Low pitched buzzing sound

[Nobody]

Quite often during the night I hear a very low bass buzzing type sound. I do suffer from tinnitis, but I don't believe this is related. I have noticed this in my own bed and elsewhere. I read somewhere that many people are experiencing this phenomenon, with the suggestion that it is a form of noise pollution.

As one does during the night, I started wondering about it. My first thought was tinnitis, but I don't think so. It is not continuous. I wondered about mains hum, from a transformer somewhere in the flat. Then I wondered about mains hum from a sub-station, which is some distance from my flat. Then I wondered about air conditoning from a hospital, again some distance away. I also wondered about the fan on a gas boiler, but most boilers go off through the night. Certainly mine does. Then I wondered if it could be due to the wind blowing across the chimney, in the way that if you blow across the neck of a bottle it produces a sound. Then I fell asleep ...

[jnani]

Hi Nobody
that humming is not sound pollution. You need to embrace that rather than fight it. I can just tell you that it is not a bad thing to happen. Its ok if you just relax into it. That humming is ever present and omni-prresent. You just tuned into it. You can make it your meditation. It will take you deep into peace

[Finalshine]

jnani is right, it is ever present, just at night it's actually quiet enough to hear. There has been concepts of whether it's generated by the body and sensitive enough to hear inside your ears or if it's air pressure

[Indo]

There is a definite content of 'over thinking' here! So there also might be an element of anxiety and stress. It could be a very simple thing as tension in your jaw, and its the actual tension in the tendons and ligaments causing what you could percieve as buzzing. Do you grind your teeth?

Even your forum name 'SCREAMS' that there is an internal imbalance .....Everyone is someone

On a nother note I have always been able to here the high pitched sound that comes from old style T'v's! really anoyed me till I found out.

If it bothers you that much shut everything down, old mechanical timers around the house can cause a buzz too. Then see how you feel.

It does sound like your hearing might be hyper sensitive at the moment.

Failing that it might be little blue aliens drilling into your skull at night so that they can steal the story line to Eastenders or something

[GrandParade]

As with everything that goes on in the body and mind, the tones and pitch of all sensations can be lessened, strengthened and alleviated. My tinnitus used to drive me witless - then I changed my diet and approach to life and started to control all aspects of my physical/mental dimensions.
Eliminate chemicals from your diet.

[Nobody]

Thanks for the replies. There seems to be an assumption that it is internal, even though I said I don't think it is tinnitus. I am well aware of the symptoms and effects of tinnitus. I have read somewhere that a lot of people have noticed this phenomenon. I would be interested to know if anyone who does not suffer from tinnitus or any hearing problems has experienced this phenomenon and has successfully traced the source. Thanks.

[WildStrawberry]

Hello Nobody (I mean you Nobody),

...I expect the tinnitus based responses are because you posted in the General Ailment > Head & Neck Problems forum... if you tried another forum you may receive a different perspective...?

If you had to give a definite answer, right now - what would you say that the tinnitus-like noises were due to?

[Nobody]

It's actually called 'General Health & Ailments'. It seems to me that 'ailment' has a wider meaning than 'health' but the distinction between health and ailments could form the topic for another thread. Clearly, I chose 'Head & Neck' because of the position of the ears. If you can suggest a more appropriate forum, please let me know. My own suggestions as to the cause are already set in my original posting. I am interested to hear what others think.

[WildStrawberry]

Originally Posted by Nobody

It's actually called 'General Health & Ailments'. It seems to me that 'ailment' has a wider meaning than 'health' but the distinction between health and ailments could form the topic for another thread. Clearly, I chose 'Head & Neck' because of the position of the ears. If you can suggest a more appropriate forum, please let me know. My own suggestions as to the cause are already set in my original posting. I am interested to hear what others think.

....well, excuse me for interrupting - I shall leave you to categorize your own mind .

I'll keep a beady out for responses...

[Nobody]

Stayed in a Premier Inn last night and heard similar noise there. I still don't think it is tinnitus as it is not continuous and 'feels' different from tinnitus.

For anyone interested, I have found this link: Low Frequency Noise - Environmental Protection UK

It seems the following may all be sources of low frequency noise (LFN): amplified music, pumps, fans, boilers, ventilation plant, foundries, blasting/quarrying, road, rail and air traffic and electrical installations.

To quote:

Throughout the country there are cases of people who can hear 'hums'. These sounds have no obvious source. In some areas small groups of people apparently complain about noise from the same, unidentified source. These have been blamed on industrial sources and on gas pipelines. There have been extensive investigations into some of these, but their actual sources remain unconfirmed - it is very difficult to determine the origin of some of these sounds.

[Alex Nielsen]

You may have a very sensitive ear. The problem may not be tinnitus and something electrical around you. It is unlikely to be far away as high pitch sounds dont travel well through walls.

Check your electrics.

[Cascara]

Originally Posted by Alex Nielsen

You may have a very sensitive ear. The problem may not be tinnitus and something electrical around you. It is unlikely to be far away as high pitch sounds dont travel well through walls.

Check your electrics.

It's LFN low frequency is rather felt than heard and travels through solid rock! Hotels are a great source of LFN, they hum! wait till you are there in a power cut,.... blissful silence as the transformer cuts out

Nobody, try and trace it, locally and then either move or learn to accept it or mask it