Question: Hello, I understand from my prime physician I'm about to describe a form of subjective tinnitus (S.T.). I realize if that's accurate there is no known cure. My question, if you agree I'm describing a form of S.T., is its nature require sub-specialist training to help with managing the symptoms? I ask because I've never heard anyone else describe it quite like I have. BTW I am a 74 yo male, in good health. Have been on low level statin treatments for cholesterol. By my Dr's direction, I am in a brief hiatus from the statin because of muscle stiffness affecting my sleep. At my annual physical last week, a slightly elevated thyroid reading was noticed. We will recheck that reading about 4 weeks after my hiatus from the statin is complete. I'm taking OTC Calcium and D-3. No other meds on a regular basis. Occasional pain pill, occasional decongestant for allergies. Occasional= 1 at a particular night. Not both on the same day.
The sound is like a buzz, but not a constant buzz. Rather an external sound triggers a proportionally loud buzzing. Eg: No sound, no discernable buzz. The external sound is always "heard" louder than the buzz. At light-volume conversational levels, the buzz is hardly noticeable. At my church, with many voices singing the buzz becomes annoying. If music is very loud, at times the buzz could range from distracting to shy-of- "painful".
This type of buzz imitated suddenly,last year. I noticed it immediately at the end of an ear wax removal session at an Otolaryngologist's office. He used a suction device to remove loose fragments from the hairy jungle inside my ears. I could hear or sense fragments passing out of my ear, sometimes hitting or bouncing off (?? hairs or skin within ??) the inside. The suction technique had been used in previous visits without ill effects, and had been used several times that day without noticeable change to my hearing. But on the last suction, the change occurred immediately after a "pop" sound. No physical rupture was found by a subsequent ear examination. At the time, the buzzing was stronger then than today, except for very soft conversation (which hasn't registered then or now). The buzz is only my right ear, where the suction was being applied.
A few audio tests were performed (voice, pressure, tones), not revealing any objective difference, BUT the voice and tone tests were at relatively low volumes, thus not triggering the buzz.
Is there a clinical name for this type of tinnitus, if it is tinnitus?
Note I have two other levels of tinnitus, existing now and prior to the above version. The first was a faint, high pitch - it began decades ago. The second is more like the sound of cicadas. Often I don't "notice" the "cicadas". Since the latter's onset, I haven't noticed the first. Maybe the first is being masked by or has morphed to louder "cicadas". That sound is neither 100% steady nor as a cyclical wave - more like minor, random variances of intensity. These first two sounds were or are in both ears.
--- Thanks for considering all I've said.

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