Pulsatile Tinnitus, Stops When Pressure Is on Back of Neck/Head?

[Jamclem]

Hello everyone,

I am just wondering if anyone else has pulsatile tinnitus that stops when you apply pressue to the back of your neck/head around the back your ear? I discovered this last night in bed on the right side of my ear when my T is. It actually aches a bit afterwards. It would be cool to know if anyone else has this and how is it treated.

Thanks in advance for reading

Have a lovely Tuesday

J

 

[Sound Wave]

Not here, but that discovery sounds VERY promising for you!

 

[Kelvin]

Hey jamclem. I have noticed that if I link my hands behind my head ( as you would sitting in an office chair say..) cradling it, and then squeeze my palms gently towards each other that my PT gets much quieter. I can almost make it disappear. As soon as I release my hands (the pressure) my PT screaches back. I wish I could make the effect permanent without walking around looking a bit odd. Damn....T

 

[Jamclem]

@Kelvin yop its sounds similiar. How did your PT come about? Through sport? Have you tried anything to get rid of completely?

 

[Kelvin]

Jamclem - it was 'sparked' by a trip to the dentist for a tooth filling. Wish I hadn't gone now ! Never had it before and then BOOM. The Mosquitos came to live in my head.
So far I have tried a Sound Therapy App ( made it worse ) a wheat filled Heat pad over my ears ( makes it better for a short time ) Massage Therapy ( no effect )...just about to go to the Chiropractor to see what she can do.
Had years of neck problems, so I am thinking that maybe something got pushed out of alignment when the dentist did his deed.
What about you ? Did you find anything to help. It seems folk try everything...and I sure can understand why !
I do get one or two quieter days a week which are a blessing.
Stay happy Dude X

 

[Jamclem]

@Kelvin Hey there, That's mad how yours started from just a dentist trip. Mine started through too many push ups which caused my previously very mild tinnitus in my right ear to change to PT. Is yours in both ears or just one? I also can lower my PT a lot when I put my hand(s) on the back of my head. Did you previously have T before it became PT?

I went to the T doctor and she believed it was caused by tensions in my neck from sport and it will go away. In the hearing test my T is a medium freq and mostly quite a low sound but when they tried to mask it, it would not go away! This was when the doctor said that I do not have "real" tinnitus and the noises I hear are not coming from the ears but from the neck. So now I am going to try acupunture and a series of physiotheraphy sessions. I do wonder though if it is caused by hypertension and if a lumbar puncture would release it.

Take care mate
James

 

[Kelvin]

Its in both Jamclem, but worse in Left.
My suspicion is neck and jaw tension, so thats interesting what you say. Pull-ups can sure strain the neck !!
I have had lots of work related neck and jaw tension - Twenty years as a draughtsman on a drawing board ( is heavy on the neck ) and then Ten years of drafting on a computer isn't great.
I think the dentist just set off a sequence involving muscles at back of neck, jaw scalp. I always get a tense neck and jaw at the dentist. Damn sadists !
Tell your doctor that all Tinnitus is real. It may however have a whole number of reasons for being evident. Some docs are such fools.
Just praying it goes back under the rock it came from.
If I was you I would start with some head massage, warm heat and Chiropractic and see if it helps over time.

Go easy Fella.

 

[Jamclem]

@Kelvin good tips about the head massages and chiro. Perhaps t is a good idea to get some advice from a doctor for your type of PT?. Who knows they might find a cause and solution for it.

I will keep you posted on if I see an improvement from Physio and Acupunture.

 

[Karen]

I'll be interested to hear if either of those work for you. I've tried acupuncture, and I'm afraid it didn't work for me. Please do update us on how it works for you!

 

[suze]

I get a few seconds of silence after pushing on the side of my head. First it screams, then it's quiet......then it comes right back.

 

[Jamclem]

Thanks for your comments. have any of you tried putting an ice pack on the back of your head and have noticd the pulses seem lower? I have noticed that my PT is not 100% in sinc with my heartbeat. Perhaps some of you have also discovered this?

 

[Jamclem]

@Kelvin @Karen hello, I just wanted to update you on my physiotheraphy experience. So far it is going pretty well. I have discovered my PT stops/is reduced when I press the veins on the bone behind my ear. Today the physiotherapist was really knowledgeable. He discovered my PT is much much louder when he pressed the veins in front my ear. In his experience he believes it will go away soon enough. He could see there was a lot of tension about my head.

Anyways I would really recommend going to a physiotheraphy who understands PT. My T doctor recommended me this place. Ask your doctor if he/she knows a good one.

