Musical Ear Syndrome

[SeashellSara]

Hi. I've been looking through to see if anyone has posted about hearing random music with tinnitus. It is very distracting and making me feel isolated and desperate. I developed sudden hearing loss and tinnitus in my left ear in winter 2022, then recently an ear infection in my right ear made the tinnitus change to this 'musical' noise.The 'music' changes and gets worse and louder as the day goes on. Marching band, heavy rock music, sometimes voices talking incoherently too. I understand the brain tries to interpret the tinnitus into something it can recognise. The tinnitus is usually a white noise hissing but varies quite a lot. I have an audiology review on Friday thank goodness but not sure what they can suggest. I hope there aren't too many people experiencing this as it is very disconcerting. I'm trying meditation and breathing techniques and have a streaming device on my hearing aid which I stream louder white noise.

[Happyrosie]

hello, and love your name! There was a post a few months ago on this. I remember as I’ve experienced it just a couple of times. You might possibly find the post. - I don’t remember how useful it might have been though

Odd thing though - I heard some German street music yesterday with a tuba accordion and drum plus voice. I’m not familiar with this style of music. So on going for a sleep later I could hear this music clearly as if outside my room. It faded eventually

The website of Tinnitus UK might have something

[SeashellSara in reply to Happyrosie]

Thanks very much for your reply. It is great to know there are people here who are so supportive. Thanks for the suggestion.

[Lynne-H]

Hi I have musical tinnitus.

My first experience of tinnitus was in 2014 after having a virus - pulsatile tinnitus - took me a long time to accept and come to terms with this - I was a complete mess at the time.

Then a few years ago I suddenly started to hear music - mainly hymns, carols, songs from musicals, sometimes classical - pretty much anything really.

I decided at the time that I`d learned to live with the pulsatile so I just thought I`ll get used to this too. Still there now but just in the background - sometimes I quite enjoy listening to it and even sing along.

I`m sure you will in time accept yours too - I know it`s not easy but it will happen.

I used to read lots of tinnitus success stories and went to a local support group for a while and being on this forum helped a lot too and as Happyrosie says have a look at the Tinnitus UK website. Get as much information as you can.

[SeashellSara in reply to Lynne-H]

Very helpful thanks so much. I feel like a rabbit in the headlights as it is a new thing and like you said I feel like a mess. I'm not sure if my right ear will improve so I get some of my hearing back or not yet. I tend to be able to hear people with deeper voices. I sometimes hear chords of music and try to pick them out while I'm walking. I had a strange look from a neighbour yesterday!😆

I'm hoping like you I will get used to the different music playing in my head. I'm trying to adapt to it. I think it must be fairly rare. Thanks again.

[Lynne-H in reply to SeashellSara]

I suppose there is always a chance that your hearing may improve - I`ve had various occasions when I`ve had a problem with my ears - infections, covid when it`s taken a few weeks for my hearing to get back to normal.

I`ve had moderate hearing loss since 2014 following the virus and worn hearing aids ever since. That might be an option for you if you`re hearing doesn`t get back to normal and might also help with the tinnitus.

I forgot to mention and this is a weird thing with my musical tinnitus - if I don`t like the tune playing I can change it just by either singing another tune or just thinking about it. I can`t make it go away though !! Crazy isn`t it.

[SeashellSara in reply to Lynne-H]

That's amazing. I must try it although most of what plays in my head is unrecognisable except for the genre. I'm getting voices now too but definitely in my ears not psychosis. Today so far it is mainly ambient chords which isn't too bad. I get very tired though.I'm hoping that they'll come up with ideas at my audiology appointment on Friday. I do have s hearing aid to stream white noise to my left ear when it gets too much.

[Lynne-H in reply to SeashellSara]

I do sometimes but not often get a babble of voices usually after hearing them on the tv but it doesn`t last very long and that`s only a recent thing.

Anyway I hope you get some answers on Friday. All the best.

[JumpJiving]

My elderly mother has exactly the same thing. Usually a piece of WWII American military propaganda music, but occasionally little heard Shakespearean sonnets (she has never studied Shakespeare). Unfortunately, she will not accept that it is tinnitus so she sends carers out into the street to ask people to turn non-existent music down, Keeps her awake and frustrates her no end. Unfortunately, she doesn’t use her hearing aids properly, won’t use a white or brown noise generator etc. Without her accepting that it is tinnitus, it’s impossible for anybody to help her It sounds like you are doing the right things.

