It ain't Tinnitus

Posted , 4 users are following.

About two weeks ago, I've heard semi-loud buzzing in my left ear. After a week and a half, the buzzing somewhat stopped, but I've started hearing distorted sounds. Everything was normal, but the background of every sound I'd hear (music, people, traffic etc.) was distorted - I'd hear them clearly, but as if in the background there was a demonic voice speaking parallelly with the person I was talking to. My friend asked me if I'm high on something and she laughed but I'm actually really disturbed - and nobody believes what I'm hearing. To top it all off, today I started hearing my own voice vibrate and it's making my head spin and I almost fainted. Anyone ever had this issue? I've talked to several people and they all look at me as if I'm crazy, and I've got an appointment with a general practitioner tomorrow afternoon, so I hope that will clear up at least part of the issue, if not the issue as a whole.

0 likes, 10 replies

10 Replies

  • Posted

    Hello,  sounds as though you're suffering Patulous.  I sometimes experience this and to me

    it seems as though it's air pressure that's gone up the creek, un-equalised !!

    Fortunately, it doesn't happen often and goes off after a while.  My problem is Eustachian

    Tube Dysfunction (ETD) where my tubes stick together through mucus being unable to drain.

    With Patulous to tubes remain open all the time, instead of opening and closing like most

    peoles do that don't experience ear problems.

    You're not going mad as there are so many on this Forum suffering the same.

    Ask you doctor what can be done for you.  You'll probably get the answer back 'Nothing' !!

    Good Luck

    Anne

    • Posted

      Thank you so much! This reassurance will let me sleep a little better tonight. smile
    • Posted

      So glad I could be of some help.  try and stop worrying, as it will get worse.

      Tinnitus is always made worse by stress too.

      Anne

  • Posted

    Hello Young Jesus

    I had kept your entry in my Inbox as Anne suggested that what you have is a Patulous Eustachian Tube, i.e. a tube stuck in the open position,  I have this same condition but your symptoms seemed somewhat more extreme.  This could just be because I have had it for 2 1/2 years and have become resigned to living with it and the grief it brings.  When it first happens you tend to be so anxious and so stressed and the sounds are so alien and no one understands what you are hearing so the problem is magnified.  I hear my own voice 'muffled' because I am hearing it both through my ear and through the open Eustachian tube but not in synch; it is uncomfortable and wearing.  I hear my breathing, sometimes very loudly, and chewing.  I do not hear external sounds as abnormal and at this point I do not have a noticeable tinnitus (although I have had this in the past, before the PET problem).   I do have a mild hyperacusis and find loud sounds and particularly 'sharp' voices, hard to bear.  Have you received any kind of diagnosis and are you any better?

    Thinking of you, Maureen.

    • Posted

      Hello Maureen, Long time no hear.  So sorry to read that you're

      still suffering.  I think your problem is far worse than mine.

      I've had that too, where the tube stays open, most horrible

      experience.  Fortunately, it doesn't happen very often to me,

      but I definitely know how awful a condition it is.  Can't even

      pop your ears with what you have.  ETD at least I can still

      manage to pop mine.

      I'm still good, except for the odd day when my ears block.

      I then use the Flixonase just once and pop them and they

      are good for another almost week.

      Suffering bad sinus issues at the moment and absolutely

      dreading picking up the flu that's doing the rounds.

      Stay in touch Maureen

      Happy New Year

      Anne

    • Posted

      Dear Anne

      I read every message that comes up on this forum but write only when the problem is like mine.  I read all your messages and think how very kind you are, how very caring.  I don't know that my problem is worse than yours; at least it goes away when I lie down and there is no physical pain.  I have worse things to bear as I have a long-standing and therefore well advanced autoimmune disease, Sjogren's Syndrome, have very significant, disabling and painful back problems plus the usual arthritic problems that come with advancing years etc etc.  Thus this ear problem almost fades into insignificance. 

      I would like you to know that I appreciate your messages not only because you help other people but because I live alone with no family within 1000 kilometres and reading your messages is like reading  messages from an old friend.  I am comforted knowing you are there, even if you are on the other side of the world.

      A happy New Year to you also.  We seem to be having a few circulating viruses here even though it is our summer.  Two days ago it reached 42oC in Melbourne - very hot, but not as bad as Sydney yesterday where it was about 45oC and your poor old English cricketers were battling it out in the middle of the Sydney Cricket Ground!  I have a very soft spot for all things English (in the genes)!

      I will talk with you again Anne, I'm sure.  I do hope you can avoid the colds and flu and everything else that stirs up your ETD problems this winter. 

      Warm wishes, Maureen

    • Posted

      Hello again Maureen,

      That was a really lovely reply, so much appreciated.

      Lonliness is a miserable thing, not having people

      around you must be awful.

      I'm on Face Book if you're too, we could friend

      each other.

      Sorry to here of your autoimmune disorder.  I

      won't complain again after ready your story.

      If you'd like to friend me my name is:

      Anne Westover.

      We can then speak privately.

      My friend will be going off to Oz very soon to

      visit her sister, who I think also lives in Melbourne.

      I have relatives out there too.

      Warm wishes back to you

      Anne

    • Posted

      Forgot to mention.  I friended another lady on f/b a year ago from the

      Forum.  She lives in the North of England, while I live in the South.

      We chat a lot with each other on f/b

      Anne

    • Posted

      Hello Anne

      Thank you for your warm wishes.  Yes, loneliness is miserable; thank you for understanding.  You seem a most empathetic person.  I am not on Facebook; I have always been wary of social media, thinking I am safer staying away from it.  If anything would tempt me to join, it is your offer but I will have to learn about it first and the necessary safeguards.  It all seems too hard at the moment but I will have better days and I will keep your name with me.

      Till we talk again, go gently.

      Maureen  

    • Posted

      Morning Maureen,   Ha ha, you sound just like I did in 2010....that's when I first became computer

      literate.  My daughter and husband kept nagging me to buy a laptop to enable me to

      connect to the outside World.  Well, at least to be able to chat (privately) to my neices

      who live in the US.  You don't have to write anything you don't want to, you can use

      face book to just browse.  However, say if you wanted to talk with me privately, that

      can happen too.  Social Media is a good thing if it's used properly and for people that

      are lonely it's a brilliant thing.  I don't have the internet on my 'phone, it's just a regular

      one for making, answering and texting.  Because of my eye sight I prefer to have big

      keys to type.  I used to be a typist many years ago, so can type quickly.

      Even on this Forum it doesn't have to be public, we can both send private messaging.

      I've had several people do that with me.

      Thank you for your kind words and I do my best to be a good and kind person and

      always try and help someone worse off than myself.  We all have our faults and no

      one is perfect, but being kind and compassionate costs nothing.

      That's why I was so upset with a woman in the US that sent me a public message 

      last year saying I keep going on and on about a certain medication and was I a

      distributor for it and thought the Forum should prevent me from writing about it.

      and take me off the Forum.  I told her that if that was the case, the Forum would

      have done that, as all our posts are looked at.

      I couldn't believe what I was ready, what a nasty person !!  I bang on and on

      about what has helped me in the hope other people may find it would help the

      too.  Sadly, not all countries are able to get the medication we can over here in

      England and Visa Versa for us over here.

      You take care Maureen.  You sound such a lovely lady.

      Kind wishes

      Anne

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.