AC turns on, or even by the sound of my own breathing when it's at a low level (0 to 1)

Improvement Patterns:

• About an hour after swimming, I sometimes experience 30 minutes to an hour of quiet (rated 0 to 1)
• The tinnitus significantly improves or even disappears when I go on vacation, especially when I swim daily or multiple times per day, avoid phone and computer use, go for long drives (around 10 hours with my head upright and steady), and practice intermittent fasting
• When I follow all of these behaviors, my symptoms usually lessen after one day and may disappear entirely after two
• On longer vacations, the fullness in the ear goes away, the tightness in the ear canal resolves, the ear pops normally, and inserting my finger feels equally loose in both ears
• When the tinnitus is at its mildest (0 to 1), turning my head side to side often leads to complete silence (0) for a few minutes shortly after

I believe this may be either a cardiovascular issue, such as a venous hum, or a somatic type related to neck tension or strain—possibly from poor posture due to prolonged computer and phone use. The fact that avoiding screens and maintaining upright head posture provides relief supports this theory.

Unfortunately, I can't live in a constant vacation state without screens, but I do save money specifically to take breaks and experiment with what helps.

Does anyone else experience something similar or have any insights to share? Thank you again!