Ear ringing?

[Gromit]

Over the last few months I have noticed a sound, like a pulsing, in my left ear, when I am at rest. Not all the time but a few times a day, almost every day.

I saw ringing in the ears as a symptom for anxiety I think.

Anyone else?

G

[BeeKeeper]

Hi Gromit,

The sound you refer to is called tinnitus. (Pronounced tin-i-tus or tin-eye-tus.) What you are hearing is the sound of microscopic nerve hairs on the inside of the ear's circular canals, and they wave around in fluid as your head changes position. Some call that vibrating. Depending on the health of the hairs and your overall general health, this vibration (you hear) can be temporary or permanent.

I've walked the long tinnitus road for over 45 years. Mine was due to a head injury (horseback riding)  but there's all kinds of causes. Anxiety is not one of them.

If it sticks around, it would be worth investigating with an audiologist, not just a general primary care doctor. Medical intervention now may turn this off.

[Armee]

Weird I replied to this but it disappeared.

I actually get something like tinnitus whenever and only when I dissociate. It can be a roaring, rushing, buzzing, or ringing sound. It is my sign that I am dissociating and recognizing has allowed me to break out of dissociation faster.

Sometimes I get it and I won't understand why I am dissociating but my husband or therapist can help me figure out what triggered it and it is clearly preceded by a trauma reminder even if I didn't notice.

Still worth checking with an audiologist though to be safe. But I've been surprised how many people with CPTSD talk about tinnitus.

[Gromit]

Hi Gromit,

The sound you refer to is called tinnitus. (Pronounced tin-i-tus or tin-eye-tus.) What you are hearing is the sound of microscopic nerve hairs on the inside of the ear's circular canals, and they wave around in fluid as your head changes position. Some call that vibrating. Depending on the health of the hairs and your overall general health, this vibration (you hear) can be temporary or permanent.

I've walked the long tinnitus road for over 45 years. Mine was due to a head injury (horseback riding)  but there's all kinds of causes. Anxiety is not one of them.

If it sticks around, it would be worth investigating with an audiologist, not just a general primary care doctor. Medical intervention now may turn this off.

Thanks, I have an appointment with a social prescriber this week I will mention it then. I knew tinnitus was the name but this only lasts for a few minutes at a time and is not constant, although for months now, which makes me feel it would not be something I could get examined.

G

[BeeKeeper]

Gromit,

Good to know you've taken that step. 

[Gromit]

Thanks Beekeeper, the appointment was not made about this but it is supposed to be a general well-being check.
G

[Gromit]

I still have my strange sensation in my left ear, I finally reached the top of the list for a visit to ENT too and had a hearing test. Unfortunately, at my ENT appointment last week they could not retrieve my test results so I am back to waiting. In the mean time, I have seen inside both ears, apparently they look as they should.

I am updating this in case anyone has any insights.

G

[Hope67]

Hi Gromit,
I hope you get some answers when you get your results.  I hope you don't have to wait too much longer.

I have found what you wrote about 'ear ringing' to be helpful.  I have experienced what I think is tinnitus sometimes, but I noticed what Armee wrote earlier about how she finds it only happens when she's dissociating - and I do wonder about my own experience, as I think it can be related to some kind of shift in perception.

Anyway, I did previously go for tests and they couldn't find anything wrong with my hearing at all.  But I still experience the tinnitus sometimes.

I don't know what you'll find, but I hope you can get some help with it, and that the results are helpful to you.

Hope 

[Gromit]

Sorry Hope, I did not see your response until I cam here to report on my experience.

There appears to be nothing physically wrong, the only other thing they can do is to check the blood vessels with a CT scan. Out of curiosity I would like that. Particularly as I do have vein issues in other parts of my body which I have had treatment for, and am now waiting for more treatment.

The other recommendation was to contact my GP who can help with distraction techniques, such as CBT.

That made me more angry than them wasting my time before. I have had many experience of CBT, most of them resulted in a negative effect on my emotional well-being,

I guess I am more aware of sounds, I can hear electrical static for example but this odd sensation in my ear was also physical not just auditory.

So, no answers, just something to live with and it is not painful, it does not stop me doing anything I want to do.

G

[Hope67]

Hi Gromit,
I am glad that there doesn't seem to be anything physically wrong.  I hope that the CT scan will be helpful in checking the blood vessels.  I am glad that you're able to do all the things you want to do, and I'm glad it's not painful too.  Fingers crossed for the CT scan.

Hope 

[Gromit]

I never found out what my CT scan showed except it was fine. All that trouble and no one bothered to explain what was there even though there were no issues.

I have worked out the cause myself, this ringing, sound only happens in one room, where there is an open chimney, it must be something to do with air pressure or something.

G

[dollyvee]

HI Gromit,

I'm sorry that the CT scan didn't turn any results for you. I've been dealing with mold and mycotoxins that I've posted about elsewhere on the forum. Tinnitus can a symptom of a mycotoxin burden which doesn't really receive a lot of awareness. Perhaps it might be something that's relevant to you.

https://drcrista.com/2018-9-17-how-is-ear-ringing-connected-to-mold/

https://drruscio.com/mold-mycotoxins-what-you-cant-smell-could-be-harming-you/

edit: I think I might have posted before on the connection between gut bacteria/SIBO and tinnutis but can't remember if it's here or not. What I found out with my FMP is that mycotoxins are the underlying root cause for my SIBO and so all three could be related.

Sending you support,
dolly

[ShowJumper]

I have tinnitus, and it definitely gets worse with increasing anxiety.  The only way that I have found to alleviate this is meditation.  I use the Calm app, different Youtube guided mediations: healing trauma, Somatic healing of trauma, Inner child healing, etc.  Actually, I don't do these to
address the tinnitus, but to address my C-PTSD, and my GAD.  The reducing of tinnitus is a fortunate side effect of the meditation. 

[Mandox]

I also have ear-ringing and constant sort of sinus, eye area buzzing.  I put it down to an over active amygdala and struggling frontal lobe brain  over thinking, hyper-vigilance et al !!  probably why meditation helps.  I try to go into to it with my mind and it kinda helps.  Otherwise low frequency noise on the headphones.  It doesn't help with everything else going on in out heads !

[grz]

I get tinnitus now and again and since I learnt about my cptsd I too have been wondering if it's related. It seems to coincide with times when my depression/anxiety is worse.

If not "caused" by them it may have something to do with hormones acting up, cortisol maybe?

Have there been any developments Gromit?