 

[Kelvin]

@Jamclem Good to hear that buddy. I too have had some success. Basically mine also seems to be from tight or misaligned jaw / neck muscles. My Chiro ( Neuroimpulse Protocol. ) has now performed some gentle adjustments to my neck, jaw and also inside my mouth ( not as bad as it sounds...). The structures in my jaw turned out to be tight. So far so good ! It has reduced in volume by over 50% after just Two treatments ! I am hoping it will last.

Seems most of us carry neck and jaw tension for one reason or another and sometimes muscle tension can affect those numerous blood vessels and nerves in our heads. This intern can lead to a T

We sure are complex things.

Wishing you all a T free day.

I so love the quiet sound of nothing.

X

 

[Jamclem]

@Kelvin that is also excellent news especially since you have been able to reduce it so much through a chiropractor. Glad you decided to try it out. It is mad how these things can be solved once you find the cause.

Hope it continues to get better.

J

 

[Paromita]

Hi there! My T gets lower when I stand up....worse when I sit down and lay down. I have neck and shoulder problems. The back of my head (skull) on the left ear side (where the T is) is tender....any ideas ?

Do you think its from back and neck ? Who can help me ? Physiotherapist ?

Thanks, P

 

[Karen]

Hi, @Paromita,

It is hard to say for sure what might work best for you, because we're all different. I know that I've had to experiment a lot to find out what works for me and what doesn't, where my tinnitus is concerned.

You could perhaps start with a physiotherapist, to see if they can determine if it might be back or neck related. Or, you could even consider trying a chiropractor, or a massage therapist. If none of that works, then try another type of doctor (if you haven't already), such as an ENT. Also, have you checked with your dentist to see if there might be a TMJ connection?

Did you post in this section because you have pulsatile tinnitus? If so, that is a different kind of condition, that may be curable if a cause is found. There are many causes of pulsatile tinnitus, and for that type of condition, seeing a neurologist or neurotologist might be productive.

Good luck, and please let us know what you decide to do, and how it works for you.

Best wishes,
Karen

 

[Paromita]

Hi Karen,

Thanks for writing. No I do not think my T is pulsatile. Its a constant tone of noise. However, I do know that the pitch varies (goes up and down), mostly based on my anxeity level and position or activity. It seems to be worse when I am sitting on the computer and I do feel shoulder and back pain at that point. Also when I turn my neck, a muscle or nerve in my neck seems to hurt.

I do have a strange numbness on my nose that goes up to the left cheek temple, it seems to be some kind of nueralagia or nuropathy I think....but nobody seems to be able to diagonise it. it had happened to me before the T set in....I was in a highly stressful situation.

I have been to one dentist, one maxofacial surgeon and one TMJ person, the first two told me I do not have TMJ, the last one told me he is not sure if I have TMJ, but he can sell me a splint for 2K and I can see if it get solved.
I do not have that kind of a money right now to run experiments.

I am trying some accupunture now and will try a chiro next week and maybe even a physiotherapist.

If T is not pulsatile, is it not curable ?

Best REgards, Mita

 

[Karen]

Hi, @Paromita,

I hope the acupuncture and/or the chiropractor are helpful to you. If not, I think you're right about trying a physiotherapist, and then maybe consulting a neurologist. It's possible that one or more of these treatments will be helpful, since it sounds like it is either muscular or neural in your case.

Often times, tinnitus is not curable, but it does get better in time, so that you are able to deal with it better. I've had regular tinnitus for over 30 years, and pulsatile tinnitus for 6 years now. When mine first started, I felt like you did, that I couldn't handle it, and I was desperate to find a cure. But now, I've habituated to it, so that it does not bother me so much any more. Habituation takes time, because your brain and body must adjust to the new sounds, but it does happen for most people. The time frame varies, depending on the person.

There is still the possibility that, because your tinnitus is new, it will fade in time. And it is also possible that one of the treatments will work for you, and will calm your tinnitus. I hope it does, but if not, please know that there are many ways to cope with tinnitus, and time is a great healer! Habituation is indeed possible for you.

In the meantime, you can try such things as keeping background sound in your environment at all times, taking a short-term course of an antidepressant, or trying a calming supplement like magnesium. For me, the thing that has worked best is distraction -- keeping my mind busy so that I don't have time to think about the tinnitus. I also find that exercise, being outdoors, taking natural supplements, and remaining calm have all worked to help me habituate to the tinnitus.

Good luck, and I hope you will read some of the success stories and the Positivity Thread on this forum. You'll find lots of reason to be hopeful, and you'll also find tips for coping with your tinnitus.

