Randomly Got Whooshing Type of Pulsatile Tinnitus — It Has Gotten Worse Over the Weeks

[Gstar2020]

Hi. I'm new to this forum and am wondering if anyone can give me some advice please.

3 months ago I started randomly getting a whooshing type noise in my left ear whenever I turned to the right. I didn't think too much of this to begin with but after a week I decided to see my GP. He basically introduced me to the world of PT and basically told me to live with it.

Over the following weeks it became more and more noticeable and frequent to the point where I'm at now where it's here all the time constantly buzzing no matter what way I turn my head. When I move my head or bend down etc... it gets louder and faster but returns to the steady buzz when I remain still. If I touch my left neck it stops until I let go again.

My left ear fills full and blocked most of the time and I can't seem to unblock it with any sprays or by blowing out.

6 weeks ago I developed ringing in the right ear which is there constantly but more noticeable first thing in the morning or last thing at night. It bothers me less than the pulsing ear but is still annoying and has come out of nowhere.

I've seen a top ENT doctor at a private hospital who after sending me for both an MRI and a CT scan with contrast said there's nothing he can see and doesn't know what's causing my issue.

He's assured me he's the best person to see for this complaint so I fear I'm stuck with this.

I also saw an ENT doctor on the NHS who said absolutely nothing can be done as my tubes didn't look blocked, no earwax, no inflammation etc. He referred me for sound therapy but I haven't had an appointment through yet.

I've had two hearing tests which were both normal.

Trying to get referred to see anyone now that COVID-19 is here, is seeming impossible but my symptoms seem to be getting worse rather than steady or better.

I haven't been on any medication and can't find any obvious reason as to why I have developed this.

Has anyone on here had a similar experience to me?

Thanks.

 

[Michael Leigh]

HI @Gstar2020

Since you have been tested by a Private ENT doctor and one on the NHS and no underlying medical problems within your auditory system, can be found for causing your tinnitus including hearing loss, I see no point in seeing another ENT doctor.

You are in the early stages of tinnitus and it could go away completely or reduce to a level where you are able to habituate to it quite successfully. This takes time and a lot can happen within the next few weeks and months. Tinnitus can appear out of the blue for no reason but usually something causes it. The most common is exposure to loud noise. Are you a regular user of listening to music through headphones or wear a headset to play computer games? Before Covid 19 lockdown did you frequent clubs, concerts or other venues where loud music was played?

If yes to any of the questions above your tinnitus could be noise induced. If it or isn't I suggest you get a referral to Audiology under the NHS. There you will see either a Hearing Therapist or Audiologist that specialises in tinnitus and hyperacusis treatment. These are the people to see if there is no underlying medical problem causing your tinnitus. Please do not go to see anymore private ENT doctors or Audiologists as you will get the best treatment and long term after for your tinnitus under the NHS that no private practice can match in the UK, that I assure you.

Since you have had tinnitus for a short while this is probably the reason your NHS ENT doctor hasn't yet suggested a referral to Audiology for this is the department you need to see. However, as is often case with tinnitus, it's not good to start treatment for this condition too soon unless you were experiencing the following: Deafness, dizziness, balance problems or acute pain the ears. ENT doctors often prefer to wait and see what happens as the ears often right themselves after a while - and leave treatment until 4 to 6 months has elapsed, then if a patient is still having difficulty managing the tinnitus will take things further. With Covid 19 I suspect some NHS services will be affected.

Your GP may want to pursue other avenues before referring you to Audiology to see the health professionals I have mentioned. Keep what I've said in mind and take things slowly. Please click on the links below and read my posts on tinnitus that I think will be of some help. Try to avoid quiet rooms and surrounding especially at night by using sound enrichment. More about this is explained in the links. I suggest not to use headphones for a while and if they are the cause of your tinnitus not to use them at all, even at low volume.

Take care
Michael

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/new-to-tinnitus-what-to-do.12558/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-a-personal-view.18668/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/hyperacusis-as-i-see-it.19174/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/acquiring-a-positive-mindset.23969/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-and-the-negative-mindset.23705/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/the-habituation-process.20767/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/what-is-trt-and-when-should-it-be-started.19024/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/is-positivity-important.23150

 

[Gstar2020]

Thank you for your reply.
I don't listen to headphones or go to clubs etc. I'm confident that this isn't noise induced.
It's the pulsing Part in my left ear that's bothering me a lot more than the ringing In the right ear as I can't mask it with noise as I can even feel it pulsing and buzzing away even over noise.
I can mask it by holding my neck but as soon as I let go, it starts again.
Thanks again for replying.

