# Can you hear low frequency sounds that most other people claim do not exist? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 31, 2015, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-hear-low-frequency-sounds-that-most-other-people-claim-do-not-exist/726668 "2015-07-31T19:30:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SeniorCitizen007](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8baadc/32.png) [@SeniorCitizen007](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeniorCitizen007)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2015, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-hear-low-frequency-sounds-that-most-other-people-claim-do-not-exist/726668/1 "2015-07-31T19:30:44Z")
I’m often bothered by loud, very low frequency sounds that most people can’t hear. I avoid one of my local superstores becsuse, for me, it sounds like a flight of propellor driven planes are flying through the place. In open country I can hear traffic on a motorway 5 miles away.Some cars produce hardly any low frequency sound, others, even small cars, have an awesomely loud rumble. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2015, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-hear-low-frequency-sounds-that-most-other-people-claim-do-not-exist/726668/2 "2015-07-31T19:32:29Z")
Since this is asking about personal experiences, let’s move it to IMHO. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![I.Dunno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9f8e36/32.png) [@I.Dunno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I.Dunno)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2015, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-hear-low-frequency-sounds-that-most-other-people-claim-do-not-exist/726668/3 "2015-07-31T20:04:47Z")
Have you been tested for tinnitus? Sounds like the symptoms. (No pun intended.) ---
**Author:** ![edwardcoast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cab0a1/32.png) [@edwardcoast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/edwardcoast)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2015, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-hear-low-frequency-sounds-that-most-other-people-claim-do-not-exist/726668/4 "2015-08-01T04:39:38Z")
> [@SeniorCitizen007](#): > > I’m often bothered by loud, very low frequency sounds that most people can’t hear. I avoid one of my local superstores becsuse, for me, it sounds like a flight of propellor driven planes are flying through the place. In open country I can hear traffic on a motorway 5 miles away.Some cars produce hardly any low frequency sound, others, even small cars, have an awesomely loud rumble. You should have baseline audio hearing tests performed by an audiologist to gather more information. ---
**Author:** ![Depardeaux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@Depardeaux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Depardeaux)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2015, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-hear-low-frequency-sounds-that-most-other-people-claim-do-not-exist/726668/5 "2015-08-01T04:41:24Z")
Seconding tinnitus. Most often its a loud ringing or buzzing, sometimes always present, sometimes on occasion. Or you might just have sensitive hearing, allowing you to notice lower pitch. ---
**Author:** ![Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce7236/32.png) [@Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mona_Lisa_Simpson)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2015, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-hear-low-frequency-sounds-that-most-other-people-claim-do-not-exist/726668/6 "2015-08-02T18:33:37Z")
My hearings test in the “social deafness” range, and I have hearing aides which I even occasionally wear. Actually I have an appointment to get them fixed so I will be wearing them full time around the begining of September. I have told ENTs that I hear two kinds of noise. A low marching sound, and occasional high pitched frequencies. I was told the low marching thud thud sound is due to hearing my own pulse in my ears when I have fluid behind the eardrum. The high sounds are damaged nerves resonating for no reason. When my ears are particularly blocked from a cold or ear infection, I can only hear very low noises. For a while back in 2011 the only human voice I could hear was a kid who worked part time for my husband, his voice was a very deep bass. I used to beg Cory to come over for supper just so I could hear him. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2015, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-hear-low-frequency-sounds-that-most-other-people-claim-do-not-exist/726668/7 "2015-08-02T19:09:04Z")
> [@SeniorCitizen007](#): > > I can hear traffic on a motorway 5 miles away. No, you can’t. You need to see a doctor. ---
**Author:** ![ObligatoryCatTax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e495f1/32.png) [@ObligatoryCatTax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ObligatoryCatTax)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2015, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-hear-low-frequency-sounds-that-most-other-people-claim-do-not-exist/726668/8 "2015-08-02T20:18:21Z")
> [@SeniorCitizen007](#): > > I’m often bothered by loud, very low frequency sounds that most people can’t hear. I avoid one of my local superstores becsuse, for me, it sounds like a flight of propellor driven planes are flying through the place. In open country I can hear traffic on a motorway 5 miles away.Some cars produce hardly any low frequency sound, others, even small cars, have an awesomely loud rumble. I have a hyper-sensitivity to sounds, as well. I am not sure whether I have some similar problem, but I have thought about this type of subject for a very long time. Sometimes there can be tiny little holes in your little ear bones and such which make sounds really loud. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superior\_canal\_dehiscence](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superior_canal_dehiscence) For me, I just think I am in a perpetual fight-or-flight state. I am highly aware of those tiny noises just out of range of hearing. My brain will focus on them so much they seem to become as loud or louder than someone speaking a foot away from me and I won’t be able to hear someone talk to me over those micro-noises. Somehow I don’t filter out unimportant sounds, and the ones just out of range/nearly imperceivable are the worst. ---
**Author:** ![Inna\_Minnit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Inna\_Minnit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inna_Minnit)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2015, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-hear-low-frequency-sounds-that-most-other-people-claim-do-not-exist/726668/9 "2015-08-02T20:31:36Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > No, you can’t. You need to see a doctor. It is possible if the conditions are right. To the OP, when I was younger, my dad had a diesel pickup that hit a certain low frequency when it idled. It made me nauseaus. My family apparently could not hear it. It was a very low rumble, almost out of the range of hearing. I would have to get out, I couldn’t tolerate it. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2015, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-hear-low-frequency-sounds-that-most-other-people-claim-do-not-exist/726668/10 "2015-08-02T21:03:34Z")
> [@Inna\_Minnit](#): > > It is possible if the conditions are right. Theoretically, yes. But it’s not going to happen in any realistic conditions. ---
**Author:** ![ski](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@ski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ski)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-hear-low-frequency-sounds-that-most-other-people-claim-do-not-exist/726668/11 "2015-08-03T01:21:17Z")
Maybe “the Hum”? > **[The Hum](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hum)** > > The Hum is a name often given to widespread reports of a persistent and invasive low-frequency humming, rumbling, or droning noise audible to many but not all people. Hums have been reported all over the world, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada. They are sometimes named according to the locality where the problem has been particularly publicized, such as the "Taos Hum" in New Mexico and the "Windsor Hum" in Ontario. > The Hum does not appear to be a single pheno... Yes, I hear it sometimes. ---
**Author:** ![SeniorCitizen007](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8baadc/32.png) [@SeniorCitizen007](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeniorCitizen007)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2015, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-hear-low-frequency-sounds-that-most-other-people-claim-do-not-exist/726668/12 "2015-08-03T15:02:35Z")
> **[Helicotrema](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helicotrema)** > > The helicotrema (from Greek: ἕλιξ \[helix\] meaning coil and τρη̂μα \[trēma\] meaning hole) is the part of the cochlear labyrinth where the scala tympani and the scala vestibuli meet. It is the main component of the cochlear apex. The hair cells near this area best detect low frequency sounds. > The helicotrema is a part of the cochlear labyrinth where the scala tympani and the scala vestibuli meet. It is the main component of the cochlear apex. > The helicotrema connects the scala tympani and the scal... [http://www.bu.edu/hrc/research/laboratories/auditory-biophysics/publications/book/Mountain\_et\_al\_2003.pdf](http://www.bu.edu/hrc/research/laboratories/auditory-biophysics/publications/book/Mountain_et_al_2003.pdf) Extract: The helicotrema can have a significant impact on low-frequency auditory sensitivity due to its influence on cochlear input impedance.