Annoying ear problem

EDIT : Before you read on, I just wanted to explain, although it is a sort of noise, it is also such a low bass hum that it could be excused as a audible rumble or twitch with pressure. Sometimes it feels my ear will explode as the noise and pressure builds.  

Since 2002 my left ear has had some kind of odd noise problem. I keep suffering from a humming sound, can be very loud, sort of a low bass drone like "mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm" as though a car is running right by my ear, or a generator etc etc. Sometimes it never pauses, other times it is more mmmm_mmm_mmmm____mmmm" like a morse code drone. Now normally I would put it down to tinnitus, but it seems to come and go with severity, with no clue or reason as to why, and I can actually stop the noise if I use a ear plug that fully fits my ear hole and is quite thick. But I can go anywhere in my house and the noise can be as loud as outside, so I have no idea how this works. I would of thought closing a double glased window would shut some of the sound out, but it is just as loud as if open.

It is only my left ear that is affected. Today it has been the worse ever with me hearing it even over my loud air-con system.. The other odd thing is I can hear it many miles from my home, which I guess means it can't be a noise near-by where I live. To me it sounds like an external noise that only my left ear picks up, but I have no idea how this can be given how intense it is and the fact I can drive 5 miles away and still hear it. Oddly though I can go places and also not hear it, which leaves me even more confused.

I have run out of ear plugs and didn't get any sleep last night due to the noise (tissues and cotton wool doesn't stop it, only a proper plug that expands to fit the ear hole), so I apologise if my message is incoherent. I am also suffering a real bad cold, so I am unsure if this may be the cause of why it is so unusally bad today.

I have been to see an ENT who did a hearing test, but the noise wasn't present that day so obviously I passed ok. All he suggested was white noise, which I use, but I really want to get to the bottom of why I can stop my ear noise when you normally can't with tinnitus and does this likely mean I can cure it. Or is the noise very quiet within my ear, but is enough to cause my ear canal to vibrate, which using the plug stops. Or could it even be a problem with certain noises.

I don't know where I belong, like is it tinnitus, is it me, is it my ear, my blood, external noise, etc etc. I am very lost. After my visit to the ENT that was it, no follow up. This was when it started 5 years ago, has anything progressed with treatment since then ?

Thanks for any advice.

[Wear/a/Jimmy]

As you said, your message is incoherent.

No ofrense intended, but you may want to seek psychological help. Really acoustically, your symptoms do not add up.

An ear plug, would only make tinnitus worse, being in silence for tinnitus sufferes is one of the worst situations they can be in.

The fact that you do not hear the noise in other areas, is a common statement from tinnitus sufferes

IE: "I don't hear the tinnitus in noisy invironments."  If that is your situation then that indicates tinnitus, but you also say you "plug your ear hole" and the noise is gone.  That does not indicate tinnitus.

Low frequency tinnitus is associated with menieres disease (sp) But you say your have normal hearing, and you do not complain of dizziness.

So in a nut shell, I have no idea, and I am thinking you may want to try working with a psychaitrist. Maybe they may have some answers.

[Wear/a/Jimmy]

On the lines of this, I did work with a woman that "Heard voices, and she wore hearing aids to drown out the voices." Yes, she was also under psyciatric care.

[yehright]

I hear a low hum as well in my right ear.. its more like a vibration than a sound .
If it were a sound it would be massively loud.
I dont think  the problem is physical or psychological  since i only hear it in certain places.. Unfortunatly one of the places I hear it the loudest is in my home and in my car when its parked at home. Im determined to get to the bottom of this to the point of using a seismograph to determine if it is or isn't emanating from the ground.
I cant afford to move.. i just want it to go away so I dont have to make excuses of why Im sleeping everywhere else than my own home.

[hava]

The Yoga Pranayam (breathing exercises) will  help with ear hum problem.The effect is gradual , so allow a few weeks, to strat to feel the benefit.
Build up your timing gradually. If you feel tired or dizzy, stop and resume after 1 minute.

Anulom Vilom –
Close your right nostril with thumb and deep breath-in through left nostril  
then – close left nostril with two fingers and breath-out through right nostril  
then -keeping the left nostril closed  deep breath-in through right nostril
then - close your right nostril with thumb and breath-out through left nostril.
This is one cycle of anulom vilom.
Repeat this cycle for 20 to 30  minutes twice a day.
You can do this before breakfast/lunch/dinner or before bedtime or in bed.Remember to take deep long breaths into the lungs.You can do this while sitting on floor or chair or lying in bed.

Bhramri Pranayam -Close eyes. Close ears with thumb, index finger on forehead, and rest three fingers on base of nose touching eyes. Breathe in through nose. And now breathe out slowly through nose while humming like a bee.
Duration : 5 to 21  times