I'm New Here (And Anxiously Awaiting Results)

[Cazb78]

Hi fellow sufferers!

I'm Caroline. I'm 37 and live in the UK (you can feel sorry for me if you like lol!) Anyway, went to Dr over something and mentioned I can always hear my pulse in my right ear. I've had this for many years and never thought much of it as it doesn't tend to bother me. When busy and with noise around me I never notice it. I hear it at night (though not badly enough to stop sleep) and it gets worse with colds and anxiety. I just thought everyone must hear the same thing. I had glue ear in both ears and many grommets when I was younger and was only discharged from ENT at 22.

Needless to say when the Dr told me this needed referring I got worried. I have since had a consultation and was referred for an MRI with contrast, which I had today. Consultant doesn't think I have too much to worry about and is doing it as a precaution, but as I suffer with health anxiety I am imaging lots of worst case scenarios. Not only that, I am scared they'll find something I wasn't expecting like an aneurysm or something. The radiographer didn't give any clue about images, just said they would go to radiologist although he did say not to worry - easier said than done!

Any suggestions on how to cope in run up to getting results?? And would I hear pretty soon if there was a concern? Guess my main worry is I have an acoustic neuroma, although I understand they can be dealt with if small.

Thanks for advice all. Nice to have this forum to turn to xx

 

[attheedgeofscience]

Needless to say when the Dr told me this needed referring I got worried.

At least you are getting some attention. Which is more than some readers on this board are getting.

If your main concern is the possible cause of your tinnitus, rather than the annoyance of it, I think you will be just fine...

 

[Cazb78]

Don't get me wrong, sometimes it is very annoying, just less often than not. I also believe that as I've if it so long I've become used to it. I am lucky I work with children as the noise they produce could mask an air raid siren!

 

[ceauses97]

Youre streesing yourself for nothing. dont you think there would be other warning signs and symptoms if you were suffering from aneurysm?

 

[Cazb78]

Yes you are right - it's just hard for an anxious mind to accept.

 

[eric peterson]

Hi fellow sufferers!

I'm Caroline. I'm 37 and live in the UK (you can feel sorry for me if you like lol!) Anyway, went to Dr over something and mentioned I can always hear my pulse in my right ear. I've had this for many years and never thought much of it as it doesn't tend to bother me. When busy and with noise around me I never notice it. I hear it at night (though not badly enough to stop sleep) and it gets worse with colds and anxiety. I just thought everyone must hear the same thing. I had glue ear in both ears and many grommets when I was younger and was only discharged from ENT at 22.

Needless to say when the Dr told me this needed referring I got worried. I have since had a consultation and was referred for an MRI with contrast, which I had today. Consultant doesn't think I have too much to worry about and is doing it as a precaution, but as I suffer with health anxiety I am imaging lots of worst case scenarios. Not only that, I am scared they'll find something I wasn't expecting like an aneurysm or something. The radiographer didn't give any clue about images, just said they would go to radiologist although he did say not to worry - easier said than done!

Any suggestions on how to cope in run up to getting results?? And would I hear pretty soon if there was a concern? Guess my main worry is I have an acoustic neuroma, although I understand they can be dealt with if small.

Thanks for advice all. Nice to have this forum to turn to xx

I would say the chances of it being an acoustic neuroma (or anything that is dangerous to your health) are incredibly slim. Very rarely is the cause of someone's tinnitus dangerous to the person. You've gone and gotten the MRI, which is exactly what you should do. Just relax, you've had this issue for many years. It's annoying (at times, I'm sure), but almost for certain nothing more. Any doctor is going to take the cautious route, especially when tinnitus is unilateral. (Mine is too, only in right ear) You'll get the results back in a few days, and everything is going to be fine.

 

[Cazb78]

Thanks Eric. My rational mind agrees with you but I guess we all have that 'what if' voice lurking. Do you also have pulsatile tinnitus and have you ever found a cause?

 

[Karen]

Hi, @Cazb78 ,

Please try not to stress over the tests, while you're waiting for the results! I had the same tests (MRI and MRA, with and without contrast), and nothing unusual was found. I think that, for most of us with PT, it is benign. There are exceptions, however.

But , if you've had it for many years, and haven't been suffering too much with it, things are probably OK. Like you, I would really like to know the cause of my PT, but some people never really find out. It seems like you would have more symptoms and problems if there were anything dangerous going on.

The imaging center should get back with you fairly soon, and I think they would contact you right away if there were any problems.

To me, it seems more likely that your PT is the result of the glue ear, the grommets, etc. that you had when you were younger. Do you recall when your PT first began? Was it after you began having ear problems?

Don't stress, and please do let us know what the results of your scans are when you find out.

Best wishes and hugs,
Karen

 

[Cazb78]

Thank you for your post Karen. Before joining this forum, I noticed how helpful you are to other sufferers. So nice to chat with people who are experiencing similar symptoms. I have an appointment with ENT specialist next Saturday s I'll let you know how I get on x

 

[Fungus]

I agree with Karen and am as sure as I can be that the cause of your PT is the glue ears and grommet history.

I developed PT after grommet insertion in January which went away after about 6 weeks. I now have T-tubes which were inserted July 31st and had PT both sides when I woke up. It has gone from my right ear, but persists intermittently in the left ear. I have had hissing tinnitus since my ears began to gum up in Oct 2014.

I had MRI, MRA and CT all of which were fine.

If you had an acoustic neuroma the symptoms would be progressive and the history short.

Relax.....I tell myself it's good to know my heart is still beating!

Fungus.

 

[Cazb78]

That's interesting to hear Fungis. Maybe there is a connection. I do know my old ENT told my mum grommets can scar the eardrums and that I had narrow eustacian tubes. Problem with me is that while I hope they don't find an AN, I worry they'll find something else wrong in my brain I wasn't expecting, but that's just my anxiety going into overdrive! X

 

[Cazb78]

Hi all. Just had my MRI results. No tumours but I have fluid in mastoid area behind ears. Having an op to straighten bone in nose which is blocking eustacian tube and causing ETD. Also having grommets to drain fluid on mastoid area and I may have to have mastoidectomy, but that would be much further in future. I also have a small cyst on brain which is nothing to worry about apparently and lots of us have them and would never know unless scanned. So I am now less panicky!! X

 

[Karen]

Hi, @Cazb78 ,

Thanks for the update, and I'm so glad to hear you don't have anything serious. I hope the operation and the grommets will help, and maybe take away that pulsating noise for good! Apparently those benign cysts are fairly common, but it's still good to know that you have one.

Take care, and I'm glad you finally have some answers!

Best wishes,
Karen