Dissected Artery & Pulsatile Tinnitus — Vascular Neurosurgeon Refused to Treat Me

[The room artist]

Hi everyone,

I am a 53-year-old male living in the UK. I have had pulsatile tinnitus since October 2018, which started as a low ringing type of noise which didn't bother me too much, then escalated to what I have today. It's predominantly in my left ear but on bad days in both, difficult to describe really, sounds like water going through a high pressure main.

So this is what has happened since:

GP sent me to ENT, whom sent me for a CT scan, which showed I had a dissection of the left inner carotid artery with a mild aneurysm.

After this I was referred to a vascular neurosurgeon. Well he looked at my scan and refused to see me, said it didn't need any treatment.

I was pretty upset by this and after complaining managed to get an appointment, what a waste of time that was, the surgeon told me it couldn't possibly be anything to do with the dissection and told me to go away and live with it, and he has discharged me from the clinic with what he calls a carotid murmur.

Well everything I read about it tells me pulsatile tinnitus is one of the main symptoms, so I have been referred for a second opinion and while I'm waiting thought I would try and gather as much info as possible, so if anyone wants to comment on my situation I would be extremely grateful.

 

[tiniturtle]

Your doctor is very irresponsible. Both these issues can be treated with minimally invasive surgery, with relatively low risk. Leaving them untreated leaves you at risk of stroke. That isn't acceptable. If you were in the States, I would recommend a doctor to you, but I don't know how the health system works in the UK. I would suggest going private if you can. I would send you to my doctors in New York City if I could. You should also be seen and evaluated within days or weeks. Not months.

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

neuroangio.org

whooshers.com

 

[tiniturtle]

http://neuroangio.org/diagnosis-and...pulsatile-tinnitus-carotid-artery-dissection/

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

While you are waiting, I would recommend you take a low dose (81mg) aspirin daily to aid healing. I am not a doctor, and this is only a suggestion. But it should help in the short term until you get a second opinion. Many dissections heal on their own, but it was still irresponsible for your doctor to not give you a full explanation and plan for treatment and recovery. Plus, if you've had it for a year, something likely needs to be done about it. The good news is that since you've had it for a year, the risk of stroke is low.

 

[The room artist]

Thank you tiniturtle for your advice and the links you provided. The pulsatile tinnitus I'm experiencing is very weird, it will rage on for days on end and then suddenly get a quieter day where it's bearable, and then seemingly for no reason be extreme again, also various actions can cause a sharp ringing to go up and down in my left ear, these include yawning, chewing food rubbing my face, it will even go up and down as I walk. All this I must add is in the left ear which is the side of the dissection. I'm only guessing but could these actions be pulling on the artery?

I wonder if the aneurysm is maybe touching on something connected to the ears.

Just to add my ENT doctor has given my ears a clean bill of health and he is of the assumption the dissection is the problem.

Once again thanks for your input, it's much appreciated.

 

[The room artist]

Anybody else have any experience with this?