 

[Michael Leigh]

Thank you for your reply.
I don't listen to headphones or go to clubs etc. I'm confident that this isn't noise induced.
It's the pulsing Part in my left ear that's bothering me a lot more than the ringing In the right ear as I can't mask it with noise as I can even feel it pulsing and buzzing away even over noise.
I can mask it by holding my neck but as soon as I let go, it starts again.
Thanks again for replying.

Please read my posts in the links. Try not to mask your tinnitus as it's possible to make it more intrusive. Talk to your GP who may suggest referring you to Audiology to see the health professionals that I've mentioned, as these are the people to see. However, your GP may not want to do this at present so take things slowly.

Michael

 

[tiniturtle]

Here's a post I created on the matter:

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/thread...d-to-do-to-get-answers-and-a-diagnosis.36645/

And another useful one:

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

 

[Greg Sacramento]

I don't listen to headphones or go to clubs etc. I'm confident that this isn't noise induced.
It's the pulsing Part in my left ear that's bothering me a lot more than the ringing In the right ear as I can't mask it with noise as I can even feel it pulsing and buzzing away even over noise.
I can mask it by holding my neck but as soon as I let go, it starts again.

@Gatar2020 Gatar, Pulsatile tinnitus. This is usually connected with vascular blood flow--often near the cochlea or auditory nerve. Pressing on the neck can compress an artery such as internal jugular or carotid and reduce blood flow. By pressing on an artery, often causes the sound to temporary mask, but this can be dangerous. It is possible to provoke a heart rhythm problem while doing this kind of experimentation.

I would seek out an Interventional Radiologist. Hopefully, medications will only be needed.
Try taking blood pressure several times at different times to see if you have pre hypertension.
Place your BP readings into an internet search and personnel evaluations will appear in results.
Example of placement ----- BP 120/90

 

[Gstar2020]

Thank you for the reply.
I will look into doing that. Are there tests that can check for problems like this other than mri and ct?
Can medications rectify this sort of PT if it's blood flow related?
The ct and mri I had done didn't show anything abnormal.
Thanks again for replying.

 

[Greg Sacramento]

@Gstar2020 Read the two paragraphs on page 25 in this link beginning with - The physical exam.
Included is this mention:

"Obliteration or reduction in the intensity of the
pulsatile tinnitus with ipsilateral jugular compression
(light or moderate pressure below the angle of the jaw)
implicates a venous source of the tinnitus."

http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.15.9582&rep=rep1&type=pdf

I would get a Duplex Ultrasound of carotid and ipsilateral jugular, since you recently had an exam with radiation as mentioned in this link. Angiography is most favorable over your other exams.

 

[Gstar2020]

Thank you for the information. It is much appreciated.

 

[Greg Sacramento]

@Gstar2020

I should also mention that even with artery or vein compression within the neck - does not always mean the primary or real problem is within the neck. If hypertension blood pressure is the cause - then it could be associated to your abdominal aortic vessel where it just interrupts blood flow of the carotid in neck. This is my problem. Also a condition called Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a condition of the blood vessels that supply the legs and feet. This can also interrupt blood flow of the carotid.

Stay in touch. Ask any questions.

 

[Gstar2020]

Thank you.
What tends to be the treatment for those things Mentioned and do they tend to stop the PT once they're treated?
My blood pressure was normal when checked when I saw the drs.
Is it common for ringing to start in the other ear after the onset of PT as that's what's happened to me.
I got PT in one ear and then 6 weeks later got ringing in the other ear.
Regards

 

[tiniturtle]

I've had this and it ended up being something serious that I needed surgery for. Please read my thread here if you haven't already:

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/thread...d-to-do-to-get-answers-and-a-diagnosis.36645/

Another good resource written by outstanding neurosurgeons:

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

 

[Greg Sacramento]

Is it common for ringing to start in the other ear after the onset of PT as that's what's happened to me.
I got PT in one ear and then 6 weeks later got ringing in the other ear.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4134893/

"Taken together, all of the above provide little or no support for the notion that (a) some of these patients' pulsatile tinnitus is from a sound generated by arterial blood flow and (b) somatic testing is diminishing arterial blood flow, which leads to quieting of the pulsations. On the contrary, these findings implicate the soft tissues nearby the internal carotid artery as a site particularly involved in somatic modulation of tinnitus in general and pulsatile tinnitus in particular."

Over the following weeks it became more and more noticeable and frequent to the point where I'm at now where it's here all the time constantly buzzing no matter what way I turn my head. When

CT scan with contrast

I move my head or bend down etc... it gets louder and faster but returns to the steady buzz when I remain still. If I touch my left neck it stops until I let go again.

My left ear fills full and blocked most of the time and I can't seem to unblock it with any sprays or by blowing out.

6 weeks ago I developed ringing in the right ear which is there constantly but more noticeable first thing in the morning or last thing at night. It bothers me less than the pulsing ear but is still annoying and has come out of nowhere.

@Gstar2020 From what you describe it's possible that soft issue - sternocleidomastoid on one side is pressuring an artery as ringing has started in other ear. This may be unbalance of sternocleidomastoids of each side causing activation of the DCN - hearing nerve. No hearing loss is needed. As your doctor suggested -physical therapy - a very gentle examination of soft tissue without pressing on any artery. You will need a physical therapy doctor to examine.

Also read Conclusions and Further Direction in article at very bottom.

y left ear fills full and blocked most of the time and I can't seem to unblock it with any sprays or by blowing out.

6 weeks ago I developed ringing in the right ear which is there constantly but more noticeable first thing in the morning or last thing at night. It bothers me less than the pulsing ear but is still annoying and has come out of nowhere.

Just more support to this thesis.

Do you have any discomfort where your neck meets your shoulders?

Pulse testing w/motion may be helpful, but very few doctors know how to extensively perform this. It takes about two hours with several 5 minute breaks.
Ultrasound of your entire neck may be very helpful.
This article link places some doubts on many of the common associations with pulsatile tinnitus and tinnitus in other ear with your complaints and experiences. BUT - I don't know for sure - more needs to be considered by association - a lot was ruled out by your doctors and maybe correctly. If you lived near me I could perform pulse motion testing with a small bell diaphragm stethoscope.

Over the following weeks it became more and more noticeable and frequent to the point where I'm at now where it's here all the time constantly buzzing no matter what way I turn my head. When I move my head or bend down etc... it gets louder and faster but returns to the steady buzz when I remain still. If I touch my left neck it stops until I let go again.

This support DCN input.

We can talk more.

 

[Gstar2020]

Thank you for your replies.
This is just horrible.
It feels like it's going to be a game of looking for a needle in a hay stack type situation as it seems like there's a lot of things this can be.
The ringing is horrible but I can just about handle it at the moment but the pulsing is terrible And is the one that is really bothering me, especially because I have young children and just want to get on with my life without this issue getting in the way.
Every time I move my head, particularly to the right I can just hear whooshing and buzzing And it's a really horrible sensation It's like having motorbikes reving their engines.
if it is a nerve being pressed or any of the other things mentioned, can it be rectified at all?
I was hoping this was going to be temporary but now I'm beginning to think I'm stuck with this.

kind regards

 

[Gstar2020]

I forgot to mention that I don't get any pain. the only symptoms I currently have is a very blocked feeling left ear with whooshing and then ringing in my right ear.

Kind regards

 

[tiniturtle]

I forgot to mention that I don't get any pain. the only symptoms I currently have is a very blocked feeling left ear with whooshing and then ringing in my right ear.

Kind regards

Did you read what I replied with? It's not as complicated as you think and there aren't a lot of things that can cause this. Get an MRA done and see an interventional radiologist. They can fairly easily determine what the cause is. It could be benign, or it could be dangerous, either way you will want to know.

I had the same symptoms and it ended up being life threatening due to the long delay in diagnosis. Please check out the links I posted above.

 

[Gstar2020]

I did. Thank you. The information has really helped me.
I called the gp and she agreed to refer me so hopefully it won't be too long before I hear for an appointment. I just want to know what's going on and hopefully get it treated.

Thanks again

 

[Greg Sacramento]

@Gstar2020 Hoping the best with your testing. I had this test in Roseville, California which is a ten minute drive from my house. I'm will be scheduled for a follow-up.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6837906/

 

[Gstar2020]

Good luck with your follow ups.
Thanks again for your advice.
.
Regards

 

[Gstar2020]

Hi,
Does anyone know why PT is worse some days more than others?
I've noticed that some days I can hear it constantly, no matter how I move or what I do but then on other days, it's more apparent when I turn my head to the right?
Sometimes it's really loud and other times it's really quiet.
It baffles me.
Mir sounds like I have a few bumble bees in my ear trying to start a motorbike.

regards

 

[tiniturtle]

Hi,
Does anyone know why PT is worse some days more than others?
I've noticed that some days I can hear it constantly, no matter how I move or what I do but then on other days, it's more apparent when I turn my head to the right?
Sometimes it's really loud and other times it's really quiet.
It baffles me.
Mir sounds like I have a few bumble bees in my ear trying to start a motorbike.

regards

It's due to the dynamic nature of blood flow in your head. I don't think PT is ever really constant and the same at all times. Mine would disappear and come back, there would be an "engine idling outside" sound. If you're experiencing this, you should definitely get it checked out.

