Tinnitus related - please advice

[LoveEnigma18]

Hi guys,

I am facing this strange problem in my left ear for the first time ever (the right ear is fine). It's a light, whistling sound that is seemingly coming from the inside of left ear and it is continuous/static. It's not ringing, but it's a little high pitched. Similar to sound of distant crickets at night. I am able to hear everything properly, though I feel a sense of clogged ear in a sense that earwax has probably gone much deeper. This is just my assumption. I am in my early 30s. I have not listened to anything loud for last so many days, neither through my monitors or headphones. And in general, I always keep a check on volume while listening and also the duration. So, I am thinking something else might have triggered the tinnitus.

Due to this COIVD-19 situation I am not able to go outside and all the ENT clinics seem to be closed.

It's been there for last 3-4 days now, so I am a little worried. Although I observed that the sound has gone away almost completely for a few moments on 3-4 occasions during these last 3-4 days, but otherwise it's always there. Based on doctor's advice on phone, I am putting ear drops to help with the earwax since yesterday night, so two doses done.

Has anyone faced such a problem before? Is it alarming?

It's really disturbing, so any help is much appreciated. Thank you so much.

[Michael L]

I find the Mayo Clinic website generally of high quality:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-con ... c-20350156

[LoveEnigma18]

I find the Mayo Clinic website generally of high quality:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-con ... c-20350156

Thank you. I agree with you, as I did go through that page during my search. Very helpful information indeed. Based on it, it could be just earwax or something more serious. I am worried about the later.

So far, apart from the sound irritation, everything looks fine. I know that the only best thing in this case is to visit an ENT doctor, but I am unable to. I will try to see if any clinic is open tomorrow.

Is there any definite way to know if one has hearing loss? I tried to play some music, in stereo, panned it around, closed my ears, etc. for rough test, and things look normal.

[Michael L]

Yes, you can get a hearing test. Hearing loss may be a decrease around a specific frequency in your range. It is quite useful to see one's "EQ curve." Many hearing aid shops do tests for free. There are even online screening tests.

[LoveEnigma18]

It seems that the sound I am hearing is closer to "screeching" sound here. It's not loud, but noticeable.

https://www.soundrelief.com/tinnitus/sounds-tinnitus/

[Michael L]

If you always sleep on one side, earwax can accumulate in one ear. If you live with someone, they can see down your ear canal with a light. I agree it is frustrating not being able to go to the ENT.

[dark water]

Your temporary ear noises are undoubtedly to do with the bunged up ear (ear wax) that you are currently suffering with.

Nothing to worry about.
It is a temporary problem - and even less so when you don't focus or stress about it.

If you have noises / screeching / loss of hearing sustained every day for six months without any noticeable colds/allergies/ear wax buildup then it becomes a different issue.

In terms of tinnitus, myself and other KVR members (such as xoxos and Doug1978) have written before im previous KVR threads about the link between tinnitus and mindset/healthy exercise.
Check those previous KVR tinnitus threads out.
(Yes, xoxos and Doug1978 and myself have suffered with tinnitus issues before).

[Gamma-UT]

With the clogged feeling it could easily be Eustachian dysfunction, which will clear up though it can take an irritatingly long time to get there and which I've found can go hand-in-hand with a wax buildup. Treatment is usually some anti-histamines as it can be tied to allergies and trying the Valsava procedure, using air to push the eardrum back into place as though you've just come off a long flight. The clincher to working out whether it's Eustachian dysfunction is if you feel as if it's harder to breathe through the nostril or it feels obstructed on the affected side. Just a feeling of fullness or clogging in the ear points to just the earwax.

I've used ear drops for earwax but olive oil is often the most effective, though it takes a few days for the oil to seem to have much of an effect. Sooner or later, the plug of wax falls out.

[xtp]

I have had tinnitus all of my life, other people may have different experiences, but I do not hear the sound in my ears as you have mentioned, I hear it inside my head.

It does have a tendency to mimic sounds; not crickets as you have mentioned, in my case, the roar of chorus cicadas, and sometimes cell phones. I sleep every night with the stereo going in the bedroom playing ambient music to distract my mind from the sounds inside my head, and have done so since the 70's. I have never known any different.

It's like any condition; terrifying for the first year, scary for the next twenty, meh for the rest. Hopefully yours will be, just a temporary blockage—I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.

[dark water]

By the way, I quite like this interesting (but qualified!) doctor's health videos:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=lukuJtvgksM

Some of his ideas didn't work for me - and indeed treat his videos (and everyone else's) with a healthy degree of scepticism.
But he is at least passionate and creative about his ideas!

[chk071]

Your temporary ear noises are undoubtedly to do with the bunged up ear (ear wax) that you are currently suffering with.

Nothing to worry about.
It is a temporary problem - and even less so when you don't focus or stress about it.

Dunno about that. I'd definitely visit a doctor ASAP though. For me, I've been living with tinnitus for most of my young adult and adult time now. Probably since more than 25 years. It doesn't go away, but, it changed a bit over the years.

Sometimes I also have a feeling like clogged ear, when I wake up. In my case, it's most likely a issue with perfusion (tinnitus is always a problem with perfusion AFAIK). If the doctor can't help, and the issue persist, you have to live with it, I'm afraid. I only notice my tinnitus when it's pretty clam. It can be more apparent under stress as well, as has been pointed out.

BTW, it seems to be a family thing as well. Most of my family members also have tinnitus. IMO, it's definitely a inheritance thing.

