Hearing Continuous Whistle And High Pitch Sound. What Is Causing This?

Posted on Sat, 29 Dec 2012

Question: I hear continuous whistle or some high pitch tone all the time. i can hear all the voices clearly , though,i could feel this whistling starts suddenly some time when i am working and i very well observe it as there is silence in my office. this is happening from past one month or so. please help.

Answered by Dr. Sumit Bhatti (1 hour later)

Hi,

Thank you for your query.

1.The continuous whistle / high pitch sound is known as 'Tinnitus'. Everyone experiences tinnitus sometime during their lives, even when their hearing is normal, especially when the surroundings are quiet.

2. Kindly get your ears examined to rule out blockage due to ear wax (cerumen) build-up, which is the most common cause for tinnitus. Get your blood pressure and hemoglobin levels checked. You may also get a Pure Tone Audiogram (PTA) done after that to rule out any hearing loss. Decreased hearing also makes one more aware of tinnitus. If you have a hearing loss, amplification may help mask the tinnitus.You may also get your middle ear pressure checked (Impedance Audiometry).

2. Have you been taking any medication recently? One option is to ignore the Tinnitus. Severe Tinnitus may be masked by using hearing aids. Common tinnitus therapy includes ginkgo biloba, multivitamins and antioxidants. Transtympanic steroids (dexmethasone) are of help in half the patients I treat. Tinnex (Carvoverine) injectable or capsules, is a newly launched treatment.

3. How severe is your tinnitus on a scale of 1 to 10? Is it pulsatile (matching with the heartbeat)? Do you have any other co-existing disease including, anemia, thyroid problems, increased blood lipids (such as cholesterol), cervical spondylosis, nasal problems or history of head injury? Do you have any dizziness or vertigo? Almost 99% of MRIs are normal.

There is no cure for tinnitus however in certain cases, it can be controlled. Kindly let me know the results of your investigations. This will help in suggesting further treatment.

I must emphasize that in a vast majority of patients of tinnitus, the cause is never found. However there are further treatment options.

I hope that I have answered your queries. If you have any further questions, I will be available to answer them.

Regards.

Note: Consult an experienced Otolaryngologist / ENT Specialist online for further follow up on ear, nose, and throat issues - Book a Call now.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar