Mysterious “low vibrational hum sound”

NearlyForty · 29-07-2020 04:01PM #1

Hi there

I wasn’t sure where to post this, so please re direct me, if I’m in the wrong place.

Since March, I have been hearing or rather made aware of this strange sound that appears to be constant. I can only describe it as a low vibrational hum. It sounds like a Diesel engine running idle In the distance and it doesn’t appear to stop. I’m in Cork, and ‘almost anywhere‘ I have been, lately, I can hear this sound. I was also in Kerry recently and could hear it in some parts but not in others. Same with Cork. So I know it’s nothing to do with my hearing, as my husband thought, as no one else in the house can hear it.

I had thought it may have been the wind turbines, as there are many farms dotted all over West Cork, along with a few in Cork harbour etc.. But when I went to Brandon Bay, there are no turbines and I could still hear it. A busy city or town would help to drown out the sound, along with items in the house like a fridge, fish tank etc but as soon as I move to a different room I can hear it again.

It also appears to be louder indoors than outdoors but it’s still noticeable. Genie, might anyone also hear this sound? And any idea what it could be? I know there is a Known phenomenon around the world in relation to a “Hum”. Maybe that’s it? It drives me daft I have to say..!!

riffmongous · 29-07-2020 04:06PM

Drive west before your head explodes

NearlyForty · 29-07-2020 04:11PM

riffmongous wrote: »

Drive west before your head explodes

??

Leg End Reject · 29-07-2020 04:16PM

Tinnitus or aliens.

Aliens seem more probable.

Urquell · 29-07-2020 04:17PM

NearlyForty wrote: »

??

X-files : Drive

JasonStatham · 29-07-2020 04:19PM

What about a trip to the Dr.

Gretas Gonna Get Ya! · 29-07-2020 04:20PM

It's your biological clock... it's humming rather than ticking. Quick get yourself knocked up pronto... :P

It's a bit like an innie or outie belly button... some people get a tick, others get a hum. You're a hummer!

And very occasionally, you get that very rarest of individuals who is a "hum-dinger"! :pac:

Bob the Seducer · 29-07-2020 04:25PM

Since March you say?... it's possible the singer from the Crash Test Dummies could be stuck here as a result of the lockdown.

NearlyForty · 29-07-2020 04:27PM

Thanks for the input. Great to see so many happy campers here today

Gregor Samsa · 29-07-2020 04:27PM

Not saying this is relevant to you, just sharing a related anecdote.

When the Port Tunnel in Dublin was being built, my dad, who lived less than a mile from the construction site entrance, claimed that he could hear a low droning hum or vibration from the drilling every night when he went to bed*. It started to really annoy him. He had a few other health problems and eventually went to the doctor, and it was discovered that he had an ulcer in his oesophagus that was causing anemia due to blood loss. Turns out anemia can cause tinnitus due to increased blood flow in the inner ear. Tinnitus isn’t always a “ringing” sound, it can be droning or other sounds too. About a week after he started on iron supplements for the anemia, he no longer heard the low droning sound at night.

*(my understanding is that tunnel drilling didn’t actually go on during the night, but there was no talking to him until the iron supplements cured it).

cml387 · 29-07-2020 04:27PM

By now the OP realises she's in the wrong place.
As to where the right place is....?

Gregor Samsa · 29-07-2020 04:31PM

Bob the Seducer wrote: »

Since March you say?... it's possible the singer from the Crash Test Dummies could be stuck here as a result of the lockdown.

Oooooonce, there was this kiiiid
Who heard a low vibration noise
Every where they went
But wheeeen they went to Boooooards
They
Got
Nothing but funny responses

Mmmmm Mmmmm Mmmmmm Mmmmm
Mmmmm Mmmmm Mmmmmm Mmmmm

NearlyForty · 29-07-2020 04:35PM

Gregor Samsa wrote: »

Not saying this is relevant to you, just sharing a related anecdote.

When the Port Tunnel in Dublin was being built, my dad, who lived less than a mile from the construction site entrance, claimed that he could hear a low droning hum or vibration from the drilling every night when he went to bed*. It started to really annoy him. He had a few other health problems and eventually went to the doctor, and it was discovered that he had an ulcer in his oesophagus that was causing anemia due to blood loss. Turns out anemia can cause tinnitus due to increased blood flow in the inner ear. Tinnitus isn’t always a “ringing” sound, it can be droning or other sounds too. About a week after he started on iron supplements for the anemia, he no longer heard the low droning sound at night.

*(my understanding is that tunnel drilling didn’t actually go on during the night, but there was no talking to him until the iron supplements cured it).

I had been thinking that perhaps I was having an unknown issue in my ears too

There are numerous threads, going back over the years, where others were questioning something similar

So it made me wonder

Thank you

un5byh7sqpd2x0 · 29-07-2020 04:41PM

This is a known issue, happens all over the place. Bristol in the UK for example: https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-35344544

seamus · 29-07-2020 04:43PM

There's a theory that we can "hear" all of the noises inside our own bodies/heads, such as the beating of our heart, the blood flowing through our veins, scraping, creaking, grinding or sloshing noises as we move, but our brain learns to filter these out on a day to day basis.