 

[Gstar2020]

Thanks.
Its very concerning I can feel it rumbling away.
I find it really difficult to describe what I'm Experiencing as I feel that it keeps changing.
do you know what causes the blocked ear feeling at all?

Regards and again thank you for your advice. I'm going to ring my dr again next week to try to get a faster referral.

 

[Mandro]

Hey Gstar2020, I'm in a very similar boat to you. I developed PT literally the week of lockdown! I'm based in London and literally have been ringing the doctor on a weekly basis. I'm waiting for an ENT appointment in August and so far have been sent for an MRI which scanned just my ear. I've asked what else can be done and my GP is saying nothing until the MRI. Seems like you've been able to get other tests done, how did you manage that?

For the record the only reason why my GP sent me for an MRI was because I had a private consultation with an ENT specialist on Zoom who referred me for an MRI.

 

[Gstar2020]

Hi Mandro,
Sorry you're experiencing this too. It isn't pleasant at all.
I wasn't really getting anywhere with my GP and referral so I had to pay to see a private ent and paid for the mri and ct scan.
For me I'm not sure what the next step is.
Hopefully you will get some answers when you have your mri.

 

[tiniturtle]

A few posts up I pasted links to what your steps are to help find a diagnosis and treatment.

 

[Mandro]

The MRI came back fine, although they only scanned one side of my head (the side of the PT)

It sounds like an expensive process, where you lucky enough to have medical insurance? If I had of known the NHS was so bad I would have had medical insurance by now. I've since taken it out but preexisting doesn't cover.

 

[Mandro]

A few posts up I pasted links to what your steps are to help find a diagnosis and treatment.

Hi, I did indeed read your reply but it's more beneficial for people who are based in the USA. I'm in the UK and you have to go through the NHS and follow there procedures.

 

[Mister Muso]

Hi,

Pulsatile tinnitus can be difficult to mask. If it's anything like mine, which is a fairly steady low-frequency drone, you may be able to use the Easyjet "Jet Sounds" or one of the other sounds in the following playlist. It is possible to habituate to it eventually, but even so there may be days when it seems to flare up for no reason. I often find listening to an audio book can help in the evenings, as the sound seems to "switch off" in response to some human voices. Even if you are unable to listen as you fall asleep, by listening earlier in the evening you may be better able to tolerate the sound through the night.

 

[Gstar2020]

Hi,

I posted on here a while back about pulsatile tinnitus but now need some more advice please.

I'm a 36 year old female with no known underlining medical conditions and recently started to get both tinnitus and pulsatile tinnitus.
I've had an MRI scan and CT scan which both came back ok.
My hearing test was also said to be fine.
The only medication I take is Norgeston contraception.
6 weeks after developing a whooshing noise in my right ear whenever I turned my head, I began experiencing ringing/buzzing in my right ear too.
I can suppress the pulsing with certain neck movements and by pressing on my neck but nothing helps with the ringing.
As of yet, I haven't been able to find a cause for this and am just trying to take each day as it comes and keep busy with my children.

This is hard enough to cope with but now on top of this I have developed strange sight issues too.
I keep seeing floaters in my vision. Grey squiggles and black floating dots especially in the light. Loads of them.

I spoke to my GP who told me to see an optician so I went last week for an eye test and examination. Nothing was detected and my eye sight was totally fine. However, I'm now worried sick because I'm seeing more and more of these things every day and can't help but think it's all linked and that something is seriously being missed.

Touch wood I don't have any headaches, dizziness, blurred vision etc Yet! Just the pulsing, ringing and floating eyes.

My blood pressure has been checked a few times over the past weeks and has been fine each time.
I'm now on a waiting list to see another ENT consultant because I've been told I can see an Neuro interventional radiologist but only once an ENT has referred me.

Any ideas please?

Kind regards to you all.

 

[Gstar2020]

Hi All,

I've got a few questions that I'd like to ask please.

1) Can pulsatile tinnitus go away on its own? I'm concerned that the cause of mine isn't going to be detected as I've read that this is the case For around 30 per cent of people. I've also read that it rarely goes away on its own. It hasn't filled me with much confidence when I keep being told by doctors to learn to live with it as I'd rather they were trying to find a cause still.
I was just wondering if anyone out there had it but it did eventually go on its own.

2) If pulsatile tinnitus and tinnitus are two different things, why do some of us randomly have both out of the blue around the same time roughly? I got mine both six weeks apart.

3) My symptoms are changing quite a lot and I'm developing more and more symptoms. I now have a lot of what I believe to be eye floaters as well as ever changing tinnitus. Do any of you know why this could be?

I'm having some blood taken soon but I don't think it will determine much.

Thank you. Hope you're all keeping well and staying stay during this COVID-19 situation.

Regards.