Fleeting Pulsatile Tinnitus?

Anyone else have this? Sometimes I hear my heartbeat very clearly in my left ear, even when I have not been particularly active. At most I'll go up the stairs and I'll hear it once I reach my room. It's not my TTTS, which is very mild. It lines up with my heartbeat/pulse.

It doesn't really bother me that much. Just curious. It goes away after a few seconds.

 

I think a huge chunk of people who have PT only have it situationally. I have it and it only appears when my neck is turned a certain way or if I'm laying down in certain positions. It has to do with blood flow and blood pressure.

 

This is the classic presentation. It's almost never constant. It changes and varies, especially with position and activity.

 

Is it indicative of anything? Could it change so that I hear it all the time?

 

Probably not. How long have you had it? It's definitely worth getting a scan done and seeing a specialist.

 

I got this recently two days in a row, but only for 10 seconds or so each time. I heard it after waking up after sleeping on my side. Immediately I thought about pulsatile tinnitus, but was unsure if it was or not. Is this pulsatile tinnitus?

Hasn't happened again since.

 

Maybe a few weeks? I haven't really given it much thought.

 

Most pulsatile tinnitus is benign, but it is absolutely worth looking into since it's new.

 

Well yes, if you're hearing it, there is an underlying reason why. Most of the time it's vascular. It shouldn't be ignored and you should have it evaluated with an MRI and MRA.

 

Is an MRI really necessary? I've heard tons of horror stories about them. How loud is an MRA?

 

Horror stories, really? MRI and MRA are essentially the same. They don't expose you to radiation, and are safe. You are given earplugs. It is loud, yes, is it louder than everyday things? Not really. Especially with earplugs. I take naps when I go for mine. I don't understand this. Don't listen to that nonsense. I'd rather have a non-invasive MRI that makes some noise than have a brain hemorrhage that causes permanent disability. I'd say if you're afraid of MRI, that you're really focusing on the wrong things.

They will not harm you in any way. I've had more than I can count, and if anything, I find them relaxing.

 

If you're really worried about MRI in terms of sound and length you can get a CTA, but the radiation on that is way more damaging than anything an MRI can do.

 

@aot, as I posted above, I've experienced fleeting tinnitus just recently. The only thing I am going to do is lose a lot of weight, get fitter and eat healthier.

I don't feel I need an MRI, and anyway I had one 9 months ago... which made my tinnitus worse! The result: nothing wrong, all is fine.

Really weigh up the pros and cons about whether an MRI is worth it. Many people have no problems, but there are some on this forum who wish they had never had one.

 

Sometimes there's a lot to consider such as intercranial hypertension and CSF leaks and if one has non pulsatile tinnitus as well, headaches, vision disturbances, papilledema and maybe been taking too much vitamin A.

Bruits can be sometimes heard by a small bell stethoscope. It's impossible for any of us to know what may be exactly going on with others and what tests are needed, but often a doctor with good knowledge on how to test using a stethoscope is a good place to start. I knew a doctor who would often say, who took my old small bell stethoscope. Eight million in the US hear bruits.

We could post links all day, but knowing where humming thumping location is important.

https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Mana...us+with+normal+otoscopic+findings-a0433532192

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK289/

 

There is a difference between tinnitus and PT. If you have PT you almost certainly can find the cause. Do you have PT or ringing? If you got MRI did you get an mra/mrv? If not an MRI really isn't gonna show you why you have PT. Also an MRI is NOT going to make pt worse factually. It could possibly make ringing worse if you have reactive tinnitus due to the volume, but you can wear ear protection in there. I think framing information like you did in this post is dangerous.

 

Nothing dangerous at all about my post.

People should be aware that an MRI can make tinnitus worse or can even cause tinnitus. Like I said, many people are fine having MRIs, but some aren't. Where is the danger in stating this?

If you read the thread I have already stated that I experienced what I believe to be PT a few weeks ago. I had an MRI 9 months ago, a month or so after getting normal tinnitus. The MRI was all clear, but it left me with worse tinnitus and electrical current type sensations going through my head. Luckily, the latter eventually disappeared, but the increased tinnitus remained.

The ear protection many places give seems to be inadequate for the job at hand (going by reports on this forum), and it seems some radiographers are unaware about the damage that an MRI can cause some people, especially those who already have tinnitus.

I would rather somebody be aware of the possible dangers beforehand rather than to be told everything will be 100% fine. Ultimately, it is the individual's decision about how to proceed.

 

So as I said you had an MRI not an MRV/MRA or a CTA. An MRI is mostly useless for PT outside of major issues such as tumors. So first off you got the wrong scan for your issue and I'm sure you haven't seen the proper doctor either, ENTs are not the right doctor for PT. Either way you placing blame on an MRI for electrical sensations in your head seems like a leap and a half, MRIs are an incredibly safe scan. Yes they get loud but if you bring ear plugs you're fine.

Telling somebody "I got an MRI it showed nothing so if you want don't want to risk tinnitus you should skip it" is dangerous. Again for starters you got the wrong scan so honestly you haven't ruled out any vascular abnormalities on your part, and 2 if somebody is dealing with an aneurysm, a dural artervenous fistula, a sigmoid sinus fistula, etc. It would be huge to know this in advance and get it taken care of. You should never avoid a scan that can prevent disaster, that's doubly so for a scan as safe as an MRI.

