Vibration/Tinnitus

[tbirdwilson]

I've been experiencing intermittent low frequency vibration/humming (think light saber) in my right ear for several weeks. I hear it mostly when I'm in a quiet room in the mornings and evenings. It is generally completely drowned out by wind and outside noises. I've done quite a bit of research, and there seems to be a number of potential causes. Eustation Tube Dysfunction. Sinus issues. TMJ. Idiopathic Tinnitus. Would be interested to hear from other CPAP users who have experienced this kind of tinnitus or humming sound. What I do know is that my hearing checks out, as I went to an audiologist and ENT. But overall, they were pretty useless.

CPAP has been working well for me, and I'm in my 9th month. But I'm concerned that it may be causing or contributing to this tinnitus. Anyone else have experiences with tinnitus that coincided with CPAP use?

[bonjour]

Not associated with CPAP but I have it constantly, both ears and at a much higher pitch with a good amount of volume.

[avi123]

What have the audiologist and the ENT say about it.
In this forum there are several posts about Tinnitus, ringing in the ears. Let me locate them and come back.

Check this:

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=79019&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&hilit=tinnitus

If it is low frequency below 60 hertz I then doubt it that it is Tinnitus. You can check at the AudioNotch website. Can you describe what frequency and volume is similar to the SABER that you mention:

http://www.audionotch.com/app/tune/

[LSAT]

I've had tinnitus in both ears for 20 years. CPAP has not made it better or worse.

[tbirdwilson]

The audiologist showed me my frequency readout and my hearing is still "normal." The ENT just sorta shrugged. He thinks maybe my allergies and stuffiness combined with CPAP pressure caused fluid to go up into my eustation tubes, or some kind of inflammation that is affecting them. But he was unable to say why this is producing a rhythmic, low, diesel truck hum in my right ear.

I see that lots of people have experienced these exact symptoms on various forums, and only a few have alluded to sleep apnea or CPAP. So clearly it can have various origins.

I have had high pitched tinnitus for years, and that has remained unchanged.

[zeeclass]

I've had tinnitus (a high-pitched buzzing) in my ears for over 10 years, and that pre-dates my use of a CPAP. I don't think that my CPAP has made my Tinnitus worse, but it does put pressure on the sinuses and thus the Eustachian tubes, so you never know.

Recently, I additionally developed a low humming, similar to hearing a truck idling outside, or a washing machine in spin cycle in the next room. It developed out of the blue this year.

After dealing with it for several months, I decided to get it checked out. I went to my ENT, who cleaned a bit of wax out of my ears. That didn't really help the humming or buzzing. She suggested that I get a hearing test. I had a hearing test about 10 years ago, when the buzz got extremely loud after I got off of Zoloft. My hearing at the time was normal for my age (slight decrease in the high range). The doctor said that coming off Zoloft could have caused the increase in buzzing, so give it a few more weeks to subside. Turns out, he was right; the buzzing got quieter a few weeks later.

Fast forward to this week, when I had my next hearing test because of the humming that had developed. I was extremely dismayed to find out that I now have mild to moderate hearing loss (a bit worse in the right ear).

The pattern suggested a Meniere's Disease problem, but I do not have any vertigo. In the absence of vertigo, she diagnosed me with Endolymphatic Hydrops, which is a fancy name for fluid in the inner ear.

I am going for a more extensive and accurate hearing test next week. The doctor doesn't think that the results will be much different.

She advised me to stay away from caffeine and lower my salt intake. She explained that Hydrops is essentially too much fluid in the inner ear. She prescribed a diuretic pill (which I won't try until after the next hearing test). I've been looking around the web and have found that people with Tinnitus do say that cutting down on their salt intake helps. I have never watched my salt, so I've added it to the things I monitor on MyFitnessPal (trying to lose 15 pounds, so watching my calories). I know that sometimes the Tinnitus seems worse "for no apparent reason." Perhaps high salt intake that day or the day before is the reason -- time will tell.

As for caffeine -- I don't really drink it because stimulants of any type cause me extreme anxiety. The only caffeine I may get is a bit with chocolate, and I don't eat that much of it, anyway.

Tinnitus really sucks. My mother, who is almost 95, has profound hearing loss and can't hear for beans despite having new hearing aids. The doctor explained to me that if my hearing gets a little worse, I may want to get hearing aids (I REALLY didn't like hearing that....I'm only 56 years old!) But she explained that if you wait too long to get them, the nerves that perceive hearing will degrade over time, and the hearing aids will actually not work very well. I think this is what happened to my mother. She didn't get hearing aids until she was in her late 70s (mainly for financial reasons). And then, even when she got them, she still didn't hear very well. She lives across the country from me, and talking to her on the phone is almost impossible, despite having a super duper loud phone for people who are hard of hearing. I'm thinking of getting her one of those TTY devices.

