Pulsatile Tinnitus — Now on Tinnitus Talk

[Carl P]

I've had pulsatile tinnitus for a couple of years. Until reading this here, I didn't know there was a name for it. I've had "regular" tinnitus as well, for about three years. I really only experience the pulsatile tinnitus when I lay on my right side. If I switch sides, it will stop. It sounds like pulsing, rushing water flowing up into my head. I also experience muscle spasms inside my ears whenever there is a loud sound. Is that associated with the pulsatile tinnitus, or is that something separate? It drives me crazy, and sometimes makes it hard to hear everything that someone is saying to me.

Glad I found this website. It's hard for people to know what tinnitus is like unless they're going through it themselves.

 

[Karen]

Hi, Carl, I've just read your post. It sounds as if you had the "regular" tinnitus first, and then the pulsating started later. Was there anything that might have happened to cause your pulsating to begin?

Mine sounds like a regular, rhythmic pulsating. It has gotten softer lately; I can still hear and feel it, but it's not as traumatic as it was at first.

No, I haven't experienced any muscle spasms in the ears with loud sounds, but there are certain levels of sound that cause my ear to feel like it is vibrating. I cannot watch television for very long because of the intensity of the sound; I often have to leave the room to get away from it. It sets off my pulsating, making it worse. Do you have anything like that?

I'm glad you've found this website, too! Please update us on how you're doing. It's good to know there are others out there with similar conditions; we don't have to face it alone!

 

[john atari]

Hi, since about 3 weeks I got pulsating tinitus in my left ear. (or in both ears as it might be that the sound in my left ear is so loud that I do not notice the pulsating sound in my right ear) It's very annoying and it's nearly ongoing 24/7.

However I noticed when I'm done running , got my shower and sit down to read the newspaper it stops pulsating and becomes a rather minor static sound in both ears, which does not bother me to much, and as long I just stay seated I can be OK for upto a 2 to 3 hours. As soon I start working (in front of a computer monitor) or doing other stuff it comes back mildly and gets slowly worse.

I also use a punching back daily but this does not make a difference, nor does my daily morning walk, it's really running that fixes it for me.

After running my blood pressure can drop to about 100/70, (normal I'm around 115/75, and since i got this pulsating thing going on it's a bit higher)

I wonder howfar lowering my bloodpressure does have a positieve impact for me, and why this happens, and if somebody knows why, whehter he/she can explains what the reason of the pulsating tinitus might be?

My guess is TMJ and that running relexeas my jaw, but that's a guess. Been going to doctors, ent specialist, and going to a nurologist hopefully soon. Done some scans and till now it's all futile and very confusing.

When i move my jaw i can chnage the sound level, and hear cracking and popping, but it's apprently no inner ear infections according to the ENT specialist

THanks

Menno

I hope this helps. My Tinnitus has been relieved after several months of driving me crazy. It started 3 years ago but for the past three months, it was unbearable. It's in my left ear also. First of all, the most common reason people have Tinnitus is due to damage from loud noises. For those people, my input will be of no help. The second most common reason people get T is due to neck and jaw injury which is what I think you have. When you run or exercise, your muscles loosen up and relieve your Tinnitus. When you sit around, the muscles tighten up again and start aggravating your T and you will notice it keeps getting louder. It starts with a crackle/light whistle and then gradually you get that sinking feeling that T has won again. I wouldn't wish T on my worst enemy. My thinking is that your muscles in your chest or shoulders are pulling your head forward. Look on youtube at Head Forward Correction exercises and do not sleep on your stomach. I learned this after sleeping the wrong way on the couch and my T jumped up two notches. My ENT said to ignore it. The Idiot actually said "if you can tolerate someone belching, you can tolerate tinnitus". HUGE difference!!! I tried everything from losing weight, low salt diet, adding all kinds of supplements and nothing helped. Pulsatile T is different. Try hot water bottle on your neck, jaw, shoulders, and back after exercise which will delay the onset of late night T.. Do stretches every morning, afternoon, and at night. Sleep with no Pillow and Never sleep on your stomach. I truly hope this helps you because your post helped me in figuring out what was wrong. It should lessen within two days and be unnoticeable within five. If you are working at a desk or computer, make sure to take short "stretching" breaks and learn the proper head position. Please let me know your results. Also, I wouldn't hit the punching bag for now and try not to drink too much fluids. Good luck and god bless!

