Expert: Harriet B Jacobster, Au.D. - 10/26/2008

Question
I am experiencing a fan sound that never shuts off.This
sound comes in and gets louder if there is any incoming
noise what so ever,like water running,when I talk it gets
very loud,people talking to me makes it very difficult to
hear anything,seems like any amount of noise that is coming
in from any source,is making this wind sound get louder.
I also experience very high pitch sounds during the night
and this makes it very difficult to sleep.Feels like my
head is going to explode.I do have a severe hearing loss in
my right ear and have to wear two hearing aids,as both of my ears have a very low amount of hearing.I hope you can
help me in this case.
                           Thank you

                           Diane Holden

Answer
Hi Diane,
It is very possible that what you are experiencing is the result of an open (patulous) Eustachian tube.  Under normal resting conditions, the eustachian tube is closed and only opens with swallowing or autoinflation. However, in some individuals, the tube remains in an open position. Major symptoms of patulous eustachian tube include fluctuating aural fullness, roaring tinnitus synchronous with nasal respiration, audible respiratory sounds, distorted autophony (ie, the abnormal perception of one's own breath and voice sounds) with echoing occasionally severe enough to interfere with speech production, and sensation of plugged ear. Treatment can include prescription nasal sprays to help close the tube, or, in more extreme cases, surgery.  However, without a thorough evaluation, it is hard to determine the exact cause of your symptoms, as these symptoms may be caused by other factors.  Therefore, I recommend that you consult and ear specialist who will conduct an examination and determine proper treatment.
Hope this helps.
Harriet B. Jacobster, AuD
Board Certified in Audiology