Intermittent Pulsatile Tinnitus

[Burnsie]

Hi all.

This is my first post in this board.

I've had intermittent PT I think from about early 2015. It doesn't really bother me that much (unlike my other tinnitus that I've had since mid-2016).

I can go for days and weeks without noticing it and will only notice it generally when I'm in a specific position, which is usually laid down on the couch with my head propped up or currently just laid on my bed.

If I move my head to the side or lay on my side the sound will disappear.

When I got my other tinnitus and went to the doctor and mentioned my pulsatile tinnitus but they were not concerned or potentially didn't know what it was.

As I say this is very intermittent, but was wondering what people think I should do about it.

 

[Karen]

Hi, @Burnsie,

I'm sorry no one has replied to your question, so far. I have pulsatile tinnitus, too, but mine is constant. It started for me after I took a blood pressure drug for the first time.

Since yours is intermittent, it may not be any cause for concern, but you may want to get checked out by a doctor, just to be sure.

Did any changes to your health occur around the time the PT started? Dietary, pregnancy, etc? Have you recently gained or lost weight? Do you have any blood pressure issues? What about new drugs you may be taking?
If you can answer all these questions with "no changes", you may want to consider at least going to an ENT to be checked.

For pulsatile tinnitus, it is usually recommended that you see a neurologist or neurotologist if you are very concerned, because they generally have more knowledge about this condition, and may prescribe tests for you.

Good luck, and please keep us posted on how you're doing!

Best wishes,
Karen

 

[Burnsie]

Hi Karen

Thank you for taking the time to reply to my message thread.

To be honest I think I've got a little bit of health anxiety going on...

I do have PT.... I first noticed it early 2015. I googled it out of curiosity more than health anxiety.

However since I first noticed it I don't believe that my PT has got any worse. If anything I noticed it less. One thing is that I will generally only get it in that specific position where I'm laid down and my head is propped up like on some cushions or pillows. As soon as I move my head it will disappear (although it may reappear if I was to move my head back to that position). I can't make it happen either; even if I was to lay in that position now.... Like I am... I do not have PT. I have not noticed it in any other position (obviously I might have had it in a different body position but not significant enough for my conscious to remember it!).

Thus I would say that 99.9% of the time I do not have PT. I sympathize with you regarding your constant PD and feel a little bit of a fraud posting about it.

My view is that I probably got some form of vascular weakness where if I'm in a specific position it causes my PT. If I was to never sit in that position again, or if I had never setting up position originally I potentially would never have known about this condition.

And therefore going to pursue the watchful waiting approach.... If I notice it more, I'll go and see a doctor.

 

[Karen]

Hi, Burnsie,

Since you are only hearing it in a certain position, and it isn't too bothersome, I agree that the watchful waiting approach is best. If it does start to occur more often, or if you are very concerned about it, that's when you should go see a doctor.

You may be right about the vascular weakness; at some point, you could consider having an ultrasound of your carotid arteries. That's an easy test to perform, and it might tell you if you have any sort of build-up in the carotid arteries.

Thanks for your sympathy regarding my constant PT. Yes, it can be very bothersome, and I have been trying to live with it as best I can. I've had a lot of tests, and so far, nothing has been found.

Take care,
Karen

 

[Theres]

Hi,

I have PT as well, and have had it for 2.5 years now. It has definitely gotten better due to neck and shoulder exercises I've been doing (all the doctors I've seen have said they cannot find a physical cause for my PT, so I decided to try other things). There are many muscles in the neck that can compress nerves and shift the physical structures in the head and ear around (though very subtly), and if you are getting positional PT, you might find some relief by figuring out if you do have some stiffness in the neck, jaw, or shoulders that is causing your problem. I'm definitely not saying this is for sure the cause of your PT, but it's worth a shot and is relatively low risk. Basically what I did was look up free videos online by chiropractors and physical therapists and tried their exercises out. The key is to be consistent. My favorite is Dr. Jacob Harden. Take a look at the videos on his Instagram page and see if there are any that offer you some relief. Hope this helps!

 

[Burnsie]

Hi. Thanks for the response.

I am fairly active, and although I don't have neck pain pet se, I do have poor posture with forward head and rounded shoulders

 

[Fmykoul]

Perhaps a blood circulation concern.

 

[Petloy]

Hi @Karen, @Burnsie and everyone with PT

I had high pitched T in both ears since Aug 2012, I've lived with it, 5 days ago Im so sick coughing, fever x 7 days, doctor prescribed Amoxicillin 500 3x/day and for 3 consecutive days was taking Tylenol 500 mg every 4-6 hrs. So, 2 days ago I woke up hearing a faint swooshing sound in my right ear, it went away. But just today, I woke up from a bad dream and the swooshing is loud!

Then it settled down after when I tried to calm myself. I got up and paced a few minutes went back to bed and lay on my right side and yes its now there...I cant seem to hear it when Im up and about.

Any suggestions?

Peter