 

[menno]

My T became so bad that I'm now on anti-anxiety drugs. I agree for the full 100% on what John says, I have been using a cloth with warm water , cranial therapy and acupuncture on my jaw and they all helped to release the stress on my jaw/face. everything that relaxes my jaw such as running and walking will do me good as well. I'm going soon for some myfocial massage for the trigger points in my neck, shoulders, chest. I have many symptoms related to TMD as well, and the acupuncture does a great job on that as it release the pressure in 12 hours. Salt and coffee appears to be no good. I react very negatively to salt and am trying to avoid both now.

I have been doing stretches on and off, but will start doing them 3x times daily a suggested by John

Strangely, i started sleeping on my stomach for the last two weeks something i have never done before, somehow i turn around while I sleep?

Thanks

Menno

 

[ChrisW]

Dear all,
As someone who very rarely will sign up to forums, I stumbled across this one in a search to try and identify if I just need to accept things and get on with it, or start to seek a way of getting back on the right track.

Just over 30 years ago (a mere 13 years of age), I underwent a mastiodectomy operation on my right ear. Since then I have always sufferred with hearing loss and need to have it checked annually.
Over the course of the years I've had one or two minor issues with the ear and learnt to deal with it.

However over the past few months things just dont feel right. From what I have seen around the internet, my symptons match very closely to Pulsatile Tinnitus and to be honest its driving me mad.
The constant 'whooshing' in line with my hearbeat is with me 24 hours a day and I am now strating to recognise that its actually having more of an effect on me.

Going to bed at night is becoming more of a hindrance as I know even before I lie down, I am going to endure a few hours of restless tossing and turning, often resorting in me having to go and try and sleep in another room as I know I am disturbing my wife. The symptons dont relax if I lie on my 'bad ear' or the good one. I have even tried massaging around the base of my ear.

I have noticed my confidence levels, both at work and socially have had a dramatic nosedive and constantly feel like a big black cloud is over me - and all, I think, because of this feeling in my ear.

I seem to persistantly take paracetomol and ibuprofen to combat headaches.

I generally am not one for going to the doctors but am wondering if this is the right route now.
Is there any 'over the counter' medicines I can try to at least minmise this whooshing sound?
Thanks for reading
Chris

 

[Karen]

Hi, Chris, and welcome to our community!

As one who has been suffering with pulsatile tinnitus for over 2 1/2 years, I can certainly sympathize with what you're going through. You've described the experience very well, and I've had pretty much those same experiences: Trouble sleeping, not able to sleep on either my bad ear or my good ear, massaging around the bad ear, tossing and turning, feeling like a black cloud is over my head all the time, feeling it is affecting my work life and my social life, etc.

There are many possible causes for pulsatile tinnitus, as you've probably read, so it is best to go to a doctor to be sure you don't have any specific vascular or other problem that is causing the pulsating. I've heard, too, that it can sometimes be caused by jaw problems (TMD) that can be corrected. Pulsating tinnitus is curable if a cause can be identified.

As for me, I've been to a number of doctors, had various tests (CT scan, MRI/MRA with contrast, doppler of carotid artery) , and they really couldn't find a cause. I had mild tinnitus in my right ear for many years before the pulsating started. It began suddenly, right after I took blood pressure medicine for the first time. I have since gotten off the blood pressure meds, and have gotten my blood pressure under control naturally (diet, exercise, supplements). I'm currently going to a chiropractor who has helped me, and my pulsating has gone down in volume.