Anyway, the prospect of becoming like my mother horrifies me. The doctor doesn't know whether perhaps this is genetic/herditary, or may be a result of my Hashimoto's Thyroiditis (auto-immune thyroid disease, which is in check with daily Synthroid). I want through menopause a year and a half ago, and asked the doctor whether that may add to this. She wasn't sure, but said that it's possible, because hormones can affect so many things.

I hope that all of this information helps.

[avi123]

Listen to Dr Beck on it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30pNR6R ... e=youtu.be

[Okie bipap]

The doctor explained to me that if my hearing gets a little worse, I may want to get hearing aids (I REALLY didn't like hearing that....I'm only 56 years old!)

When I was discharged from the military at age 42 I was told I would need hearing aids in the not too distant future. I got them five years later and have had then ever since. Some studies show a correlation between untreated hearing loss and later mental problems such as dementia. I've had them so long, I feel lost if I don't have them in. The newer hearing aids will help counter the high pitched buzzing associated with tinnitus.

[tbirdwilson]

Thanks for the info. zeeclass. I've wondered about Hydrops myself. When I bend down to pick something up, I've recently had that feeling of "rushing" in my head, like there's fluid moving. Anyway, sorry about your larger hearing troubles. I will try to limit salt for a while and see if it helps.

I'm honestly nervous about continuing on CPAP with this vibration/hum symptom, even though I can't really conclude that it contributed to it. I have tried a few days without it, but it hasn't made a difference yet. And I certainly want to continue with CPAP over the long haul.

[Goofproof]

Thanks for the info. zeeclass. I've wondered about Hydrops myself. When I bend down to pick something up, I've recently had that feeling of "rushing" in my head, like there's fluid moving. Anyway, sorry about your larger hearing troubles. I will try to limit salt for a while and see if it helps.

I'm honestly nervous about continuing on CPAP with this vibration/hum symptom, even though I can't really conclude that it contributed to it. I have tried a few days without it, but it hasn't made a difference yet. And I certainly want to continue with CPAP over the long haul.

The lower your head in relation to your body, the higher the blood pressure in your head. Much of the noise you hear in your head is blood flow, discounting you hearing voices or your dog telling you to kill.

I have lived most of my life hearing the locusts song, it's 10 degrees outside, I still hear them, it's nothing to do with XPAP. Actually it's better using XPAP, my ears plug, I then get some quiet. Jim

[chunkyfrog]

I started wearing a hearing aid because of my tinnitus,
which I was told was related to uncorrected hearing loss.
The hearing aid helps a great deal.

[Goofproof]

I've been experiencing intermittent low frequency vibration/humming (think light saber) in my right ear for several weeks. I hear it mostly when I'm in a quiet room in the mornings and evenings. It is generally completely drowned out by wind and outside noises. I've done quite a bit of research, and there seems to be a number of potential causes. Eustation Tube Dysfunction. Sinus issues. TMJ. Idiopathic Tinnitus. Would be interested to hear from other CPAP users who have experienced this kind of tinnitus or humming sound. What I do know is that my hearing checks out, as I went to an audiologist and ENT. But overall, they were pretty useless.

CPAP has been working well for me, and I'm in my 9th month. But I'm concerned that it may be causing or contributing to this tinnitus. Anyone else have experiences with tinnitus that coincided with CPAP use?

I carry a small mirror with me, I don't want Luke's Father to sneak up on me, I fear Light Sabers, Also his voice is creepy. Jim

[49er]

Thanks to previously being on psych meds, I have had tinnitus for several years. Like LSAT previously mentioned, being on pap therapy has not made it worse or improved things.

49er

[DreamStalker]

I've had tinnitus ever since I went to a Ted Nugent concert back in the late 1970's ... I think I sat too close to the loudspeaker system.

Anyway, my CPAP therapy has had no effect on it though I have noticed that the loudness intensifies when my blood pressure goes up and becomes almost gone after meditation or during very calm and relaxed moments.

[egzbuen]

I've been wanting to start a thread about this and stumbled upon this thread.

I started CPAP last July .

Around March of this year, I had BBPV. It went away after 2 weeks and recurred sometime in June.

Come now September 2016. Started developing several symptoms such as difficulty in hearing, buzzing ears and fullness of the ears. I had 4 different hearing tests which I all passed. I went to 4 ENTS and 3 of then say it's most likely meniere. There is no way to confirm if it is meniere but based on imperical data, I most likely have it.

So, based on the experiences posted in this thread, cpap use has no connection whatsoever with tinnitus and perhaps meniere.

For now, I've been told to stay away from Salt, chocolates and other possible triggers. For the past month and a half, the effects of this ear issue has debilitated me.

However, needless to state, sleeping with cpap has been the greatest for me so far. It's just sad that I am currently fighting this ear problem/issue

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