My Pulsatile Tinnitus Update

I last posted my ''PT'' life experience about 1 year ago. Since then I've had a number of tests. The most recent one was a C.T angiogram. In a nutshell the diagnosis report states...all major intra-cranial arteries are widely patent. There is a tiny localized dehiscence of the right jugular bulb, with absence of the bone plate separating the jugular bulb from the hypotypanum. No herniation of the jugular bulb into the ear was seen.

There is a deficient right jugular bulb. No herniation or diverticulation of the jugular bulb into the defect and into the middle ear is seen. No other abnormalities are noted.

In a nutshell, my vascular surgeon and ENT doctor explained the condition in lay terms, as there being a tiny hole in a bone plate that insulates my middle ear from the arteries and veins in the right side of my head. I am awaiting a ''2nd opinion'' from another ENT doctor, issued by my 1st ENT doctor. I'm not sure why he made the referral, but as per our conversation, there was talk of an operation, and whether it would be useful or not. I read about a procedure where a specialist used the patient's bone fragments and body fat to cement or fill the bone plate hole. Anybody out there, who can add to this?

Surveying the discussions , I have found things that I can relate to while other entries continue to reveal how personal each and every struggle we face is. For instance, my PT has changed over the course of these last 2 years. I'm inclined to believe that the whooshing has gotten worse, but I'm not entirely sure. It certainly is at it's worst when I lay down to sleep, especially on the right side.

Like most of us, we notice things or think we do, we become vigilant about diets, caffeine, sugar etc., and like some, I've also noticed how the affect of these things are fleeting. For instance, in the early going, I noticed how doing exercise exacerbated the whooshing. Now when I do Ashtanga Yoga(very physically demanding), I feel better. Maybe there is an added endorphin affect, and this lowers my anxiety. Anxiety has always been the major coping hurddle, for making my PT feel worse, to this I am taking ''Cymbalta''(SSRI) 10 mgs a day. Anti-depressants are controversial as well ! I tried dropping medications and drugs etc., but haven't noticed any changes and was convinced to continue taking them by my doctor and psychiatrist. I'm still not sure whether the cure is worse than the symptoms.

More recently my ENT doctor suggested lowering my blood pressure, resulting in my taking 12mgs(Ramipril). In the past I felt that taking heart medications were at the source of my problems. Recently my family doctor suggested I undertake a diabetes blood test, which will be coming in about 2 weeks. I concur that PT is a vascular issue, but the source of the blood problem varies so much in all of us. It seems that the blood is just the messanger.

I could go on. Someone in the support group discussion, mentioned how sound affects their PT, I used to think that as well. However, I am a musician who sings and plays sax and have noticed the benefits of continuing to play music, even in a ''big band'' horns and all, for lowering my stress levels. It seems like we all have similarities, we touch many of the same things such as applying pressure to parts of our heads or stopping coffee when decribing our PT experiences. I can only add my part to this support group mosaic . Thanks for being here for me and all the rest of us.