However, when something changes such as a sudden accelerated heart beat, or some other internal anomaly, we will often suddenly be able to hear it, because our brain isn't filtering it out.

Timberrrrrrrr · 29-07-2020 04:43PM

Obviously its the new 5G tower trying to infect you with the Covid19.

upupup · 29-07-2020 04:47PM

If,,,Your head is humming and it won't go
in case you don't know
The piper's calling you to join him.

Dear lady,can you hear the wind blow?

riffmongous · 29-07-2020 04:47PM

NearlyForty wrote: »

Thanks for the input. Great to see so many happy campers here today

Sorry

I would say tinnitus too, but thats usually high pitched rather than a low hum i thought, for me at least.. I'd say get it checked out first anyway just to be sure

Archeron · 29-07-2020 04:47PM

Bob the Seducer wrote: »

Since March you say?... it's possible the singer from the Crash Test Dummies could be stuck here as a result of the lockdown.

Everybody who reads this will spend the rest of the day singing it, so I suspect the humming sound is about to get louder.

Victor · 29-07-2020 04:55PM

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hum

riclad · 29-07-2020 04:57PM

You need to see a doctor., you probably have a mild form of tinnitus.
There's no real background hum,
It's a personal medical problem you have.
Building sites make noise. But they are only open 7am til 7pm.
Usually Monday to Friday.
Many famous people have tinnitus due to working in concert venues in the music industry.

Bobblehats · 29-07-2020 04:59PM

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YellowBucket · 29-07-2020 05:09PM

Could be a few things:

1. Tinnitus.
2. Traffic - the sound of collective movement of cars can be quite like a low drone and there’s definitely enough traffic, even at night, in Cork City for that effect.
3. Proximity to the port. Sometimes large ships engines may be running and that can create a low hum.

There used to be other sources of heavy mechanical noise in and near the city, notably things like the ESB Marina power station, but that hasn’t been running for a long time now. The large old part of it is off line for more than a decade and the smaller open cycle gas turbines are no longer used either as they aren’t economic relative to other sources.

NearlyForty · 29-07-2020 05:10PM

seamus wrote: »

There's a theory that we can "hear" all of the noises inside our own bodies/heads, such as the beating of our heart, the blood flowing through our veins, scraping, creaking, grinding or sloshing noises as we move, but our brain learns to filter these out on a day to day basis.

However, when something changes such as a sudden accelerated heart beat, or some other internal anomaly, we will often suddenly be able to hear it, because our brain isn't filtering it out.

That’s very interesting !!

NearlyForty · 29-07-2020 05:11PM

Timberrrrrrrr wrote: »

Obviously its the new 5G tower trying to infect you with the Covid19.

Lol

NearlyForty · 29-07-2020 05:14PM

YellowBucket wrote: »

Could be a few things:

1. Tinnitus.
2. Traffic - the sound of collective movement of cars can be quite like a low drone and there’s definitely enough traffic, even at night, in Cork City for that effect.
3. Proximity to the port. Sometimes large ships engines may be running and that can create a low hum.

There used to be other sources of heavy mechanical noise in and near the city, notably things like the ESB Marina power station, but that hasn’t been running for a long time now. The large old part of it is off line for more than a decade and the smaller open cycle gas turbines are no longer used either as they aren’t economic relative to other sources.

I’m living in the country, away from the usual day to day sounds. I had thought maybe it was wind turbines but no one else here hears it..! So it mustn’t be

YellowBucket · 29-07-2020 05:19PM

If nobody else around you is hearing, it’s very likely tinnitus.

However if it’s localised to your house, check things like plumbing - you’d be surprised at the odd noises that can be made by pipes and stuck valves. They can make vibrations.

If you’re hearing 50Hz mains hum or high pitched noises in one room, it’s very likely a failing or faulty transformer / power supply in something like a charger.

iamstop · 29-07-2020 05:21PM

NearlyForty wrote: »

It also appears to be louder indoors than outdoors but it’s still noticeable. Genie, might anyone also hear this sound? And any idea what it could be? I know there is a Known phenomenon around the world in relation to a “Hum”. Maybe that’s it? It drives me daft I have to say..!!

Let me think about this for a minute...Hhhhmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm :pac:

YFlyer · 29-07-2020 07:12PM

OP is it like a swarm of bumblebees?

Hamsterchops · 23-08-2020 05:38AM

I've investigated several 'hums' in the past, one was caused by the (faulty) transformer built into my bedside clock radio, the next was caused by the PVR-hardrive plugged into our satellites box!

I've also encountered a noisy fridge that hummed just enough to be annoying, my wife's old 1990s radio cassette player used o hum before we plugging it out, fish aquariums can hum too ....

Anything that's plugged in might cause a hum.

worded · 23-08-2020 05:58AM

Power off the mains to stop all electric devices In the house to rule that out

Mysterious “low vibrational hum sound”

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