[snickie]

Something happened to me just under two years ago. I don't know what caused it, but one morning I woke up to this weird... whirring.... in one ear (can't remember which one anymore, but I think it was my left). It was like I was in an airplane and hearing everything through the noise of taking off the runway. I also discovered that when I heard voices (people talking) I would hear overtones over the inflections, but only very high overtones, and the interval always changed. Furthermore, I later realized that everything I heard in that ear sounded half a step flat from my other ear (which was having no symptoms whatsoever). Our class bell, for example, normally rings at B4, and in one ear I heard it as B4, but in the other (the one with the weird symptoms) I heard it as Bb4. (I have perfect pitch.)

These symptoms came and went intermittently for about a week. They didn't inhibit my daily function or anything, but it was very strange. I talked to my band director about it and he suggested it might be a wax buildup. I cleaned my ears with some Q-tips and it didn't seem to help. The day I went to see an ENT about it was the day it disappeared completely. The only thing they could come up with that was something about ear pressure being on the low edge of normal, which seems to happen a lot to me anyway, and since it was still in "normal" range they regarded it as nothing to worry about.

Any ideas on what could have caused this? It hasn't happened again; I'm just curious.

Not really but I'd go with the ENT diagnosis. I would have said tinnitus but that is pretty much permanent. The reason I was thinking tinnitus is that the symptoms aren't just ringing as lots of folks think. Congrats on your perfect pitch... that's cool
Oh, try not to use q-tips in the ear

[Purple80]

It could have been a wax build up that naturally worked its way out. But don't use Q tips because that actually makes the build up worse

[waiting4]

I have tinnitus and agree with George H. It's not just the ringing, although for me, it's only in the left ear and I've had it as long as I can remember. It's better some days, worse others...sometimes (usually in the summer) my left hear feels 'hollow'..like I'm talking in a tunnel, which is far more distracting than the ringing, and also my balance is mostly off. I've been known to walk into door frames hard enough to bounce off and leave knarly bruises on my upper arms which I then have to explain if I'm wearing short sleeves---no, I've not gotten beaten, I'm clumsy as hell. They didn't name me grace and there was a reason.

The Tinnitus I try not to concentrate on, and I pretty much don't notice it...sometimes, if it's bad I'll make sure there is some other noise in the room and concentrate on that...usually at night is the worst time because I like it quiet. Which of course, in my head it never is! lol

Interesting what you experianced, and I'm glad it stopped and hasn't returned. Ditto the not using Qtips...get your ears cleaned professionally..safer and much more effective.