Tinnitus or Not?

Hello, I am used to having generalized tinnitus and even find ways to deal with it but something strange has been happening the last 2 days.

I am getting a very high pitched ring that is lasting a few seconds, then dissapearing. It started after I got a crackling sound in my left ear. Like the crackling you would hear if the volume was turned up to loud on bad speakers. And since then I have got a seriously 'ear piercing' high volume pitch that comes and goes. I actually thought it was something else making the noise. It happened in the car a few times and I thought it was the radio. Walked to the kitchen, it happened and just sitting down it is happening.

It doesn't seem like my usual tinnitus as it is debilitating when it happens. Like if you were next to someone hitting a wine glass with a fork and you feel like blocking your ears. My ears really hurt at the same time this happens, then afterward.

Is this something other than tinnitus? It is an aweful experience.

Thanks.