In the summer of 2021, I noticed a high-pitched ringing sound that pulsed with the rhythm of my heart whenever my heart rate was elevated. When my heart rate was at rest, the high-pitched ringing would be steady. I went to the doctor for this, and he just said, "You have tinnitus, likely from going to a lot of concerts and listening to loud music."
In the months before this started, I had been spending a couple of hours most nights listening to loud music through headphones, louder than I should have, but I had always listened to music that way and never thought much of it. I accepted the tinnitus explanation, but the fact that it pulsated with my heart rate made me wonder if it might mean something else.
I went to the ENT and had a hearing test, which showed my hearing was pretty good. I was supposed to get a CT scan with contrast, but they told me it would take a year, which seemed insane. Time passed, and when I called again, they still said they were not taking appointments. At that point, I stopped trying to find the cause and just assumed it was nothing serious. Still, the constant presence of the sound makes me feel like something is wrong. Most of the time I do not let it bother me too much, but it does wear on me.
Is it possible to have hearing-loss-related tinnitus that pulsates when your heart rate is elevated, like during exercise or anxiety? I know I really should get the CT scan to make sure it is not something venous, but so much time has passed that I hesitate. What if it shows nothing and I just end up assuming it is hearing related anyway? Sometimes the sound makes me feel a little crazy.
I still listen to music on headphones, but I keep the volume low. I love music, and I would hate to ever have to give that up.
In the months before this started, I had been spending a couple of hours most nights listening to loud music through headphones, louder than I should have, but I had always listened to music that way and never thought much of it. I accepted the tinnitus explanation, but the fact that it pulsated with my heart rate made me wonder if it might mean something else.
I went to the ENT and had a hearing test, which showed my hearing was pretty good. I was supposed to get a CT scan with contrast, but they told me it would take a year, which seemed insane. Time passed, and when I called again, they still said they were not taking appointments. At that point, I stopped trying to find the cause and just assumed it was nothing serious. Still, the constant presence of the sound makes me feel like something is wrong. Most of the time I do not let it bother me too much, but it does wear on me.
Is it possible to have hearing-loss-related tinnitus that pulsates when your heart rate is elevated, like during exercise or anxiety? I know I really should get the CT scan to make sure it is not something venous, but so much time has passed that I hesitate. What if it shows nothing and I just end up assuming it is hearing related anyway? Sometimes the sound makes me feel a little crazy.
I still listen to music on headphones, but I keep the volume low. I love music, and I would hate to ever have to give that up.