One slightly random question - are you hypothyroidal by any chance? My own tinnitus seems to get worse when my thyroid is under medicated, something that I have seen others report recently

[SeashellSara in reply to JumpJiving]

Thanks for responding. I had a thyroid test a couple of years ago which was negative. Maybe I'm due another one. I'll ask. I understand where your mother is coming from. I live next to a pub where the sometimes have live music. To begin with I was having to determine whether it was coming from there. It is very hard to adapt. Probably more difficult the older you are. Interesting about the Shakespeare. Thanks

[Beesmac]

Good morning - I have been suffering with Musical Ear Syndrome since December 2020. A bout of Labyrinthitis left me almost totally deaf in my right ear overnight. I had hearing loss and wore hearing aids at the time. It began with Silent Night which I thought was quite funny to begin with as I thought it would disappear as quickly as it came! Not so. I now hear undefined repetitive music 24/7, some of it beautiful, some of it annoying. I became very depressed, my GP was of no help, said he’d never heard of it. I am under the care of the Audiology dept at my local hospital who are wonderful and I attend hearing therapy which helps me. Some days quieter than others but if I’m stressed or in noisy environments it worsens. Most people haven’t heard of it but there is a lot of information to be found. There is a Facebook Forum called “Musical Ear Syndrome” although there appears to be quite a few people from the US on there. In the beginning I paid to see an ENT specialist (it was in the middle of Covid) and had an MRI to eliminate anything sinister. All was ok so it was a matter of learning to live with it. It is your brain realising that no sounds are going in your ear so it decides to put something there. I have always been a music lover so according to my Audiologist that’s why I have MES. Good luck with it x

[SeashellSara in reply to Beesmac]

Thanks for your support. That's very helpful to know. My ear infection has returned in the other ear so I'll be speaking to the doc on Monday. I have audiology review on Friday so I'm hoping they may be able to refer me to some specific help.

[Enort]

Yeah, have the same thing when I am just about to fall asleep. I can hear people screaming or doors slamming, and even music playing. I guess the brain tries to replicate what your ears has heard. A bit like your eyes would if you looked at the sun and then close your eyelids...you' ll still keep seeing it for a while afterwards. Don't stress.

[Geronima]

Hi SeashellSara I posted a few weeks ago on this, I really thought there weren’t many of us about as I didn’t have many replies but it’s encouraging you had a better response. I’m only 6 weeks into this, the doctors don’t seem worried, some never heard of it. Anyway I’ve got age related hearing loss and this musical tinnitus just appeared suddenly one morning when I woke up. I blamed wax but it was still there after I had my ears microsuctioned. I get a calmer tune and then a faster marching one. The good news is that the volume has gone down already, hopefully it’ll disappear but at the moment it’s manageable. I agree you feel as you are the only one! All the best x

[wednesday]

I have Tinnitus in both ears, one is just constant buzzing but the other I get music playing. Sometimes it seems like Angels singing so it's quite pleasant. I don't know why they are so different but it is what it is and I have got used to it now.

[Loveclimbing]

I sometimes hear music, mainly at night. I thought i was imagining it. It's strange because I will hear music that I haven't heard for years. I am seeing ENT next month and hope to see a tinnitus specialist soon after. I do hope there is something that can be done as it is really loud at times. Good luck on Friday x

[Speedyknitter123]

Hi SeashellSara, I sympathise with you wholeheartedly. I too have musical tinnitus, I have had it for just over a year, all the time!I thought I was the only one with this and I was going crazy!! I got such a lot of help from this forum just knowing that there are other people out there who have it too. (I still have to actually meet someone with it though) it is really weird, it’s like male voice choirs, just little bits of the same over & over again & sometimes it changes to a different tune. When I’m out walking I get treated to marching tunes, like a band playing! At night I hear a generator as well as the music which can be really annoying. I find it most distracting when I am in company & trying to have a conversation or listening to the tv. I hope your audiologist was helpful, my one was excellent. My GP had never heard of it!! I am still waiting for an ENT & neurology app. It does get easier as time goes by so all the best to you.

[SeashellSara in reply to Speedyknitter123]

Thanks. Yes it's bizarre. Maybe the marching bands are in rhythm to our heartbeats...... I was recommended a book yesterday which apparently has a chapter on the phenomenon. Musicophilia by Oliver Sacks. Good to know it gets easier thanks and all the best to you.