Pulsatile Tinnitus Gone After Drinking Port — And It's Stayed Gone for a Few Days Already

[Andy_h]

Hi everyone,

I haven't really posted anything on this forum before but thought I would share my experience...

In January last year I had a very stressful time in my life, due to work and family issues. It triggered an unbelievable pain at the back left side of head, along with this I noticed a loud whooshing sound to the tune of my heartbeat. At this point I had never heard of PT. I went to the doctors (who were about as much use as a chocolate fire guard) . No amount of painkillers could move this pain at the back of my head, which really began to freak me out.

It was after about 6 weeks I went to the gym and lifted a weight and I felt a popping sensation in the back of my head where the pain was coming from and then got a sudden rush of pins and needles flowing around my body... fairly freaked out I remained calm and it was perhaps two or three days after this but the pain had disappeared... but the PT was still there.

I was finding it extremely difficult to sleep, taking a lot of sleeping tablets to knock me out otherwise I would just lie awake all night.

After about 3 month of taking sleeping tablets I was feeling horrendous and decided to face the PT and try to beat it. I worked away to not focus on the sound so sleeping did get better... thankfully.

I have had multiple tests but no one really seems to know a lot about it, I had an MRI scan in September and I am finally due to get the results next week.

I was drinking Port on Christmas Day, which is quite strong and seemed to make my PT really bad, can remember thinking before I went to sleep about how loud it was. I got to sleep and woke up at around 3.00am needing a drink and suddenly realised everything was silent, for the first time in 11 months no PT. Been a few days now and still no sign of it.
I suppose it has timed quite well considering I am going for my results next week.

One thing I forgot to mention was the PT was so loud my partner could put her ear next to mine and hear it... not sure if this is a certain type of PT.

Anyway moral of the story, to get rid of your PT try drinking Port haha.

Sorry for the long post.

 

[tiniturtle]

Coincidence, it wasn't the port. When mine went away, that's when it became life threatening, because it took a different route and forced the bloodflow backwards into the veins of my brain. Please follow up with having it investigated. You could have a dural fistula or something similar.

If You Have Pulsatile Tinnitus, Here's the First Thing You Need to Do to Get Answers and a Diagnosis

 

[JohnAdams]

Port wine?

What brand? Type?

 

[Andy_h]

Thank you tiniturtle,, luckily as I mentioned I am seeing the specialist on Tuesday. I have screenshotted your reply and will be showing it to them.
Did you experience any pain of any description once yours had disappeared??

 

[tiniturtle]

Thank you tiniturtle,, luckily as I mentioned I am seeing the specialist on Tuesday. I have screenshotted your reply and will be showing it to them.
Did you experience any pain of any description once yours had disappeared??

The Dural arteriovenous fistula presented in stages of fairly mild symptoms as it progressed. First, whooshing near my left ear, after a few weeks, that stopped, then it was replaced by intermittent, brief headache pain, on the left side of my head also. Then that went away too. What was happening, due to the fistula, is my transverse/sigmoid sinus vein had shut down, which then forced that bloodflow to go in reverse back into the veins of the brain (which is why I was no longer hearing it). This is called retrograde flow and indicates a "high grade" fistula. The risk there is of those blood vessels blowing out and having an intracranial hemorrhage. Once it was discovered, I had surgery 2 weeks later, which cured it without issue. All of this within the span of 4-6 months.

I had similar symptoms repeat when I had another one on the right side, also cured with surgery.

What you should reference is this:

http://neuroangio.org/diagnosis-and-treatment-of-pulsatile-tinnitus/

This was written by the doctors at NYU, and the ones that treat me. The entire site is excellent.

 

[tiniturtle]

Also, not to worry you, but that initial symptom of popping and pins and needles. It's possible you had a small bleed at that point. I wouldn't ignore your symptoms. Where are you geographically?

 

[Andy_h]

Thank you for your replies. I will try to keep the forum updated with my progress after I have seen the specialist on Tuesday. Hopefully it will all be good news and people can read this and get hope of there's PT going away as well.

 

[Andy_h]

I am from the UK

 

[Andy_h]

After further checks everything was fine tiniturtle.
Been nearly one month and no sign of return.
Try drinking Port people, you never know......