by Neil Bauman, Ph.D.
A woman explained:
When I nod my head, or shake it from side to side (yes-ing or no-ing), I hear chimes. Kind of like those chime toys that babies have, that when they are touched sway side to side and there’s a little chime inside. Do you know of anyone else that experiences this?
Hearing chimes when you nod or shake your head is not particularly common to be sure, but it is not unknown either. I knew a lady that every time she shook her head she heard the pure tone “F”. You have some thing like she has.
There are all sorts of strange kinds of tinnitus. For example, some people hear a special tinnitus sound when they turn their head all the way right or left, or bend over (somatic tinnitus). Others hear their tinnitus when they move their eyes (gaze-evoked tinnitus). Your tinnitus chimes when you nod or shake your head.
I’m curious how common this kind of tinnitus is. If any of you reading this have a similar kind of tinnitus, I’d love to hear of your experiences.
May 2nd, 2010 at 10:10 pm
I also have the same type of thing when I shake my head. I must say I have a constant sound in one of my ears regardless of what I am doing. At times it is real loud, so loud you would swear someone else can hear it. And from time to time I will hear what sounds like the sound of a pre-natal ultra sound. This came on very suddenly along with the lost of hearing. I don’t feel dizzy,sometimes I feel like perhaps I haven’t ate and feel weak but not dizzy. My Doctor has not be able to say what Caused this. First he thought wax build up so he for the lack of better description power washed my ear, no difference
So next with tried medication thinking maybe there was water deep down in my ear. Three weeks later no difference. Just wish I knew what happened.
May 18th, 2010 at 1:11 pm
I have a constant ringing in my ears, and occasionally I hear beautiful chimes playing an unknown melody or scale in my left ear. My ENT suggested it might be a psychological problem; however, I know it’s not. In fact, the chimes are almost a welcome sound over that constant and irritating ringing in both ears. I have stuffiness in my head and some vertigo but function ok daily.
May 18th, 2010 at 1:43 pm
Hi Joellen:
I think your beautiful chimes playing is probably not tinnitus, but Musical Ear Syndrome (MES). MES is not psychological as such, but generally is the result of damage to the auditory system in some way–such as tinnitus, hearing loss, etc.
You can read about Musical Ear Syndrome at http://www.hearinglosshelp.com/articles/mes.htm.
Regards
Neil
July 12th, 2010 at 2:56 pm
Me!!! I’ve had ringing for years now, since I was about 30 years old. Lately, i’ve been hearing chimes in my right ear! I was worried til I saw this post. Thanks!
September 21st, 2010 at 5:04 pm
This started in 1996. I woke up one morning with the room spinning. worse than a rotary at the Great Escape. This went on for several hours I couldn’t walk or see as the spinning prevented me from doing so. My mother was visiting,she brought me to the ER they sent me to an ENT,he said it was due to an inner ear infection,then gave me exercises to do. I have since wound up with vertigo. Whether my eyes open or closed movement of my head or just my eyes causes this sensation,not a good one at that. I have asked Dr’s about this ringing/chimes in my head/ears. I have been to eye Dr’s neurologists,ENT,dentists,TMJ specialists etc and to balance therapy,yeah big help NOT. This comes and goes with no notice. I have had headaches and migraines since I was 14 I am now 45 still having them with no relief. Neurologist put me on hydroxyz and propranolol after trying this for about a year and telling them there is no difference all they did was increase the dose. The chimes,ringing,blurred vision,headaches and nausea are enough to drive one nuts. Is there any relief from this without pills? Thank you.
November 1st, 2010 at 3:51 pm
Yes! go to a good chiropractor!! My son suffered from weekly migraines for years, and now has not had one in 6 months since going to a chiropractor.
Please try it!!!
November 12th, 2010 at 6:04 pm
I am dismayed by these comments. I have lost the hearing in my ear for 5 days and the chimes & tinnitis are present. I cannot carry on daily life as I have vertigo. GP diagnosed fluid in inner ear which cheered me some, but now it seems that it could be permanent? Incidently I did have right/left stapedectomy some years ago which have been so far very successful. It seems that ears are somewhat of an unknown quantity.
November 16th, 2010 at 2:37 pm
I started hearing ‘chimes’ in my head when shaking or nodding about nine months ago. A bit like wind chimes Had a sinus infection and thought it would go away after treatment, but still with me. No sound in my ears only there when i shake or nod my head. Relief to hear someone describing the same symptoms. Attending ENT and due to go for a cat scan. Also feel very Muzzy and headachy. Will let you know if they make a diagnosis
November 21st, 2010 at 10:24 am
Same here, no hearing loss but varying degrees of “regular” tinnitis and now for the past few weeks this chime sound in my left ear if I shake my head fairly quickly side to side (as if saying “no”). Haven’t been to an ENT yet, maybe it’s time.
March 25th, 2011 at 9:01 am
I too experience this pocket watch chiming in my ears. It started about 4 years ago and it was if someone had an expensive pocket watch chiming nearby. Now at 56 I still “enjoy” the chiming occasionally but, it’s getting more muted as time progresses. I also find some anti-depressants increase the other ringing in my ears I suffer from. No shaking required, It just does it’s thing when it wants too.
August 14th, 2011 at 11:53 am
I started noticing early 2009 that when I shook my head, like nodding yes or no, I heard a “fluting” sound in my right ear — which could also be described as a chime. I had no other symptoms so did nothing about it. Then in October 2009 woke one morning to find hearing greatly reduced in right ear. Went to nurse who looked in ear and said I had wax, so recommended a week of putting in olive oil to soften it up. Did that and went back to nurse who said the wax had gone but my hearing had not returned to normal. Doctor prescribed nasal spray and drops, which I took for a month with no improvement. Then variable hissing sound started in right ear and has continued ever since. Cut a long story short, after many tests and scans, diagnosed with idiopathic sudden onset sensorineural hearing loss — apparently it’s idiopathic because the actual cause cannot be determined, though most likely cause is virus. Discharged with a prescription of steroids and told by consultant that if I ever experienced another episode of sudden hearing loss, then I should start the five-day course of steroids straight away. So far I have not had to and amount of hearing loss has not changed.
January 1st, 2012 at 7:56 am
The hissing and then chimes when I shake my head began about 30 mins after taking 50mg of B6 accompanied by itching so the B6 interactd with some other med I have been on like Deplin I recently started or Viibryd. That was a day and a half ago and it’s still there.
Earlier in the day my chiropractor had used the activator on my head in several places then later that night I tool the B6 as he instructed for the nervous system.
Help
January 1st, 2012 at 3:57 pm
Hi Cathy:
I’d think that you may have had an allergic reaction to the Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine)and/or the Deplin (folic acid–Vitamin B9). Both of these vitamins can cause itching and rashes due to allergic reactions.
Who knows how an allergic reaction might have affected your ears? Perhaps it caused the strange tinnitus too.
Regards
Neil
March 5th, 2012 at 5:42 pm
So glad I found this post… thought I was losing it! I have had tinnitus for at least 20yrs, and I now wear hearing aids bilaterally for high frequency loss. About a week ago, the musical notes started…. they are multi frequency and harmonious. Beautiful really. Need to shake my head “no” vigorously to experience them. Reminds me of those cheap plastic flexible tubes that children swing around their heads… quite similar to the lady in the first post with the baby chime toy… I know exactly what she means. Even if the last time i heard one was about 1960!