Hissing, Squealing Pulsatile Tinnitus After Neck/Head Movement

Hi people,

So my problems started 6 months ago. I am 33 years old.

Two or three weeks after ending manual therapy (not chiro and not physical therapy, but more of a neurological approach with pressing special points on the muscles), I noticed a standard ringing tinnitus in right ear. I blame manual therapy for this because effect of it is delayed. Therapist noticed that neck vertebrae and atlas are misaligned. Now I think I should have left it misaligned.

This got me frustrated and I made a neck movement, similar to whiplash. I did a chin tuck and then I leaned my head backwards, possibly tilted it also to the side.

Then this pulsatile sound came, it was like a hiss, with squealing sound at the end.
Since then it is changing all the time, even from minute to minute, it depends on the activity, neck position, head position... Sometimes is more noticeable, sometimes it is quieter, sometimes is just hissing, sometimes is squealing...

It is accompanied with continuous ringing which is also changing. Ringing, white noise, whistling...

There are times I notice 3 different sounds in my right ear, 1. pulsatile sound, 2. continuous ringing (almost like it is in my head) and 3. soft whistling which fluctuates. it whistles for 3 seconds, then it stops, then it whistles again...

Often in the morning when I first wake up is like it is gone, but after I move my neck or head it becomes noticeable and becomes louder as the day goes on.

I had MRA of neck and head, they found nothing. ENT was useless.

I don't know if I got used to it, but I think it is 10 % better than at the beginning. But then I have days when I think it is still almost the same.

I become a little bit depressed, I have less energy, less will, I am less fun.
And all day I just listen to this sound hoping it will get better or one day just suddenly disappear.

I need advice on which tests should I do? Which things to try? I definitely moved or touched something in my neck or atlas.

Thank you,
Rok

 

@rocoloco64 Hello:

Pulsatile sounds most likely relate to your C - spine and vertebral artery - head backwards with tilting neck to one side. I have other posts somewhere here with links to this. C spine may have straighten a bit causing pressure to the vertebral artery which is housed in the C spine. This can cause pulsatile tinnitus.

Your MRA should had noticed any pulsatile cause within the neck, but it won't note the vertebral artery. The vertebral artery is hidden, so an angiogram is needed. A series of neck X Rays will confirm if your C spine has a bit of straightening. After testing, a doctor of physical therapy should be able to release tension of C spine, and thus vertebral artery.

In the meantime, use correct posture and don't sleep with space within neck and pillows. It's best to use non foam pillows. Two pillows where one hangs lower in front of the other, like a ramp.

" Then this pulsatile sound came, it was like a hiss, with squealing sound at the end. " This would be the vertebral artery being pressed.

 

Thank you for your answer @Greg Sacramento.

Do yu mean I should have physical therapy after testing with X-ray or angiogram?

I am hoping to avoid an angiogram...

What about MRI or any other scans?

 

Yes after X Rays and CTA, not before.

 

Thank you for your advice and for pointing me in new direction. Will report back.

Br, Rok

 

Xray of the neck shown straightening of neck lordosis and deviation to the right in the upper part of cervical spine.

The movement I did + this neck stuff found probably explain pulsatile squeaking and hissing in the right ear.

2nd picture: Very apparent deviation at the top of the neck spine on my right side worries me a bit. It is not equally deviated on the left side, just on the right. Could be that this is the main area where artery is being depressed...

Currently waiting for advice from my GP.

Next stop is probably doctor of physio and then physical therapy?

 

Case report of a pulsatile tinnitus caused by a Dural arteriovenous fistula after head position changes. (no history of head trauma, acoustic trauma, or surgery of the head and neck).

 

Thank you, but I am 99,9% that neck is the blame. Since I did a movement similar to whiplash, plus tilting my head to the right. It started the same second I did this.

 

I went through one basic physical therapy, no difference.

Now I am doing another one where physical therapist saw the MRI images and noticed that the vertebral artery on the right side has less flow. On the image looks darker than the left one.

I've had 4 sessions now, doing exercises for strengthening the back and posture correction exercises. No visible improvement so far.

Also my job is now compromised since I can't be as efficient as before.

Pulsatile tinnitus sucks.

Plus I have very bothersome tingling and slow visible but minor muscle contractions on the left side of face.
Maybe due to anxiety, I don't know. It started a few days after the pulsatile tinnitus started.

Shittiest era of my life.

 

Hi, the pulsatile tinnitus is still there, but it is better. It worsens when lying on my back... No expert can figure out the reason.

Hoping that by 2025 I will be able to rest and relax in silence.

 

Any update?