I don't know of any over-the-counter remedies that can minimize the pulsating. The things that seem to help me most are: Getting enough sleep; following a simple, healthy diet; regular exercise; taking vitamins and natural supplements. When it gets overwhelming, I use a form of sound therapy to help take my mind off the noise (I have both ringing and pulsating). Nature sounds work pretty well for this. I'm currently going to a chiropractor who has helped me, and the pulsating seems to be somewhat lessened.

In a nutshell, my advice to you would be to go to a doctor first, to rule out any problems. Since you had a mastoidectomy, your ear may have been very sensitive and vulnerable, and perhaps some particular change or incident set it off. Maybe the doctor can tell you if there are any problems related to the mastoid area that could be causing it.

I hope this information is helpful; please know that you're not alone, and you can vent on this forum at any time. If you do decide to go to a doctor, please let us know how it goes!

 

[yonkapin]

I would recommend that you completely stop taking ibuprofen immediately. It's no good to the ears and could be possibly exacerbating your symptoms. Also I would check out: whooshers.com

 

[Karen]

Hello, Yonkapin,
Are you a "whoosher", too?

 

[ChrisW]

Karen - many thanks for your helpful reply.
Will get Xmas out of the way and see how things go and whether a visit to the doctors would be worthwhile.

Yonkapin - I never realised that Ibuprofen can exaberate the symptoms. I guess due to the headaches I have been living on them - but will certainly stop them straight away to see if things settle down.

 

[Donna Gaumond]

Right now my tinnitus is a high pitched ringing. A few minutes ago I had the whooshing sound of my heart beat. I welcome the normal tinnitus now because the heartbeat sounds are so loud. I am having a cat scan angiogram tomorrow on my neck and head and Friday on my left ear mastoid. A little scared. Reading the Internet articles about pulsatile tinnitus scare me but this sight relaxes me somewhat because I'm not alone and it doesn't seem as serious. It is so annoying. I need noise all the time. I am a teacher and I was at a staff mtg and the sound was so loud, I couldn't concentrate. That's when I looked it up and went to the dr.

 

[Karen]

Donna,
Good luck with your cat scan angiograms tomorrow and Friday. I hope they are able to determine the cause of your pulsating tinnitus after the tests are completed.

I can definitely relate to what you're going through. You are not alone; there are others of us who are experiencing the same thing. My heartbeat sound is constant, and so is my ringing. So far, my tests have not pointed to a specific cause. Actually, the intensity of the ringing and the pulsating have both subsided with time. They're still there, but not as loud as when it all started.

I wish you the best tomorrow, and hope you'll give us an update after the tests have been evaluated. Best wishes!!

 

[Donna Gaumond]

Thanks Karen. How long have you had tinnitus? I've had it for 40 years and this is the first time I can relate to people who understand what it is like. Have you ever had a Cat scan angiogram? I went on line to find out about them but quickly got off because I don't need to be scared right now. Thanks for responding. Merry Christmas and a happy New Year Donna

 

[Donna Gaumond]

Hi Chris,
I can understand what you are going through. Do you wear hearing aides? Sometimes wearing the hearing aid can mask the sounds because you hear more sounds. I find I can mask the heartbeat sounds when they are at a lower volume than the ringing. Have you tried a sound machine or a loud fan? That helps me. I would stay away from medication not only because I don't think it works but it has side effects. I am having a cat scan angiogram of my neck today and my mastoid in my left ear tomorrow. Hopefully the cause of the pulsatile tinnitus will be found. I can learn to live with it. I don't want it to be a sign of anything bad. I think you should go to a doctor and have a test to see what the cause of it is. Then you can plan the next step. Don't lose hope. Donna

 

[Karen]

Hi, Donna,
I've had tinnitus for about 28 years now. It is only in one ear, and it started after I went to a music club where I was too near the speaker. When my tinnitus started, it wasn't that bad, and I acclimated to it. Then, in 2010, my doctor put me on blood pressure medication, and it caused many bad side effects, including worsened tinnitus. That was when my tinnitus became severe, and the pulsating tinnitus started. I've had it for 2 1/2 years now. (I've since then gotten off the blood pressure medicine, and am controlling my blood pressure through diet, exercise, and supplements.)