 

You either cannot read or are trolling. I haven't had any san for PT...

 

You are me, I am same as you. Don't go crazy. I have had it a while. Just like you going up stairs it comes on for about 10 seconds, but I do puffs like blowing a bubble. And it goes away. I guess that's how I dealt with it. It does freak me out once in a while. But it has no legs to it.

 

Ok so why are you commenting on a thread regarding pulsatile tinnitus? The author of the thread is discussing pulsatile tinnitus which is a totally different condition than tinnitus. And I'll say again, the idea that MRIs induced tinnitus is asinine and pure fiction. That is dangerous misinformation.

Pulsatile tinnitus has an identifiable cause. It's a vascular condition. If you're having PT it's much better safe than sorry to get a proper scan and see a proper specialist. I've had PT for over 15 years. I just recently found some vascular malformations in my brain (high riding jugular bulb, massively dilated emissary and condylar veins). During that time span I had seen no less than 5 ENTs who sent me for a few MRIs with no answers. I finally got a CTA this year and brought it to a neurotologist who promptly told me there was nothing on there. Educated myself, brought the scans to a neuro interventional radiologist who instantly found the cause of my pulsatile tinnitus and told me he can fix it.

 

Hi, recently I’ve noticed I can hear my heartbeat when I lay on my side or after doing sport. I don’t really hear it during the day unless I cover my ears, i have tinnitus, but I don’t hear my heartbeats with any ringing. Do I have Pulsatile tinnitus?

 

@Greg

Hi greg

Hi Greg, I’m currently 16 turning 17, and I’m pretty sure I hear my pulse sound in my ear, because I only really hear it when I lay down.I can feel my heartbeat beat harder when I lay down too? Thank you for responding!

 

@Jen1111

Hi Jen: I had deleted my post to do a rewrite.

Being young would rule out many things.
I would consult with your doctor.
Checked will be blood pressure and use of a stethoscope to listen to your heart and veins and arteries of neck, including your internal jugular veins and carotid arteries. He will order complete blood work. From this, the doctor will be able to make some judgement as to if radiological tests is needed. Heart, neck and thyroid. For the neck, the doctor may order an ultra sound to start with or a MRA. MRAs have noise, but are better.
Stay in touch. A complete work up may be needed. What I listed is a starring point.

 

Hi Greg, thank you so much. I’ll have a talk to my parents about this.

 

What could be the cause of fleeting pulsatile tinnitus that occurs very infrequently, as in a couple times per month?

 

Are you taking any supplements like Magnesium L-Threonate? Highly specific, I know, but I get ear whooshing when I take this and it freaked me out! Finally made the connection, and stopped taking it.

 

Nope. That's strange, I wonder why Magnesium would cause it. I have had it occasionally at night before bed while lying down, but it's very fleeting, less than five minutes. And it's probably happened 2-3 times in the past two months. Was going to get an MRA but it is costly.

 

@ghost333, Magnesim L-Threonate uniquely and specifically increases blood flow to the brain so it kinda makes sense, but I didn't really find any other accounts of it happening. Just some people reporting they can feel the blood flow after taking it.

Hopefully your issue remains fleeting and/or disappears. I don't think it's terribly unusual to sometimes hear blood flow through your ears though. If that's what yours sounds like anyway (whooshing).

 

Wow I’m glad I stumbled across this thread. I have regular bilateral high frequency tinnitus that in and of itself fluctuates and varies in loudness and presence.

Then I started to develop what I now know is pulsatile tinnitus. My pulsatile tinnitus is very much as others on this thread have described. Mine is occasional but I do get it almost daily in the morning when I turn over in bed. It is primarily in my left ear. I will also get it bilaterally sometimes after running upstairs but not always. For example, I’ve been at my house on Cape Cod. I have to climb up from the beach up two flights of stairs and then a small hill. I did it yesterday and the day before and I didn’t get any pulsatile tinnitus when I got to the top of the hill. Of course, I felt like I was going to pass out from being so winded LOL. Yet, earlier this week I climbed up 3 steep stairs and had a pulsatile tinnitus episode right after. It doesn’t last long but it definitely appears to be in sync with my heartbeat. It increases quickly and then levels out. If I’m turning in bed and my neck is it in certain position I’ll get it and it will only last 10/15 seconds. It almost sounds like my heart rate is temporary increased and my tenants increases with it and then slows down as my heart rate does. But like I said, I don’t always get it when my heart rate is elevated.

I’ve gained an appreciable amount of weight in the last 12 years or so due to fertility drugs, antidepressants, two blown Achilles’ tendons, which eliminated my ability to exercise, and then the dreaded COVID-19 quarantines as I’ve been home for two years. So it takes a lot more to heave myself over in bed. I also tend to sleep in the fetal position and my neck is often bent.

I have had blood work done. I’ve had an ultrasound on my carotid arteries. Everything is fine.

My sister had pulsatile tinnitus related to her blood pressure but it was more of a whooshing sound. Mine is my regular high-pitched tinnitus that just develops rhythmic pattern seemingly in sync with my heartbeat. Hers went away when she treated her blood pressure. My blood pressure is OK.

I just hope it doesn’t get worse.