My Experience With Pulsatile Tinnitus by Robert Price

Hi. My name is Robert Price, I have a Phd in anatomy and physiology, was a nationally competitive bodybuilder until my early forties, and have had pulsatile tinnitus in my right ear since 1998. It keeps me from sleeping on my right side when it's bad, and I can hear it walking aroun as well. It amplifies internal sounds my body makes, a condition called hyperacousis. Mine is sporadic and has gone away for 2 years or more only to return. I have seen the top three ENT and Otology specialists at New York Presbyterian and St Luke's Hospital, had all the audiology tests, and several MRI's, and all they found was some tone deafness at 600 Hertz. I also have perennial rhinosinusitis, but they have never acted up on the same day and are considered unrelated.

The Chief of ENT at St. Luke's Hospital Columbia School of Physicians and Surgeons said mine is caused by my superficial temperal artery being too close to my inner ear. To prove this, he had me press on the notch between the ear lobes where the artery emerges and the tinnitus immediately stopped, but came back as soon as I released pressure. He prescribed Xanax and Tenormin to lower my pulse rate, and they work sometimes. It was suggested that ligation of the artery would stop it, but the Columbia Presbyterian Chief of Otology said it might continue even after as the part of the artery inside my head would still pulse. He further said his senior professor had it in both ears and had concocted some nasal spray to combat the condition. It didn't work. The last time I checked with NY Pres, they were putting magnetic boxes on peoples' heads in a clinical trial. I am planning to try Flexeril next.

 

Hello Robert!

I am curious as to whether the Flexeril is for the pulsitile tinnitus or something else.

I also have PT... left ear mostly.

Have you looked into a hearing aid for the hyperacousis? I know of someone that got it after surgery and it worked out fine for him.

I would love to hear about the magnetic boxes trial. Do you have any further details? Is it for tinnitus?