Experienced in What Tinnitus Sounds like in Carotid Dissection — I Can Answer Any Questions

Hi folks,

I am experienced in what tinnitus sounds like in carotid dissection...

If you have any questions concerning carotid dissection and tinnitus - I will answer....

Regards
Tinniger

 

tell us more. what happened, what it sounds like and how you got it fixed.

 

O.k.
The diagnosis is made by MRI, the image looks like this:
https://radiopaedia.org/cases/carotid-artery-dissection
The .noise is a distinct pulse-synchronous airflow noise, as we know it from a Doppler auscultation.
It disappeared after spontaneous recanalization of the carotid artery

 

A pulse-synchronous airflow noise, I could describe my tinnitus like that. Though it's not distinct enough to definitively call it pulsatile.

Were there any other symptoms? Like would you say you experienced some kind of physical feeling on the side with the tinnitus or maybe your artery on that side felt tense? Was it bilateral? What kinds of tests would identify this problem?

 

Here is a pdf about carotid dissection: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1743284/pdf/v081p00383.pdf
Angio-MRI is gold standard of diagnosis.

 

@Tinniger are you healed now? I’m confused.

 

Hi, I also got diagnosed with a CAD after hearing pulsatile tinnitus sounds for 2 weeks. Had a ct angiogram and the doctor said i am lucky I didnt have a stroke!

Please see a doctor if you have pulsatile tinnitus just to make sure!!!

 

Will you please explain more on what happened with you..please. i have had extreme pullsatile tinnitus. I am also going through a benzo detox so i dont know what the cause is.

 

Here are my mri results and mra of the head..


TECHNIQUE: This study was performed on a 1.5 Tesla magnet MRI. Multiplanar
multisequence MR imaging of the brain was performed, without IV contrast. 3-D
time-of-flight MRA images were obtained.

FINDINGS:

MRI SCAN OF THE HEAD: The appearance of the brain parenchyma is normal for
the age of the patient. The ventricles, sulci and fissures have a normal
appearance. There are no areas of abnormal restricted diffusion. No
intracranial hemorrhages, hematomas or fluid collections are seen. There is no
suggestion of intracranial mass. Incidental note is made of small bilateral
choroidal fissure cysts. The visible bones are intact. There is mucosal
thickening in the maxillary sinuses and some of the ethmoid sinuses. No sinus
fluid levels are seen. The cerebellopontine angle, internal auditory canal,
inner ears and mastoid structures appear unremarkable bilaterally. The
examination is otherwise unremarkable for the age of the patient.

MRA SCAN OF THE HEAD: No intracranial stenotic lesions are seen. The left P1
segment is hypoplastic and the left posterior cerebral artery is in direct
continuity with the left posterior communicating artery. This is a common
normal variation. No aneurysms or vascular malformations are seen.

IMPRESSION:

Normal studies.

 

I dont even know what that all means.

 

Hi, please do not worry, just go see a doctor and discuss your symptoms.

I am uploading a picture to explain what happened to me. It is called a carotid artery dissection. It is basically a tear in the artery wall that cause the artery to narrow and limits blood flow. It is actually very rare. It can be dangerous and could cause a stroke or aneurysm. But just cause it happened to me does not mean it is the same for you. All I am saying is do not just "accept" it and try to find the cause or see a doctor.

At the moment I do not have any swooshing, only heart beating in my ears loudly. So the tinnitus is much beter!

Good luck! Hope you will feel beter soon. I was also very anxious. Try to stay calm until you know the cause.

 

I'm a 68 yr old in good health (slight low thyroid, low BP) I have had pulsating tinnitus in my left ear since Dec 2019 - came on as a mild drumming sound at a time when I was extremely stressed out. Since then it has gotten louder, more frequent and just recently has begun in my right ear (though much fainter at least so far). At the same time I had some dizziness when laying down and turning my head from one side to another but that went away fairly soon after. I rarely get headaches & then usually sinus related. Take very few meds, mostly vitamins, magnesium, seasonal allergy pills. Hearing test showed only slight, age related hearing loss. I have had a CT of my temporal bones - only comment was a small retention cyst left maxillary sinus. I had a MRA with contrast - reported contrast enhancement of left internal jugular vein from the sigmoid sinus to the distal aspect of the left internal jugular vein. CT Angio of Head & Neck - reports generalized cervical spondylosis and a small flow void in mid left internal jugular where a deep venous structure enters the vein, though no evidence of a frank AV fistula. When things get back to normal (i.e. post Covid-19) Dr. recommends a conventional angiography, which scares me due to the invasive nature. Given the obvious pulse related aspect of my tinnitus I'm pretty sure it is a circulatory problem but it starting in my right ear really throws me. Dr. said it could be an echo from the left ear but I don't buy that as it happens when the left is silent and really makes me doubt his expertise. On the bright side I guess if I was in imminent danger they'd have gotten me in sooner though he did say to go to the hospital if I got a severe headache or my eyes started bulging!

 

The angiogram really isn't that bad. I've done multiple. The key is going to a good doctor.