[dark water]

^^ I take your point entirely and agree with the inheritance possibility.

But going on the OP's statement about likely clogged ear for last 3-4 days, it'd surely be a stretch to suddenly say it was sustained tinnitus rather than the effect of a cold or allergy etc passing through the body?

If, after a few weeks the noises persist but the ear wax / clogged ear issue is no longer present (and there are no other illness/ear issues), then I would suggest we could be looking at more sustained tinnitus as opposed to just a temporary effect on the ears due to ear clog.

Which isn't to diminish the effect of a cold upon tinnitus - indeed, I believe that my own tinnitus started after a heavy cold did something weird to my left ear and certainly tinnitus (long lasting) can be brought on by a wide variety of incidents.

Currently, I wouldn't worry about it being anything other than the temporary effects of a cold/clogged ear (particularly given the effects on our physical health of being indoors currently).

Even if it does turn out to be long-lasting tinnitus, then the OP should consider how best to reduce its impact in a healthy manner as well as the link between mental factors and our 'belief' that we're suffering from an ear / ear canal problem when a lot of it could just be in the brain instead (it then becomes a matter of mental retraining rather than a physical problem per se).

[telecode]

yes. i also have tinnitus. it's probably ear wax in your case. it could also be pressure issues. best to get it checked out after COVID is over. i heard they can do this thing where they remove all the ear wax that has accumulated over your lifetime. its nasty what will come out i heard.

in my case, its a clicking or scratching sound. at first thought i was hearing mice in the house. :0)

FWIW.. my hearing got worse in last 10 years. I am not sure if this new clicking/scratching which started last year is a progression of all that or the new ear phones i use at the gym. as i am hitting middle age i am going to the gym much more than i ever did in my 20s and 30s -- so i am using hear phones much more than i ever did. the gym ear phones sort of go into your ear so it could also be they are causing weird pressure issues. who knows.

[telecode]

Yes, you can get a hearing test. Hearing loss may be a decrease around a specific frequency in your range. It is quite useful to see one's "EQ curve." Many hearing aid shops do tests for free. There are even online screening tests.

i did the free hearing test at the hearing aid place near me. they found i have hearing loss around the frequency of a female voice. ha ha !! that one went over great with the wife.

[LoveEnigma18]

Thank you so much for all your comments and suggestions, I really appreciate it.

Yes, you can get a hearing test. Hearing loss may be a decrease around a specific frequency in your range. It is quite useful to see one's "EQ curve." Many hearing aid shops do tests for free. There are even online screening tests.

If you always sleep on one side, earwax can accumulate in one ear. If you live with someone, they can see down your ear canal with a light. I agree it is frustrating not being able to go to the ENT.

Yes, I did take some tests online, but I am not able to accurately tell if there is completely no problem. As you said, I will get ear testing done once I am able to go the ENT specialist.

Usually I sleep on both sides. I asked my wife to see my ear a few times, and the only thing she could see is some wax.

Your temporary ear noises are undoubtedly to do with the bunged up ear (ear wax) that you are currently suffering with.

Nothing to worry about.
It is a temporary problem - and even less so when you don't focus or stress about it.

The problem is that the noise is continuous, but a few times I felt it went away for a few seconds and return again. That's why I am not able to focus and feeling stressed about it. Since it is first time and it's in my head now, I am unable to overlook it.

With the clogged feeling it could easily be Eustachian dysfunction, which will clear up though it can take an irritatingly long time to get there and which I've found can go hand-in-hand with a wax buildup. Treatment is usually some anti-histamines as it can be tied to allergies and trying the Valsava procedure, using air to push the eardrum back into place as though you've just come off a long flight. The clincher to working out whether it's Eustachian dysfunction is if you feel as if it's harder to breathe through the nostril or it feels obstructed on the affected side. Just a feeling of fullness or clogging in the ear points to just the earwax.

I've used ear drops for earwax but olive oil is often the most effective, though it takes a few days for the oil to seem to have much of an effect. Sooner or later, the plug of wax falls out.

I understand what you are saying, but what's happening to me kinda tells me it is not Eustachian dysfunction. The clogged feeling is probably because of earwax plus the ear drops I have put twice. However, so far there is no improvement/relief. I tried to do that nose pinching and exhaling with mouse closed exercise, but it did not help with this noise problem. It was expected, but just to clear the Eustachian tube.

Also, a few months ago I had faced a problem with a small portion of earwax getting too deep in my ear, which I had to get removed from the ENT specialist. That time I felt more clogged than now. I also saw that I don't have too much wax in my ear, but not sure if it has increased now.

I have had tinnitus all of my life, other people may have different experiences, but I do not hear the sound in my ears as you have mentioned, I hear it inside my head.

It does have a tendency to mimic sounds; not crickets as you have mentioned, in my case, the roar of chorus cicadas, and sometimes cell phones. I sleep every night with the stereo going in the bedroom playing ambient music to distract my mind from the sounds inside my head, and have done so since the 70's. I have never known any different.

It's like any condition; terrifying for the first year, scary for the next twenty, meh for the rest. Hopefully yours will be, just a temporary blockage—I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.

Sad to know about your problem, I hope it is manageable. I am little unsure, but the sounds I am hearing also seem to be coming from between ear and head, but closer to ear. When I wrap the ear with my hands, the sound seems to come more from the head. It's frustrating.

Thanks for your kind words. I also hope that it doesn't affect anyone.