Is this tinnitus?

[GoddessOfGuinness]

Years ago I noticed, when we had a hamster, that his squeaky wheel would set off a weird spasm-like reaction in my left ear. Since then, I find that certain very high pitches like that will produce this same annoying result. It sounds and feels like something rattling inside my ear.

Today, however, I woke up with this odd sensation, and there didn't seem to be any reason for it. There were birds singing, but the song didn't seem to be the cause of the ear-spazz.

Could this be tinnitus? My mother and older brother both have it; but they describe it as a ringing or a buzzing. It doesn't sound like the same thing exactly...

[BostonTeaParty04]

1. tinnitus is a definite RING..............

I get it sometimes when I am under extreme emotional distress. It can last a day or so. Will drive a person bonkers...

I think there is something in yer head!!! Get someone to look! (kidding.... I hope it gets resolved soon for you)

[KissMyAsscroft]

2. You know how your ears ring after you get out of a loud concert?

It's like that, but it doesn't go away...I have it a little bit in my left ear but it's gotten better over time. I'm a drummer and always had that loud ass high hat crashing in my ears..

Gotta protect your ears! Always wear ear plugs at shows, doesn't make you a wuss, as all musicians you love use them onstage.

Only get one pair...take care of them.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

7. I keep several pairs in my fiddle case...

Sitting right in front of a full brass or percussion section can be as damaging as a rock concert. And if you've ever heard the 1812 Overture with real cannon accompanying, you know what I mean! :-)

[sam sarrha]

3. does your family with the tinnitus.. have premature 'white' hair and

early hearing loss...??? That is a symptom of a deficiency of elemental tin... a dietary trace element...

actually i understand tinnitus is a ringing in the ear/s.. like a sustained bell.. mine was a high pitch.. no varation

[Enraged_Ape]

4. I thought tinnitus was just a persistent ringing or buzzing in the ear

It sounds like you have something similar to what I have, which is something where certain frequencies set off a painful spasmodic rattling in my ear. Believe it or not, Whitney Houston sings in this precise range, which is only one reason why I can't stand to listen to her.

[sam sarrha]

5. actually that sounds like a problem with the Cochlea.. or the drum

[GoddessOfGuinness]

8. That sounds exactly like this...

but I don't understand why it's periodically rattling today with no signs of that "annoying" frequency present.

Is it possible that my ears could be bothered by a frequency that I can't actually hear?

Is there anything you can do other than avoiding those frequencies?

[Enraged_Ape]

12. I don't think there's anything you can do about it

I just avoid Whitney Houston and any other sounds that set mine off. And always, ALWAYS, wear earplugs at rock concerts, etc.

As the other poster said, it could have something to do with the inner ear or the eardrum itself. Maybe it gets worse if you have a blocked Eustachian tube. Are you having really bad allergies of late?

Probably the best, easiest (if not necessarily the cheapest) thing to do would be to see an ear-nose-&-throat doc if it's really concerning you.

[mmm]

6. How's your blood pressure?

Tinnitus can be caused by high blood pressure.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

9. Never had a b/p problem...

If anything, it's usually on the low side.

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

10. I've had tinnitus for years

For me it's a high frequency tone that I can usually tune out and ignore. It gets much worse when I take asprin (or Ultram, which is asprin-based). When I want to listen to music (which is always) it helps to cut through the noise by wearing headphones.

[theoceansnerves]

11. i've had tinnitus for a long time

in both ears. it's constantly there, it doesn't come or go or involve spasms. it can be perceivably worse or better depending on the situation (if i sit in a quiet room and concentrate on it, it will basically drive me mad..but if i don't think about it during the day, outside or whatever, it's unnoticeable.) i've read it can be high pitched or sometimes sound like waves crashing. mine is high pitched and steady.