Need Some Light on My Pulsatile Tinnitus (Heartbeat in My Right Ear)

[MarcX]

Hello everyone, Im new here!

Im a 27 years old male. In Jan, I started to listen to my own heartbeat in my right ear sometimes... not all the time. I basically hear them when I move, or do something that requires effort. I am pretty concern since all I read on the internet is vascular, carotid, veins problems, etc...

I will have a gallbladder surgery soon, and have gone tru a lot of anxiety and depression combine with lots of digestive disorders for the past months. (feeling lot better now).

I have to say that all of my blood work are normal including my LIPID panels...

I do not have high blood pressure... It is usually 120/70 115/70

Im on a healthy weight

I do not have earing problems but i feel something weird, like air or pressure close to my ear.

Im wondering if this could be a huge problem, dead or life (tim sensitive) situation?

Can this be a vascular, carotid problem even tho i dont have any of the high risk factor like HBP and High LIPIDS, overweight?

Can this be an other side effect of my gallbladder problem?

Or any lights?

 

[Pilot]

The vast majority of pulsatile tinnitus is benign and not life threatening. It is still a good idea to get the standard tests, MRA, CT scan of temporal bones, and ultrasound of carotid arteries to rule out anything serious.

It could be vascular, there are a bunch of things that could cause PT even though your weight and BP are normal, such as a bruit, or blood vessel too close to the inner ear. Classic PT is normally caused by turbulent blood flow as it passes by the ear. I think since it is intermittent that it is something small.

I don't know if the gall bladder would have anything to do with it.

Is your a low frequency or higher frequency?

 

[MarcX]

I see. Is a low pitch sound. Like when you listen to your heart ❤ tru a stethoscope.

I lost 30 pounds due to ny gallstone probkems. But i regained 50% of my weight. I heard that Eustachian Tube can cause me that. Specially when i feel ear fullness or pressure. If i put a finger in my ear i can't hear it.

 

[MarcX]

I don't have any weird pulsatile sound... It is clearly a heartbeat sound.

 

[Pilot]

I think you should see an ENT to check you out.

If it is low frequency then you probably are hearing blood flow. If it goes away by putting your finger in your ear then somehow you might be disrupting the blood flow.

Maybe something in your ear canal? Maybe a small capillary too close to your ear drum? Maybe there is some swelling in your earl canal that pushes the capillary too close to the ear drum?

I'm not a doctor and am throwing ideas out.

 

[MarcX]

im very worried, but i thunk it is something with my right ear... Sin i feel pressure in it. Plus what do you knwo about Eustachian's tube causing you to hear your iwn heartbeat?

 

[Pilot]

It's probably nothing serious, but very annoying.

I think an open eustacian tube would cause your chewing and voice to be loud, probably some other things. I don't think it would cause you to hear your heartbeat.

 

[MarcX]

I mentioned the Eustachian tube because i saw this at the mayoclinic. Im afraid of arteries blockage or any aneurism.

The weird thing is that i dont hear it all the time and that i also feel discomfort in the ear.

 

[Pilot]

They are listing the most severe causes of tinnitus, and most rare, except for hearing loss causing higher pitched sounds.

I guess if they say a blocked ETD could cause PT then maybe it could. I still don't see how since the ETD is normally closed anyway, until you yawn, swallow, or perform a vasalva maneuver.

 

[MarcX]

An other observation is that i cant hear it in the mornings. While my stomach its not digesting. Once my day start to develop... I start to hear it when i perform task that require more effort. It then will start to call down at night.

same with the ear pressure or discomfort.

i dont think it is blood pressure because i have taken my blood pressure like 20000000 tines with automatic and manual devices.

i think it is something to do with ear getting irritated during the day

 

[Carmen Fiorelli]

Dear MarcX. I totally understand what you are going through. I had PT for 2.5 years and exactly that, heard heart beat all the time. I also have non pulsatile tinnitus, left side for 35 years, right side for 2.5 years along with the PT on that side. I have severe to,profound hearing loss on left and moderate to severe on right. I had vertigo as well. Not a pretty picture. I went to many many ENTs for the pulsatile tinnitus who had no clue, saw a neurologist who couldn't figure it out. Saw docs at Emory Hosp., Duke University, Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison and in Charlotte, NC. My records were reviewed by docs from California to NY, even a doc in Tel Aviv. Nobody could help. By God's grace, I was put in touch with Dr. Jeffrey Brown in Great Neck,, NY. He is a neurosurgeon at Winthrop Hospital in Mineola, NY, and he figured it out the first time he saw my MRIs. It was the 8th cranial nerve compressing the artery. He saw this in one of the many MRIs I sent him. He ordered a FIESTA MRI to confirm it. After meeting with him, we live in Charlitte, NC, I decided to have surgery, microvascular decompression of the 8th cranial nerve. The complication came in at surgery that the 7th nerve was also compressed. It was a big and difficult surgery. I am 3 months post op and the PT is almost gone and I can hear better with hearing aids, no vertigo. Please, don't give up. I know how at times we wish we could just die because the noises in our heads are too much to handle. But there is a doctor out there who can find the cause and cure it. Keep looking, don't take "can't help you" as an answer. Ask a neurosurgeon to do a FIESTA MRI. I wish you the best. Don't give up. It took me 2.5 years and I wish I knew this before.

 

[Karen]

Hi, Carmen,

I think it's wonderful that you found the cause of your PT, and that your surgery for the 8th and 7th nerve compression was successful. That is great news, and encourages those of us with PT not to give up!

I've never heard of a FIESTA MRI. What is different about it, and can it be ordered through most imaging facilities?
How long did the MRI last, and was any contrast dye involved?

Thanks for any information you can provide, and again, I'm so happy for you!!!

 

[MarcX]

so glad you find out the cause of your pt. Hopefully mines its just Eustachian tube problem or some ear problems.

im just a little bit scare of having a stroke or something... Yes im pretty over reactive.

dod you hear it all the time?

remember i dont hear any high or woosh sound. It is my heartbeat

 

[MarcX]

I don't hear it all the time. Someday are better than others, and someday I barely hear it. And it is not a high pitch sound, neither a low pitch sound or wooshing, It is clearly my heartbeat sound. And i hear it most when my stomach is full. I believe it is some ear problems or inflammation because i feel like pressure or like little pain in my ear. The more pressure or pain I have, the most I hear it!

I will ask for some arteries and veins ultrasound to put that away, because that my major concern. Since i don't hear it all the time, I do not mind having it as long as it is a benign cause.

 

[Karen]

@MarcX
I think that since your PT isn't heard all the time, that you have a much better chance that it is something benign. I'm glad you're planning to have an ultrasound, though, just to put your mind at ease.

I don't really hear a whoosh, either. Mine is more of a drumbeat/heartbeat sound, and I hear it all the time.

You might very well be right about the fact that you have some inflammation. When that goes away, your PT might subside, too. Has a doctor looked at it, and did they prescribe an anti-inflammatory or an antibiotic?

I'll be interested to hear what the outcome of your ultrasound is. Good luck, and I don't think you need to worry!

 

[MarcX]

My General Medicine Doctor have looked into my ear but... just a quick look with that thing they use I forgot the name of that tool. Is like a magnifier with a light...

But i don't think they can check your ear drum or Eustachian Tube with that, or detect any inflammation or infection.

I will keep you guys updated.!

On monday I will ask for the ULTRASOUND

 

[Melwil81]

Hey I just joined tonight ...was wondering did u get the ultrasound