Possible Cause of Pulsatile Tinnitus

I have suffered with Pulsatile Tinnitus for over ten years. My PS is a rhythmic hissing sound that is in sync with my heat beat. The sound is mostly on the left side. I have had most ever test, exam, scan/image done to try to determine what the cause of my PS is from. Most recently I went to see Michael J, A, Robb, MD Robb Oto-Neurology Clinic in Phoenix, AZ. He specializes in disease and disorders of the ear and the brain including vertigo, dizziness, imbalance, tinnitus, ringing and sensitive ears. They performed a CT scan of the temporal bones w/out contrast. This was a much more sensitive CT exam then was conducted before. What they found was "There is a severe focal thinning or dehiscence involving the floor of the left middle cranial fossa at the level of the left temporomandibular joint. The clinical significance of this finding in this patent is not certain." I guess what this means is the bone in the scull that separates the left side of the ear is very thin. The doctor believes that this is what may be causing my PS tinnitus. I am hearing the blood rushing through the veins and arteries on the left side of my head. The doctor feels this is correctable by relining the left side of the base of the skull at the left middle cranial fossa at the level of the left temporomandibular joint. I would love to get rid of my PS but this procedure sounds like brain surgery. The surgery according to the doctor, involves lefting the brain while the base of the skull is relined. I will be getting a second opinion. I will most likely live with this problem unless someone can convince me that this will correct my PS and the risk of the surgery is low. My PS effects my hearing and makes it very difficult to sleep at night. My question to the doctor is how did the bone in the base of the skull become thin to cause the PS. My PS suddenly showed up one morning when there was nothing there before. The doctor has me on a regiment of vitamins base on recent blood work that showed low levels of various constituents. I will be getting my blood retested in 3-months. Any comments from anyone that has a similar problem or diagnosis would be appreciated .

 

I get PS in my left ear as well, but it is occasional and not all the time, it started a little while after my T started, as far as being because of a thinning in the bone I would be very skeptical if I was you and would seek further opinions.

Wish I could offer you more but your post is the first I have heard of that being the cause of pulsatile Tinnitus, hopefully someone else here maybe of further help to you.

Rich

 

hi jon j.i also have Pulsatile tinnitus.mine is also a hissing that is in sync with my heart beep.my ct of the temporal bone came out ok.i would definitely get a second and even a third opinion.it sounds like serious surgery and my guess is they wont be able to guarantee that your PT will be eliminated.in my research I did see that Dr Robb is highly regarded with Pulsatile Tinnitus and has cured some of his patients.Whooshers .com also list some cases similar to what you describe.those people went through with the surgery and their PT was greatly reduced or eliminated.well good luck with things and please keep us updated on how things work out for you. thanks billy43

 

Thanks for the info. The search for a cure goes on..
Jon

 

Hi. I am new at this so please bare with me. My hearing issues started 14 years ago and am still looking for answers after going to multiple kinds of drs and many test. My PT started with fullness in my left ear, mind you, i had not taken any kind of medication so it didn't happen because of meds. Then the pulsatile started started. It sounded like someone driving down the street with their base all the way up. Five years later and many more tests and Drs, my right ear started the same path. I have mostly fullness in both ears and pt all the time. Every hour varies in the sound in my ears. I have had every kind of noise imaginable, noises so loud I couldn't believe the person next to me couldn't hear it. My right ear was better then my left and for 12 years I thought I didn't have any hearing in that ear but after strong antibiotics for several months, my left ear opened up and I could hear perfectly. It only lasted for a short time because I went off the antibiotics, but I did learn that I wasn't deaf in that ear as some of you might discover. Im sure you all know how debilitating this can be and makes you antisocial. I swore I would never go to another ENT again, but i moved and noticed that my hearing got better. Found out my immune system was so low I was allergic to 13 airborne allergens. When I moved, I found, since my hearing seemed better, I went in for one last hearing test. The audiologist said my hearing loss was not normal and I needed to find out what was causing it. I tried hearing aids but my hearing changes from hour to hour so they didnt work. Also, I have noticed when I eat, my hearing gets better. Anyone experience that? Anyway, the audiologist asked me if i had ever been tested for Lyme Disease. She had experience with it and so I was tested and it came back positive. Thus the large amounts of antibiotics, but I did find out from that experience that I do have hearing under all this fullness and constant PT. I also have this weird thing that happens whenever I lay my left ear on a pillow. My left ear does this suction thing to the pillow, like a toilet plunger does to unplug a drain. Its like stuck to the pillow. Anyone experience this? Also when I get up, bend over or the air conditioner comes on, my ears start really pounding for a few seconds like blood is rushing to my ears. Sorry this is so long, its just been years of no answers.

 

Dear Karen,
I have been watching the PT threads for 6 months now. This was the time when my PT started It was a week after a whiplash-injury and it is devastating. I tried everything to get rid of it. Nothing really helped. So I tried to get used to it but I do not manage. It is terrible and I think I cannot go on this way. I feel I cannot live with it. It is an eternal hissing 24/7. Very rarely it is a bit milder. But there is still another tinnitus, high pitch, like a jigsaw. That is also hard to stand, but I manage better.
I'm addressing you (and appreciate all other comments and maybe help), because I feel that you get along with your situation. My question is: How did you manage - or are you still coping? I wish so desperately to hear from someone, that I could manage it, too. At this very moment I feel like being in the hell. My life isn't what it was before, I am on "Benzos", because I'm in a deep depression and anxiety. I even stayed some weeks in a psychosomatic tinnitus hospital, where they tried to help me.
I am losing my hopes and the rest of my life from day to day. May I ask another question?: Is it really true, that is more difficult to get used to a PT than to other tones? (I even read it could be impossible.)
All the best for you,
Catherine

 

Dear Karen,
thank you for your answer! To your questions for me: Yes, I have seen many specialists. Of course, first an orthopedic specialist and an ENT. They sent me to MRT/MRI/CT and Doppler. Up to here everything was OK. Furthermore they required an so-called upright MRT (in function). Here they discovered an atlanto-axial subluxation as a consequence of the car accident. In this early times of my torture they stated, the PT is a result of the accident and should vanish one day. But they were not right! Of course, I am still in regular physiotherapy and have seen two osteophatic specialists. They tried an atlanto-axis-treatment (Arlen). Furthermore I underwent such HCO-Therapie (hyperbare therapy) - useless.
I think I tried everything which is possible and have to see, that only habituation could help me. BUT HOW TO DO IT??
I feel - as I wrote in the former post - in hell.
Thank you for the hint to get member on whooshers, dear Karen. Im going to do it.
I tried to read behind your words and cannot find out, whether you get along quite well with this situation. Am a approaching you to directly to ask again whether you can live a "normal" life with this devil in the head? And whether you have good moments?
A big hug for you,
Catherine

 

Dear Karen,
you cannot imagine what a great help you are for me. It is really for the first time that I hear (read) someone saying. "Yes, it is going better with me - my PT is not controlling me, I am the master." That is a great evening for me! Thanks!
All the best for you,
Catherine

 

Hi Karen - has your T improved? You might want to check out my threads on some solutions to T that I've found.

You certainly will benefit from getting the Lyme under control (that can take 18 - 24 months of multiple antibiotics plus supplements like the Cowden Protocol etc.).

Lyme can also create allergies because the immune system can't see the Lyme and starts attacking other things.

Allergies are very likely contributing to your T. Do check out my threads and see if the help you.

 

I thought antibiotics caused T and H? Here Im reading that they help relieve T and H. Does anyone have input? Thank you.