Sudden Tinnitus from Sleeping on Side?

Hi! I’ve had tinnitus due to SSNHL in my left ear for 3 years now.

Just this past Sunday I woke up with constant high pitch ringing in my right ear that increases in loudness.

Example: when I say words like ball, bat, or water or when my toddler does loud high pitch sounds/words my right ear high pitch tinnitus will increase in volume just for the time those sounds are going on then it goes back down to the quieter but still present high pitch tinnitus.

Also, previously my right ear would ring a lot when my head/ear was laying on that side in the pillow but it would always go away when I got up. No hearing loss detected in my right ear either. Anyone have any guesses on what could be happening? Or similar experiences...

 

I don't know but any time you put something over your ear especially rapidly, such as taking off an earmuff, putting your finger or hand over your ear, or even laying or ear down over a pillow or other material, I think it may cause pressure changes. I suspect this because I've felt fullness from taking off muffs too fast or putting my hand near or over my ear. But never really from laying on my side but that's not to say it can't happen especially depending on how breathable the material is of the pillow, and how much it seals your ear from the outside pressure. To be totally honest here, I've been avoiding sleeping on my side since all this happened in fear hair would go into my ear canal and hit the drum (this is another possibility), but I did try it a few times and don't remember getting fullness.

 

@Kendra did this specific symptom ever subside? Where the tinnitus would increase in intensity in response to high pitched sounds?

I have this as well and it’s really annoying, especially when combined with the fact my tinnitus is already pulsate so it gets louder and pulses.

 

So far no. But it does fluctuate. Sometimes it takes more/louder sound to cause it and sometimes less. I have no idea why.

 

I thought I’d give an update - this aspect of my tinnitus has started to subside. Most of my problem now is my familiar constant tone tinnitus and my pulsatile tinnitus (which is the part that bothers me the most).

@Kendra, I hope yours also subsides eventually!

I was also getting sound distortion for a while and that is gone too.