Vibrating eardrum, pulsating sensation, on and off.

[Jon82]

Hi there,
about 5 or 6 weeks ago I started getting a vibrating feeling in my right ear. I thought it would pass but it soon got to the point of real annoyance, flaring up at night and lasting til the morning where I would get up and it would go away.
I got sick of it so I went to the doctor who checked my ears and said that it did look sore in there and perhaps I had an infection so they prescribed a low dose of amoxicillin.

I took about 1/3 of the dose and stopped because the symptoms went away. I didnt like the side effects (bad stomach) so I stopped taking it since the vibrating had stopped.

The vibrating came back though after a few days, and it became a constant sense of vibrating. I was back to the doctor and he prescribed a greater dose of amoxicillin and advised me to finish it, which I did this time. Great, no symptoms for the last week.

A couple of days ago however, the symptoms started again, and yet again, only at night. I went to bed with the annoying banging and awoke to it, only for it to go away during the day.

The doctor did tell me that it would take maybe 6 weeks to clear up, and since that time period has not yet passed, should I still be experiencing those vibrations? I think it has been about 4 weeks since I last went to the doctor. Things were going ok until it flared up again; is this to be expected?
Could this issue be an anxiety issue, since everytime I think 'hey, my eardrum hasnt bothered me at all recently',
it starts flaring up again?

[Chrissy2452]

Hello!  I have only recently started with the fluttering/thumping eardrum thing.  I have had tinnitus in both ears for many years and learned to live with it but THIS!  This is driving me nuts.  I saw the Doctor and she said my ears were clean, no wax, no sign of infection.  At first it was happening only at night (left ear only) but today it's started and has been drumming for over an hour and it's the middle of the day.  The sleepless nights are driving me crazy - some are saying it's anxiety.  Well - I have had anxiety issues in the past but lately been feeling really good, looking forward to  holiday next week etc.  Nothing to worry about, so WHY has this started?  I am seeing another Doc on Thursday but expect no help as it seems clear that there could be many reasons for this affliction.  In the meantime I am hoping that it will just "go away", although from what some people on here are saying that's a big ask.

[Sansimeongirl]

I sometimes get the fluttering/thumping eardrums and have found that it is related to anxiety for me. When it happens, I focus on relaxation and I'm able to get it to stop. I can now control it. I can voluntarily make the vibrations happen or stop happening now. When I'm anxious (and this usually happens at night when I'm in bed trying to sleep), sometimes I have to make it stop over and over because it stubbornly starts back up again right away, but that just means im not relaxed enough. . eventually I win by focusing on relaxing my inner ears.

[ErinnD]

There are a few things that can be causing the hand issues.  I have Raynaud's which is a nerve syndrome that affects my fingers and toes.  I also have osteoarthritis, and mild carpal tunnel.  Great Combination of disorders that affect my hands.  Typically my right hand is affected more than my left, but both will go numb sometimes without much warning, or while doing things I was used to doing.  The Raynaud's will actually make my fingertips and toes turn bluish when I am introduced to a climate that is cooler than the previous one, and when I am introduced to a warmer climate they turn an evil red color and start this painful burning tingling sensations.  Unfortunately the only thing that seems to help is putting on gloves sometimes, especially when I am going into the freezer.  That or compression gloves which are not only recommended for arthritis but some help alleviate the issues associated with Carpal Tunnel.  I always joke that I am too young to be falling apart this much, and honestly feel like I am the warning symptoms listed on most medications when I list off all the problems that I have.  I have also had it brought to my attention that I need to get tested for Lyme's Disease as it is the great imitator and can mimic several diseases and disorders...some of the effects are irreversible.  I know for sure that at the moment mine is probably due to sinus pressure either related to allergies or an infection and possibly and infection in my ears...the only reason I state this is because of the pain, and the complete tiredness and the agony of having to do something besides sleep.

[Sansimeongirl]

You should look into Ehlers Danlos Syndrome. Most people with eds also have the symptoms you list and "fall apart" at a young age.

[Sansimeongirl]

That should have said "fall apart" at a young age.

[ErinnD]

You will want to get a mouth guard if you are grinding your teeth at night.  While you may think you have your TMJ aligned, teeth grinding can cause it to "flare" up.  TMJ can also cause your jaw to shift and rest on your ear canal.  It doesn't have to happen on both sides. my mother had it happen just to her right.  It actually started causing her to lose her hearing because of the pressure it had been putting on it for years had basically crushed her canal to a small tube.  You may want to ask your doctor who you should see about having xrays performed on your jaw to determine if your jaw has shifted on the left side.  The sound you are describing is the same sound and feeling my mother had for years and it progressively got worse. It wasn't until she noticed a slight hearing loss that the doctor took her seriously and had it checked out.  Unfortunately because they waited so long, most of the hearing that she lost she will not get back.  You seriously should have the TMJ looked into, and Seriously get a mouth guard for grinding teeth while sleeping.  It can also be what is causing the pain in your neck and tightness when you get up in the morning...if you are grinding those muscles are working all night...

[ErinnD]

Your's sounds more like the tube in the ear being pressed by something causing it to not be able to drain properly.  Once the ears drain correctly the feeling goes away, and your symptoms will be alleviated.  Unfortunately if there is something wrong with that tube, and it doesn't right itself...surgery is typically the next response.  

[ErinnD]

My mother has TMJ, she actually had to have her jaw broken and rewired because her jaw had slipped and was putting pressure on her right ear canal.  The problem you had with your hearing is the same problem she was having.  And even after it has been fixed, she still has issues hearing out of her right ear.

[ErinnD]

Certain Minerals and Vitamins are only recommended in a specific amount for you age, weight, etc.  If you are taking too much of certain ones, instead of your body disposing of them like normal, it can actually start to poison you.  You may want to look into...especially since Magnesium is used in part by your body to regulate blood pressure.  If it is causing adverse effects due to having too much, it could be the pulsing of blood going through a vein or artery near your eardrum that is causing pressure and making the eardrum pound/vibrate.  Plus if there is anyway the makings of the area around your eardrum are putting pressure on the vein or artery near the eardrum, it is possible that is the vibrating sound you are hearing, and why when you turn your head to the left it goes away, weakens when looking straight ahead, and then gets worse when you are looking to the right.  The pressures is lessened when you are turning your head allowing the blood to flow smoothly.  Which is another possibility.  I would seriously ask my doctor if either of these are something they could look into for me, or send me to have testing done for.  Are you experiencing any pain with it, or is it just vibrating?  With Pain there are added risks...such as an aneurysm or an earache.  (Not all aneurysms are lethal, unless they are ignored and rupture.  My dad actually had three, but they were in his chest not brain.  So they were able to put a stint in to correct two of them, one of them kind of mended itself...which is good since the location was where they could not fix it.  But you should discuss all of this with your doctor. Because if it is something causing pressure only on the right side, there are other things that could be...but I don't want to scare you.  So best to ask your doctor to test for magnesium poisoning, infection, and ask if there is something causing pressure on either a vein or artery near your eardrum, that is alleviated by turning your head to the left.  Hope this helps some.  

[Camieangel]

Thank you so much for your info. I have been take vitamin and also greens and protein powders in addition to biotin daily and applying natural herbal product on scalp to treat hair loss issue. Lately and notice this symptom occurring when i go to bed at night where my left ear starts a little pulsing pound every so often.  I thought it would go away in the morning but it continued to pound a little pulse every so often. I'll go see my Dr next week to see how to treat this and post some result to help out others when i see some result. For now, i stop using any vitamin and products to see if this symptom goes away. My left ear does not hurt. Just annoyed due to the pulsing pound.