Hi doctor, I am a 69 year old retired internist. I am not taking any regular medication other than Aspirin 325 mg. I have no known allergies and have never smoked. I do not have any medical history of thyroid disease, autoimmune diseases or Paget's disease. Around four to five weeks back, I noted the onset of an intermittent, occasional episode of either a high-pitched ringing sound in the right ear or low-pitched humming in the left ear. I do not recall if they occurred at the same time although they might have. Each episode lasted for 10 to 20 seconds before abating spontaneously. There was no associated vertigo or hearing changes. Last evening, I noted the onset of the ringing noise in the right ear remained for 20 seconds; as it began to abate; the lower pitched humming noise began in the left ear and has remained since. This was associated with a sensation of fullness, pressure and slight muffled hearing in my left ear. The humming is constant and non-pulsatile. It is not positional and there is no vertigo. I do have a history of TMJ disorder and it seems that when I open my jaw fully, the noise increases in volume. I also noted last evening when I yawned deeply, the right ear ringing noise appeared for a few seconds. At times, the humming noise reduces in intensity spontaneously for a few seconds. This morning, I also noted some fullness in my right ear with a crackling noise when swallowing. I recently had an acute sinusitis that resolved after five weeks, although there was no ear involvement. I have been under stress and have not been sleeping well. I have checked my blood pressure at various times during this episode; all results are quite normal. I had a complete physical examination two weeks ago with full blood panels; all were quite normal. Please help.
Hello. What you are suffering from is known as tinnitus. It is not a disease itself rather a symptom due to various underlying causes like age related, hypertension, impacted wax, fluid in middle ear, patulous eustachian tube, TMJD (temperomandibular joint disorder), hyperthyroidism, etc. But, as you have mentioned you are not suffering from any hearing loss, vertigo and your blood pressure is also within normal limit and considering the characteristics of tinnitus it is mostly due to eustachian tube defect. Aspirin intake also causes and aggravates tinnitus. So, first do not worry and do a valsalva maneuver 20 to 30 times a day. The procedure of which you can get in YouTube. Then take steam three times a day. Get a PTA (pure tone audiometry) and a tympanogram. 1. PTA. 2.Tympanogram. ETD (eustachian tube dysfunction). 1. Valsalva maneuver. 2. Steam inhalation. 3. Mecobalamin (Methylcobalamin) 1.5 mg once daily. 4. Ginkgo biloba, one capsule once a day. Revert back with the investigation reports to an ENT otolaryngologist online.--->