No, I've never had a cat scan angiogram. I'll have to look that up to see what exactly it is. About a year ago, I went to yet another doctor, who suggested that I have a CT scan with contrast dye. (I didn't have it as yet). I wonder if that's the same thing? After you've had the procedure, I'd like to hear what it was like for you. Best wishes, and please keep me posted!

 

[Donna Gaumond]

Hi Karen,
I had the CAT scans. My doctor is now on vacation so I won't hear the results until the 16th, which to me is crazy. I hope that if anything is serious, I would find out before them. The test wasn't bad. It was the one with contrast and without. The most uncomfortable thing about the test was the major hot flash you get. I get them anyways, so nothing new. I recommend that you have it if your doctor recommended it. I just want to make sure this is nothing to be worried about. I have had tinnitus so long. I know I have had pulsaltile before also. I just looked it up in the internet and scared myself this time. I can accept it if this is what I have to deal with. People have it so much worse. You have been helpful. Its nice to share with someone who hears the "noises" too.

 

[Karen]

Hi, Donna,
I'm glad the CAT scan tests are behind you, and I know you're anxious to hear the results. It's too bad you have to wait until January 16 to find out the test results! Yes, someone else told me about the "hot flash" you get when you have the contrast die injected. I guess I'm a little scared of the test because of my underactive thyroid, and what the iodine will do. However, it sounds like you made it through just fine, so thanks for reporting back.

I hope they are able to find out something definite about the cause of your pulsating; if not, as you say, there are worse things. But it is still challenging to live with! Thanks for reporting back, and I'll be interested to hear what the doctor says after January 16.

 

[Donna Gaumond]

Thanks, After reading all of these posts I feel like telling people that this is usually not life threatenng. There are so many worse things that could be wrong. My advice is make sure there is nothing wrong besides the tinnitus, get enough sleep, surround yourself with comforting noise, relax. you can learn to live with it. I have been living with it for 34 years. However I do remember crying because it was driving me crazy, especially the pulsatile tinnitus. I'm going to read and go to bed. Have a nice night. Donna

 

[Karen]

Thanks, Donna! I haven't been living with the pulsating tinnitus as long as you have, and it kind of makes me feel better to know that others have cried and been upset over it. I agree that, as long as there is nothing else wrong, there are much worse things we could have. Take care, and thanks for putting it in its proper perspective!

 

[Donna Gaumond]

Do any doctors every read these posts and think about what might be the cause of this or the cure. Is any research being done? Is this dangerous?

 

[Karen]

I've wondered whether doctors are reading this, too. If they do, I hope they will be patient and understanding with those of us who are going through it. People suffering with pulsating tinnitus need someone who will listen and take them seriously. Since we don't know whether the pulsating is serious or not, we deserve a little compassion.

Donna --- please update us when you hear your test results. Hope you are doing well!

 

[priya]

Hi all its nice to communicate with y'all who have tinnitus. well i 'd describe my tinnitus :
1) rhythmic heartbeat heard in my left ear, whooshing sound heard if i turn my head from left to right.
2) tinnitus occured during my 2nd trimester of pregnancy, never had this problem before. its been a year now. i did put on excessive weight during my pregnancy.
3) tinnitus worsens if i am tensed or stressed or tired, exhausted.
4) feel the entire left side of my body pulsing when i am lying on my bed side ways.
5) my tinnitus has been steady.
6) strangely it goes away if i stick my finger under my left jaw bone (where u have tonsils).
7) doctor has written a CT scan of my left temporal bone (with /without contrast), i am scared of CT scans.r they risky
looking to see replies, anyone with similar conditions.

 

[Donna Gaumond]

Hi, Karen,
I found out that my cat scan angiogram was normal. I am now going to go to a neurologist for a check on a rare condition related to cranial pressure, I think. If that is negative then I'm off to a specialized ear doctor at Mass Eye and Ear. Don't know what it all means but at least I'm not going to have a stroke.

