For the last few years I've had a vibration or thumping sound in my left ear. While I do have tinnitus occasionally in both ears (and lately a constant night time hum in my right ear) I know that what I'm hearing is not related to tinnitus. It only happens when there is a vibration near by. The dishwasher, the washing machine, even a passing plane can trigger this. It thumbs and vibrates back and forth until the cause stops. So clearly I'm aware of what the cause is. I sit in the kitchen, turn on the dishwasher and my ear vibrates along with it. I turn it off and it stops immediately. When plane passes (we live near a small airport) I can hear the plane coming, it comes closer and my ear starts, gets worse and worse until the plane is gone.
Its not painful but as you can imagine, its quite annoying and has been going on probably 5 years. I believe its coming from the inner ear. I mentioned it once years ago to a doctor who told me to take Sudafed to try and dry up the inner ear. It didn't work. I have severe allergies but the time of year doesn't seem to affect it. Although what bothers me one day may not bother me the next. I take Claritin D regularly for seasonal allergies.
Sleeping on that side helps if perhaps its being triggered by a fan in the room. By the way, if I'm so lucky as to be in a room with an osculating fan it comes towards me and my ear goes, thump, thump, thump - turns away and its stops - faces me - thump thump thump - stops. SO WEIRD!!!
Any suggestions or thoughts are much appreciated!