Connect
"The HUM", a persistent Low Frequency Noise
As I sit, writing, my left ear is filled with the Classic Hum. Both my ears used to hear it, but after an ear infection in the right ear, leaving no measurable loss of hearing as determined by yearly workplace hearing tests, I no longer hear it in the right.
Certainly, others must hear it.
My wife, largely complete loss of hearing in one ear, high frequency Tinnitus in the other, and myself, excellent hearing as tested by yearly workplace physicals, started hearing the HUM on the same day, in the same location, over a decade ago. We hear it exactly the same in a number of places separated by hundreds of miles. We have experimented by asking if the other could hear the HUM, whether in certain parts of the structure we were in (home we rented in the Country, home we owned in the City) if it was louder, quieter, or audible at all, and had an extremely high degree of concurrence.
It appears to be a real world event, not Tinnitus, but IMHO, the American Medical Community is trying to pawn it off as Tinnitus. I've seen a few references to the National Institutes of Health claiming, on flimsy questionnaires sent out, that the HUM is, indeed, Tinnitus.
My wife heard it, simultaneous to me hearing it, for a decade, I still hear it, but if you mention this to doctors, they look at you like you have snakes coming out of your head. My ENT has been sick, so my appointment with him has been delayed, he's back to work but catching up. I see the ENT due to a cancerous thyroid he removed. But recently, my right ear has been acting up. It makes a spontaneous rumbling noise that I can voluntarily reproduce. But telling this to my family doctor, that I can voluntarily make this rumbling (not the HUM) and also mentioning the HUM, since I hear it in my left ear but the right ear is acting up, on both counts, I don't think he believes me, or understands. Yet, yesterday, I found an article that says that some people have voluntary control over a muscle attached to the Tympanic Membrane. That's my voluntarily induced rumbling (not HUM).
So, there are some forms of Tinnitus, "Pulsatile Tinnitus (PT) is a symptom that affects nearly five million Americans. The sensation of hearing a rhythmic noise, such as a heartbeat, swooshing or whooshing, from no external source, is, at best, a little unsettling; for many, the near constant sound exceeds annoyance and becomes completely debilitating" that can cause noises in your hearing, but decidedly is not the HUM. I'd be interested in reading what others have to say on these experiences, if you don't feel like outing yourself, you could always say a friend of yours.......
Like
Helpful
HugInterested in more discussions like this? Go to the Hearing Loss Support Group.
Connect
I can’t ignore it and I had my hearing and ears checked and they are perfect 😬
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 ReactionYou are lucky to have 'perfect hearing'. This could still be tinnitus related as tinnitus doesn't always come with hearing loss. Unfortunately, tinnitus is still a mystery to researchers, but they are working on it. (And have been for years!)
It can be caused by stress, and of course it causes stress. Is typical stress management something you practice?
I have been hearing a low frequency hum for about 6 months now, off and on. There is no specific pattern to it, just a continuous stream of short and long deep resonating hums. It's not just that I hear it, I feel it in my head as a vibration. It is worse when I am underneath our house (large open area underneath for gathering) and worse in the one fully enclosed room that we have that is also at ground level. But I hear it in our forest as well. I have never been able to detect exactly which direction it is coming from until a few days ago. The sound was definitely louder towards our small mountain...basically when I am facing a higher ground level. I have been assuming that is a well driller or earth mover some distance away that has been vibrating/humming in my head. I live in a thick forest in Costa Rica. I am surrounded by nature. The hum is not any noise from us or our immediate neighbors (kilometers away in either direction). We do not have cell service or internet for about a kilometer away. I was still under the assumption that it was some type of drilling or excavation work until I came to the city last night. The hum is very strong here. My husband can't hear it here or at home due to his severe tinnitus.
As I write this it occurs to me that the direction of our hill, where I feel it is stronger, is also the same direction as the main (dirt) road. There has been fiber optic cable installed on the main road within the last year. And now I also remember that our only neighbor that has internet is only about 1/2 kilometer away through that same forest. Hhhhmmm...I am not saying that this is the cause, but this is the only common denominator that I can find between the two places that I am hearing it. I feel like the hum has always been with me in the city, but there is so much other chaos here that it is difficult to notice. Now that I have heard the noise in my quiet and peaceful home, I am more aware of it. I usually have to "flip a switch" when I come to the city so as not to be overwhelmed. Now I am paying better attention to the hum...as tiring as that is.
I do not feel this is any type of tinnitus as there is a definite vibration to the humming. However, I do have an old (fairly severe) neck injury that I would not rule out as being the culprit. I will keep experimenting and observing with multiple types of situations. While I may be defined as "crazy" in most circles I assure all who are reading that my sanity is far more stable than most people that I meet. I am extremely observant (when I don't "flip a switch" in order to preserve my sanity) and I learn from my observations. If someone else has more "crazy" observations to add, please speak up.
What is causing the humming? I have other theories....
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 ReactionI can hear an engine idling, but there is no truck near my house. (I live in a very quiet location in the country.) I also have tinnitus and I can hear the whooshing of my bloodstream, but the hum is a separate sound.
It went away for a couple of months last summer, but now it's back. I've heard this for about six years. I doubt any doctor can be of help. When it becomes very annoying, I deal with it by listening to music or a book on tape with my headphones. That distracts me and seems to drown it out.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 ReactionYou are not alone! No one else has been able to ear my hum so far. There is a vibration with mine as well. It was SO loud a few days ago, I thought certainly someone must be able to hear this, but both people I live with said no. Very frustrating. Good luck with yours, but I'm pretty certain it's from some outside source.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
5 ReactionsThanks! Good luck with yours as well.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 ReactionI also hear what sounds like an engine at idle. Some days I feel a resonance which is in tune with the noise. Hard to believe it’s related to hearing issues as it varies from room to room throughout the house, also if I stand outside the resonance subsides. I tend to hear the noise when I’m in populated areas.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 ReactionI am going through a similar situation now. I started hearing this machine idling/rumbling noise a couple weeks ago and thought something was wrong with my air conditioner/heater unit on the roof but even shutting the breaker off for it didn't stop the sound. Then I had 2 friends come check it out but they couldn't hear anything! I only hear the noise when the house is quiet, which is almost all the time except when I turn the TV on. No idea how I got this because I am not on any medication and I don't listen to loud music. From reading everyone's comments, it seems there is no cure and I just have to live with it.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 ReactionTwo years ago in a leased condo, I heard a high frequency hum when I passed close to one wall exiting the John. Nowhere else in the condo was this heard. The other two members of my family could not hear the sound I was hearing. I tested what I was hearing at different times day and night, always the same. I am assuming that my hearing aids sensed some electronic wiring embedded in that wall.
Now at home, I occasionally hear a hum when going to bed, having taken out my hearing aids. Daytime, if I try hard I can hear a slight hum, which I easily ignore.
I have had on and off for at least 10 years in which it sounds like machinery being used underneath the earth - it goes from constant to only during certain times of year (seasons) - I have researched sites where other people have posted of a similar occurence one woman even was reported to have committed suicide because she could no longer tolerate the noise inside her head. There is a vibration along with the noise. I have gotten so used to it that I just accept it and move on, I have been told by physicians that is goes along with your blood pressure and it is t - I have had hearing tests that have shown no abnormalities= one doctor said it is like the sound of your arteries as blood is pumped through them - it is like hearing your heart beat through a stethescope s= it is quite a mystery but I am at the point of acceptance as just an oddity = a bit comforting to know other people also experience it. My husband used to tease me that I was listening to Middle Earth and its inhabitants. All of nature gives off an electric vibrations and certain people are sensitive to its sounds
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
2 Reactions