you see, I have this noise in my ear. And frankly, right this minute it’s driving me nuts. It gets worse when I’m congested and given that my allergies are all a titter right now, I’m a wee bit congested. Just enough to get the rolling thunder in my ear going.
It’s in my left ear. When I turn my head completely to the left, I can dimish the sound by about 98%. Or if I place my fingers along my neck and press just under my jaw bone of the left side I can quiet it completely. However because I apparently am pressing on a major artery, it’s not a good thing to do for a long period of time. The first time I did it I had a tremendous pounding in my head that was relieved by releasing my fingers… hmmm.
The sound is the same rhythm as my heartbeat. If you’ve ever been to an OBGYN and heard a baby’s heartbeat through the doppler, that’s what I hear in my ear. Well, not technically a baby’s heartbeat, since it’s my heartbeat, but you get the idea.
Generally it’s just background to me now, 5 years later, but when my allergies act up or I’m sick with a cold, it’s VERY loud. And very annoying. I remember when if first started. I used to plug my ear with wax, or wear headphones and listen to music at work. The louder my outside environment, the better.
The furniture in my house is positioned to accomodate my ear. I need to be able to turn my head to the left in order to quiet the noise in my ear to hear the television.
I have to sit on a certain side of the table at gatherings to be able to look left so I can hear conversations. When that’s not feasible, I sit with my elbow on the table or propped in some fashion so I can press my fingers to my neck to quiet the noise.
I just did it now and realized I’ve made a habit out of bending my arm and laying it across my chest in such a way that my arm is propped by my breasts when I’m pressing my fingers along my jaw line.
Oddly enough this started when I became pregnant. I was only 7 or so weeks along and that pregnancy ended soon after in miscarriage, but I’ve carried this thumping with me since then. In fact it will be 5 years in October.
Sure is a crazy anniversary to remember.