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What Causes A Buzzing Sound In The Left Ear?
Question: Good day,
What could be the cause a humming or buzzing sound in my left ear? It is particularly louder when I am in a very quiet place. Additionally:
1. About 4 years ago I realized that the vision in my left eye was blurry (I can only see words and objects that are about 5-6 inches from my face clearly; anything further is blurry). I have been to an ophthalmologist and they still cannot identify the cause for this. My right eye however has 20/20 vision.
2. Whenever I laugh a lot, a specific part of the lower left side of the back of my head (approx. 4 inches from the base of my neck and 3 inches from my left ear) hurts. The same exact spot hurts all the time if there is excessive laughter. Whenever it starts to pain, I have to stop laughing immediately in order for it to stop; it stops fairly soon, within a minute.
What causes all of these things? Are these all related as they are all affecting the left side of my body? Thanks in advance.
What could be the cause a humming or buzzing sound in my left ear? It is particularly louder when I am in a very quiet place. Additionally:
1. About 4 years ago I realized that the vision in my left eye was blurry (I can only see words and objects that are about 5-6 inches from my face clearly; anything further is blurry). I have been to an ophthalmologist and they still cannot identify the cause for this. My right eye however has 20/20 vision.
2. Whenever I laugh a lot, a specific part of the lower left side of the back of my head (approx. 4 inches from the base of my neck and 3 inches from my left ear) hurts. The same exact spot hurts all the time if there is excessive laughter. Whenever it starts to pain, I have to stop laughing immediately in order for it to stop; it stops fairly soon, within a minute.
What causes all of these things? Are these all related as they are all affecting the left side of my body? Thanks in advance.
Brief Answer:
Read below.
Detailed Answer:
I read your question carefully and I understand your concern.
Regarding the question on whether those 3 phenomena are related to each other I do not think it very likely, at least not due to a single lesion as the brain areas responsible for vision and those for hearing are separate.
As for that pain during laughter, it doesn't look related to any brain disorder as they do not cause such localized pain, but more widespread, would have other symptoms and not related to laughter, I would attribute it to muscle contraction or to a psychological origin.
It is not clear whether you have had any tests for that vision loss. In a young person with loss of vision I would say a brain MRI would be advisable to exclude possible causes such as multiple sclerosis or a tumor.
As for the tinnitus (the sound in the ear) that can have many causes, starting with an infection of the middle ear, disorders of the middle ear like Meniere disease or endolymphatic hydrops (build up of fluid in inner ear) or even brain lesions such as tumors involving the acoustic (hearing) nerve. So you should get it checked for infection signs and if nothing is found again an MRI would be advisable to exclude brain lesions (apart from exploring the vision issue as well).
I remain at your disposal for other questions.
Read below.
Detailed Answer:
I read your question carefully and I understand your concern.
Regarding the question on whether those 3 phenomena are related to each other I do not think it very likely, at least not due to a single lesion as the brain areas responsible for vision and those for hearing are separate.
As for that pain during laughter, it doesn't look related to any brain disorder as they do not cause such localized pain, but more widespread, would have other symptoms and not related to laughter, I would attribute it to muscle contraction or to a psychological origin.
It is not clear whether you have had any tests for that vision loss. In a young person with loss of vision I would say a brain MRI would be advisable to exclude possible causes such as multiple sclerosis or a tumor.
As for the tinnitus (the sound in the ear) that can have many causes, starting with an infection of the middle ear, disorders of the middle ear like Meniere disease or endolymphatic hydrops (build up of fluid in inner ear) or even brain lesions such as tumors involving the acoustic (hearing) nerve. So you should get it checked for infection signs and if nothing is found again an MRI would be advisable to exclude brain lesions (apart from exploring the vision issue as well).
I remain at your disposal for other questions.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Hi,
Thank you very much for your response. I will take your advice and get my ear checked out.
As it relates to my left eye, they have taken pictures and ran other tests however no clear reason for this condition has been found. It was even suggested that it might be macular degeneration however, they found that strange as I was about 24 years old when I realized that my left eye sight was blurry.
Thanks again.
Thank you very much for your response. I will take your advice and get my ear checked out.
As it relates to my left eye, they have taken pictures and ran other tests however no clear reason for this condition has been found. It was even suggested that it might be macular degeneration however, they found that strange as I was about 24 years old when I realized that my left eye sight was blurry.
Thanks again.
Brief Answer:
Read below.
Detailed Answer:
Thank you for the additional information. It is good that you have had imaging tests at that time, makes the possibility of a brain lesion even less likely. Macular degeneration is unlikely as you have been told yourself.
Hopefully the ear issue will be pinpointed by the exam.
Wishing you good health.
Read below.
Detailed Answer:
Thank you for the additional information. It is good that you have had imaging tests at that time, makes the possibility of a brain lesion even less likely. Macular degeneration is unlikely as you have been told yourself.
Hopefully the ear issue will be pinpointed by the exam.
Wishing you good health.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thank you very much.
Take Care.
Take Care.
Brief Answer:
Thank you.
Detailed Answer:
Hope you get better soon.
Thank you.
Detailed Answer:
Hope you get better soon.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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