I am a 21 year who just started hearing a soft consistent ringing sound almost like the soft hum of the refrigerator or kettle on my left ear. I do like to use earphones to listen to music while doing homework because i am a college student. Weeks before i experienced ringing in my left ear I was very sick, had a sore throat, then a fever, recovered, then had a stuffy nose and the common cold. About 2 weeks before I am not sure if it was a concussion but i was doing judo and practicing chokes. My arteries must have been blocked for too long while practing and started feeling dizzy. I experienced a horrible migraine and this led my sore throat into a fever. I was very stressed from school and had a hard time recovering from my cold that was the by-product of my fever. I am trying to think of possible reasons that coulf have caused my ear ringing symptoms and i hope it is not something serious and long term like tinnitus. I will make an appointment to see my family doctor to get it checked out but until then I don't know what to do and I am extremely worried I will hear ringing for the rest of my life.
Hi Selina. It sounds like you have some form of Tinnitus, but don't worry, it's no allways permanent and can be caused from anything from dehydration too internal trauma. Does the hum sound like its coming from inside or outside your head? What kind of headphones do you wear, and how long/loud do you have them? As you have just come out of an illness, I would suggest that was the cause. Loud music and choke holds might not be helping
Hi, it could possibly a eustacian tube blockage, this can happen after a nasty cold and can make the ear feel very fuzzy and blocked. You may also have had an ear infection but didn't realise? Or, possibly a wax build up, that can cause tinnitus too. I think it's a good idea to get it checked up and hopefully they'll see what the problem is. I would say where headphones are concerned I switched to over head instead of in-ear headphone, and now I'm very mindful of how loud I have the music. Hope it gets sorted for you, I sympathise with how rubbish it can make you feel
Kirsty x
I wear rHA ear phones and had them since september of 2015 often to do homework. I had them on for low volume for a year and progressively use louder volume. I was wondering if doing judo and the falls and chokes could possibly be the problem. Even though i did not bump my head really hard. I did recover from a cold now, can the sickness still be the causr? The soft whistles today still sound internal, almost like when you cover your ears with clam shells. The sounds are almost in noticeable but i really dont want to over look it and get it check. If it is check very early on will there be a chance the doctors can cure them?
Thank you. I do want to overlook the super soft whistles even if they are very unnoticeable. I am worried the sounds will last forever and it will get louder. I am super worried i cant hear silence.
I suffer from tinnitus and I know how stressful it can be, I too never hear silence (so to speak) but what I can say is that stress definitely makes the symptoms worse. So, don't sit in quiet places, always have some sort of sound on, it may feel like you're masking it, but trust me, if it keeps you calm it will help. Have your doctor have a look, for reassurance and guidance. I had a blocked eustacian tube for months after a nasty cold, so yes, things concerning the ears can hang about a lot longer than the virus can. Also like I said before it may be a wax build up, that is a very common reason for tinnitus and can be sorted. Believe me I know how upsetting this can be, but don't give up hope, you're young and healthy, see your doctor and have them help put your mind at ease. And remember, stress makes it worse, stay as calm as you can, I always have to have a background noise on to help me.
You are right. I need to stop thinking about it or cry about it. I am just really stressed about finals week and how i am gonna concentrate. And i can't go to the doctor yet it is Sunday. I will try to stop thinking about it for now. I just don't know what i tell my parents and i don't want to let them know.
Try putting some music on in the background see if that helps, like I said I always find it comforting to have another sound that I can focus on instead.
It's so hard, I know, but try not to cry, I'm so sorry you're going through this but I'm sure the doctor will be able to help you and get you through this.
I'm a mum and believe me we don't mind our kids coming to us about anything! If you would find comfort in telling them then do so, I guarantee they'll understand, just say you're having issues with your ear and it's starting to upset you, say you're going to the doctors to get it looked at. Sometimes talking about these things can ease stress too. Good luck in your finals! And remember, it may not seem like it now but this will pass and you'll be back to you soon 😊
Hi Kirsty
Definitely tubes blocked in the ears from cold I had virus twice, I got a slight ringing in the left ear the doctor said yes it's infection. I have had this now for 9 weeks and 1 day. Some say pull ears puff air in by holding your nose and gently puffing.
But I've found it makes the ringing worse as if the tubes open slightly the vibration makes it worse. If you gently move your ears there may be a crackle also trickling of fluid running. But it won't come out your ear. It's stuck in the inner ear. It makes you snort as it slowly release behind your nose and goes down the throat . But this is good. If mine no better in 12 weeks I am.being refered to a ENT
If you feel it's running then that's good. Steam good not too much and 10 mins that's it. Sometimes I get headache migrane and feel a bit dizzy. I have been using Nasorex spray that drys you up and takes inflammation down. I feel I'm an expert on this now as had soo long and got so many doctors advice. I hope yours goes soon x
Hi there, hope this sorts itself out for you soon, it's a horrid thing isn't it, can make you feel awful. Unfortunately my ears are my panic trigger too, which is rubbish. I'm still struggling with my right ear now and find if I travel though mountains or hills my ear blocks, it's been doing this since last November!! Have you ever experienced this? X
Hi Kirsty,
mine is different with bending down and positions of my head sometimes louder sometimes bareable yesterday i was crying and praying as i really had had enough.
But its the pressure change the only thing they said was i may have to have a gromit in the ear but that does not always work. The best thing is a balloon inserted if it does not go. you have to try and release the pressure so a stream room in a swimming pool shower but plug ears very gently hold nose and puff, or block the good nose breath in and out the bad one, if money not a problem buy an ear popper Boots sell but £125 or i have an oto vent balloon which you blow up with nose or mouth the size of an orange take water 1st block 1 nose tube up other as as you release swallow. helps open tubes to drain fluid? What are your symtoms What did your Dr say and do for you Kirsty.
LUcy x
It started last November with a very nasty cold that led to me having a blocked eustacian tube, it felt very blocked, ringing and hissing in it and pressure. I can unblock it but it blocks itself back up again, not always, but enough to bother me. It got me so down I used to cry all the time too.
My main problem is with travelling now, it gets blocked with altitude changes and when I go to Scotland and travel through the mountains the blocking and pressure is unbearable, like when you go on a plane. I know to some people it might seem silly but it's the one thing that's always upset me, I've always avoided swimming because of it, and now I'm helpless about what I can do about it.
The doctor said my eardrum looks fine, but when I explained the altitude problem he just said it would be something I'd need to learn to cope with. But this never used to happen and I used to adore travelling! Thing is my partner lives in Scotland, I've not been up there since the ear incident, he likes coming to me, but I'm desperate to get my life back!
I'm so sorry to go on, I think I just get frustrated with myself
Thank you for your message
God bless Kirsty xx
Hi Kirsty have you not been given anything what soo ever?
I would take nurofen for the inflammation and get a decongestant as well like sudafed and plenty of steaming second opinion as well. there is help like I said previously. Have a look on u tube tons of things to do and pressure points you can try as well. x
Hi, I was given a nasal spray, he said to stop taking the other decongestants as they actually, if they're over used, can have the opposite effect and cause your sinuses to become more blocked?
I wish they would do more for me, but I'm kind of being told to just get on with it. I've exolained to them (I've been to more than one gp) that's it's stopped me travelling, they just say it will sort itself out, but seven months is a bit of a stretch I think!!
Maybe I need to push to see ENT? It's notoriously hard to get a reversal where I live though.
Thank you again, Kirsty x
Well a doctor can't look right into your ear drum only a ENT can a doctor can see if infection swelling that's it. Really Kirsty I would push it and say this is not good enough or acceptable.
I have 3 more weeks and they will refer me to a ENT hopefully it will go. At the moment too hot to steam though . We only have little ear tubes so it's hard to clear . You do have to watch decongestants. Do you have crackling in ear mine like snap crackel and pop lol. Drives you mad ah. I will let you know what happens . And please let me know how you get on 2. X
I do get that crackling, pretty much all of the time, I never realised before that not everyone gets it! I think you're right, surely there's more that can be done!
Kirsty xx
Hi Kirsty
I more thing worth a try is to drink lots and lots of water and that will thin the mucus out so it will clear, it's helped me tonight.
If the pitch noise changes its vascular so from your inner ear.
Any way goodnight x
I will definitely try lots of water today - thank you. I get intermittent high-pitched noises in my ears that then leave it muffled for a while, is that what you mean?
Sorry for all the questions
Kirsty xx
Hi Kirsty,
Drinking water will help to thin out the mucus this will make it a lot easier to move and get out, try and go in the garden for air as well hold one side of your nose and then the other.Did you have any clicking in the ear? this is due to antibiotics etc and too many.
If its high pitched all thd time like sitting lying down then thats vascular the inner nerves of the ears, different sounds means different problems and i heard this from my doctors. but keep up the water a lot all the time. x
It's all started happening after a very nasty cold, I didn't have any antibiotics though.
The thing I hate is how much is stops me wanting to travel, I actually find it quite depressing. I wish I could be one of those people who didn't give a monkeys about it, but hey ho. Sorry to sound so down in the dumps, it's just been going on so long that it's frustrating
Kirsty xx