Low frequency tinnnitus on and off

[MattyP101]

Does anyone else have fullness in the ear accompanying tinnitus? I have a high frequency constant tinnitus in my right ear which I manage however in recent months I’ve been getting a low level hum in my left ear but also a feeling of bunged up(though I know it’s not wax as had checked)

What is strange is this left ear issue comes and goes I.e one week absolutely fine then suddenly comes on for a few days then goes again, would be interested to know if anyone else has a similar situation?

FYI an ent specialist had ruled out hearing loss and awaiting feedback on an MRI too but a bit worried it’ll come back with nothing then I don’t know how to resolve!

[bridgeit]

Hi Matty,

Fingers crossed that your MRI shows there's nothing seriously amiss.

Assuming that's the case, based on my personal experience (not medical training) here's some ideas for you to ponder, over a coffee and cake.

In no particular order of precedence:

R sided eustachian tube dysfunction/infection, emerging TMJ misalignment (the jaw gradually moves forward as we age), wisdom tooth problem, sinus infection, tonsillitis, R sided musculoskeletal neck/shoulder constriction*, cervical spondylosis* and an outside chance of an emerging right-sided internal jugular vein outflow obstruction*, though you would probably have other interesting symptoms with that. This list is not exhaustive, just some of what I've explored in the past and/or been examined/treated for.

Good luck with your search for an answer and, if you feel it's necessary*, in finding a GP engaged enough to refer you to an appropriate specialism!

[MattyP101]

Thanks - would mri and or specialist be able to diagnose any of those? I’m just not sure what is causing it and of course treatments would be great!

[bridgeit in reply to MattyP101]

Hi Matty,

I think your tinnitus is interesting because it comes and goes with a side symptom of ear 'fullness'. Most I think experience tinnitus as a constant noise that can increase or decrease in volume, but one that doesn't usually go away for a few days or manifest alongside other physical symptoms.

It's a long road to try and find out what's causing tinnitus and often it's a dead end. Nonetheless, what you might think about doing is starting such a quest with a few easy options and taking it from there.

Please do bear in mind that most of us on this forum never find a reason or a fix for our head noise, whether we've had thorough and extensive examinations or not. At some point, you may have to accept, as do many of us, that you have a peculiar kind of tinnitus with no known cause that needs managing, but cannot be fixed.

That said, to test eustachian tube blockage, pinch your nose and swallow hard a couple of times. You can swallow some water if that helps. This should generate pops and clicks (opening) of both R & L tubes. If this is a painful sensation each time on the R side, or you almost go deaf on that side for quite a while afterwards, then it's worth having a word with your ENT specialist who's ordered your MRI to check that they've ruled out possible tube infection or dysfunction. Don't be nervous about asking.

Sinus blockage/infection can also cause a sense of fullness, pain across the eyes and forehead and the sides of the nose. Youtube has some interesting massage techniques to help clear blocked sinuses. Nasal sprays such as Sterimar's 'breathe easy' daily can help clean nasal passages out. Decongestants can help, such as a few drops of olbas oil on a pillow overnight, and in steam inhaled over a bowl of hot water + towel over head for 10 mins each morning (old fashioned, effective clearance method), or medication like Sudafed decongestant (speak to a pharmacist first). Keep your eyes closed if steaming.

TMJ alignment and wisdom tooth troubles are easily and best checked and ruled out by a dentist and/or orthodontist, this might involve X-rays to check the status of the roots of your wisdoms - and to see if they're on the move. Wisdom tooth removal has also been known to trigger tinnitus.

A GP is best placed to diagnose tonsillitis or other throat infection and advise treatment, which could range from rest to regular salt water gargles to anti-biotics dependent upon whether it's viral or bacterial.

Musculoskeletal constriction of the neck/head can be identified by a qualified physiotherapist either through a private consultation (about £60), or an NHS referral which might involve a very long wait. Exercises are generally advised if constriction is present. The physio is the best person to advise. If tight muscles are the sole cause of tinnitus, easing the constriction might help with it. That's a BIG if, so please do manage your expectations regarding likely success.

Signs of cervical spondylosis (neck arthritis) should be identifiable by your GP asking a few pointed questions. They might or might not examine your neck. If thought necessary, they'll refer you to a rheumatology clinic. The clinic might take an X-ray, but I've been told the condition often requires no treatment as such (beyond special exercises) unless it's interfering with nerve function. Even so, cervical arthritis can suddenly trigger tinnitus. If this is the cause, it's one where you'll very likely need to learn to accept and manage the tinnitus.

IJV obstruction is the tricky one. That can only be identified by referral to a neurosurgeon, who can order a special MRI/venogram to check the status of blood flow in your head. Symptoms associated with an obstruction can include tinnitus and a sense of head 'fullness', but there are a range of other incredibly debilitating symptoms that a GP might expect to see before they'll refer. Be warned, most GPs will be out of their comfort zone when it comes to suspecting this condition. On the bright side, it's a remote rather than likely possibility.

One other thing: many drugs are known to be ototoxic and can trigger/heighten tinnitus. If you're taking any kind of tablets, especially on an on/off basis, you might like to think about a causal relationship between that and on/off tinnitus. Here's a list of drugs for reference (not exhaustive) and it's very long: ata.org/sites/default/files...

So, good luck with working through some of that and I really do hope that yours is both a temporary condition and an easy one to identify through a process of elimination.

As I've already said though, do be prepared for a nil result regarding a tinnitus fix.

[MattyP101 in reply to bridgeit]

Thanks for the support - I don’t think it’s any of those and my MRI came back totally fine which is both good and bad, good in that there is no serious issue but bad seeing ad there’s no direct cause thus treatment. My ent specialist has suggested a low salt diet to see if that helps and I might cut out alcohol for a while to see if that helps but it does seem to be no route cause so hopefully it sorts itself out or I Learn coping techniques which reading these forums seems like a way to deal with tinnitus long term

[Finnitus]

I would ask if you have had your ear canals checked for hair overgrowth.

In the absence of no wax, this does pose a question of which I personally

can't answer, other than I did experience the fullness as you describe and

it was attributed to wax which was encouraged by an excess of hair in the

canal. I had both ears syringed and bought a battery appliance to trim the

ear hair. When you say fullness, I am assuming you mean akin to water

logged ears after swimming.

Tinnitus will get louder after Alcohol, Coffee, Tea or sleeping in airless rooms

which are over heated.

I also notice that if I mow the lawn and use Ear Muffs, my Tinnitus increases

afterwards, for a few hours and goes back to normal.

Ps.

It might be a good idea to have your ears syringed, again I am assuming you

have not had this done because someone looked in your ears and told you

it was not a wax problem, the fullness I refer to.

Ps x 2

I was told that one puts a small spacer under the head end legs of the bed,

it will reduce the flow of blood to the ear and quieten the Tinnitus. How

much of a spacer ? Just the thickness of a CD case is sufficient to take the

bed off level.

Ok Matty, good luck with it.