 

[Karen]

Hi, Donna,
That is good news!! I'm glad the CT scan was normal, and I know you are relieve to hear the results.

Are you going to be checked for benign intracrial hypertension by the neurologist? I've read the symptoms of that, and discounted it, in my case, because one of the symptoms is ongoing headaches. Have you been having headaches along with your other symptoms?

 

[Donna Gaumond]

Yes, and I don't have headaches either. You just took a weight off my shoulders. This condition was a bad one. Well I'll let you know if that's what I have. What other tests did they give you?

 

[Lucy]

I told my specialist that I only had PT occasionally and she wants me to make a note of the times when this occurs. I`m beginning to wonder now if I have it more often that what I am aware of because the other noises which I have (hissing in my right ear and a roaring sound at the back of my head) are for the most part really loud...and .it`s when on some days they are quieter that I hear the PT...so maybe it`s going on all the time. I am waiting for an appointment for an MRI so I guess all will be revealed.

When I told my specialist that I only had PT occasionally she said that she was not too worried - so maybe that`s why I haven`t got an appointment for an MRI as she is not overly concerned. Of course these days there is always quite a wait for tests.

 

[Karen]

Lucy,
I'll be interested to hear what you find out after your MRI. My pulsating is constant; I can hear it right now, beating sort of like a distant drum. I have other noises, too; a hissing and sometimes a roaring, plus a high-pitched ringing undercurrent.

It may be that you notice it more when under stress, or when your blood pressure goes higher, or at a certain time of the day. Mine is noticeably worse in the late afternoon. When do you notice yours most?

 

[Lucy]

Karen,
It was only after my visit to the specialist and she asked me if any of my tinnitus noises were in 'line' with my pulse and I said sometimes, that I started realising that there was some significance to her question. Previous to her interest I never thought anything about it - it was just another noise. Anyhow I`m taking notice and today it was there first thing this morning but on other occasions it was in the afternoon so there seems to be no pattern. As I am typing this the hissing and roaring are very noisy and I`m pretty sure the PT is in the background - very low tone.

I am sorry that your pulsating is constant - I don`t think mine is or can be because I have atrial fibrillation and quite a number of times during the day and night my heart is beating so rapidly that PT could not keep up with that beat!! That`s the only good thing I can say about A-fib!!

Thanks for your reply Karen and your interest - I will keep you posted re the MRI.

 

[Karen]

Lucy,
Your tinnitus sounds are very similar to mine. Mostly, during the day, I hear the hissing and roaring. If I really listen, I can hear the pulsating undercurrent. It is when things are very quiet, or at night when I'm in bed, that I notice the pulsating the most.

I believe I've read somewhere about a possible correlation between A-fib and pulsating tinnitus. Also, a question: Are you taking any drugs to control your A-fib? I was on a beta blocker drug for a couple of months in 2010, and it did strange things to me. I think it may have made my tinnitus worse. I wonder if that could have anything to do with your tinnitus?

 

[Lucy]

Karen,

That`s an interesting point. I am on beta blocker drugs for A-fib and for high blood pressure. It`s a case of if you do not take these meds. blood pressure will rise and A-fib would not be under control either. You can`t win.

Yes, our tinnitus sounds are very similar. The roaring that I have sometimes is on the left side and then it will switch to the right. It never ceases to amaze me that all these sounds are just so rampant at times, if I wasn`t experiencing this it would be difficult to comprehend if someone mentioned the fact that they had these sounds in their head!!!!!

Good to discuss this with someone that understands.

 

[Karen]

It will be interesting to hear what your doctor finds as a result of the MRI. Maybe if your pulsating tinnitus is intermittent, there's less likelihood that there is any physical abnormality, such as an aneurysm or fistula.
PT is usually vascular in nature, so it could very well have been caused by the drugs, or by the A-fib. As you say, it's really important for you to take those drugs to control BP and A-fib.

I certainly understand, and am here if you want to discuss further. Best wishes, Karen