Best wishes,
Karen

 

[Paromita]

Hi Karen,
Thanks for your positive note, the thing that I am most scared of is that will I have to be on an anti anxeity for the rest of my life. I am already taking Buspar and it does help me cope better, but am I going to be like this for the rest of my life ? Taking anti anxeity everyday to get by ??

Anxious today....

 

[Karen]

No,@Paromita
I don't think you will always be on an antidepressant. As things improve, I believe you will be able to wean yourself off it, and if you replace it with anything, replace it with a natural supplement (like magnesium). It is calming, but not addictive.

Things will improve for you --- you'll see!! Be sure to read some of the success stories on this forum. Most of us felt exactly like you do right now, but we have improved so that we can live our lives normally again. When mine first started, I didn't think I was going to make it, but I have regained my positive outlook, and I'm my old self again.

Take care, use the antidepressant for now, and try not to worry. As things improve, you can consider getting yourself off the drug. But for now, it's fine that you have it to help you through the worst part of it.

Best wishes, and lots of positive thoughts coming your way!!

Karen

 

[suze]

My pulsitile Tinnitus also started at the dentist. I have had neck problems from many years of bending over my patients as a cardiac RN. My T also becomes louder when pressing on the temples and quiets when pressing on the back of my head. The only time I don't hear my heartbeat is when it misses a beat. Do any of you also feel pressure in your head? I can move the T with my palms starting above the temples and "milking" it downwards and to the back of my neck. It gets louder when pressing and "milking", then gives me a few seconds of silence....precious silence.

 

[Mikie_Mike]

I can also make my Tinnitus go lower if I put my hands behind my head an pull forward. Mine started with an ear infection (both ears), but I think mine may also have a somatosensory component ... so I shared the following with my massage therapist, and it helped me a lot ... didn't get rid of the Tinnitus, but reduced the volume for me.

 

[Kelvin]

Update - unfortunately the relief I had from Chiropractic manipulation was very short lived. T is back up to full volume and hissing away like a Mosquito. Some days can be quiet but most days are the same. It a truly awful thing but learning to ignore it seems to be the best way forward. Tried lots of noise Apps but none have helped. Have any of you lovely folks got any relief from masking noises ?

 

[Karen]

Hi, @Kelvin,

I've had PT and severe T for over 6 years now, and I don't use masking sounds any more. For me, learning to ignore it has been the best way to cope with it. I've found that if I try to get out there and live my life as normally as possible, I notice it a lot less. Sometime I have to force myself, and commit myself to activities so that I will stay active. I believe in exercise, and try to get out and walk outside every day, if possible. Also, playing games and other activities that occupy your mind really help, too.

In the beginning, I did use masking sounds, and found that water sounds seemed to work the best for masking both my pulsating and whooshing sounds. I'd like to hear what works best for others with these conditions.

Best wishes,
Karen

 

[Kelvin]

@Karen - Thanks.
I think you are probably spot-on.
I have certainly noticed that when I am busy I do tend to notice it less.
I too walk outside most days and notice it less when I do.
Just thinking or witting about it can make it worse.
Its such an odd thing and I sure do wish I had never gone for the tooth filling that triggered it.
As a human I want desperately to understand why it is happening and how I can stop it.
Maybe there are some things you just cant sort...X

 

[Jamclem]

Hi everyone.. just an update really. I continued to learn about how my pt. Perhaps some of you have same thing? When i press in front of my ear on one point my pt goes louder. When i push hard on that point and work my hard around to behind the ear, the pt part goes away and i have very low level something sound. I've had an mri. I wonder if an mra or CT scan is the next step? Pyschio is helping me learn about the condition but it is not really making any major difference in tone i don't think

 

[Lous22]

Jamclem, did you ever find out the cause of your PT? I have very similar symptoms and I'm currently searching for answers

 

[Jas1008]

I've been experiencing pulsatile tinnitus since 08/2020 in my right ear. I'm an ICU nurse that began working 4 nights a week since crisis with COVID-19. In July I had COVID-19. Thought that may have done it along with stress. It goes away when I squeeze my neck muscles and comes back immediately when I let go. The sound is faded when I'm outside and talking to people. It is torture lying quietly.

Has anyone had the solution found and cured without exploratory procedures?

 

[lbl752003]

Jas1008, please go get checked out. I went to an ENT. He ordered an MRA with contrast. They found dural arteriovenous fistula. If it is not taken care of, it can result in a brain bleed. Please do not take pulsatile tinnitus lightly.