PSA: Have Pulsatile Tinnitus? Have an MRA! Mine Showed Dural Arteriovenous Fistula

I started having ear pain in February, I thought it was an ear infection. I had ice pick headaches and I thought I had just pulled something in my neck or something. Also when I would touch behind my ear it was extremely sore, so I thought maybe that was mastoiditis.

I had a head CT scan which was negative.

April came around and I started having pulsatile tinnitus and finally went to see an ENT. Left ear (where the pain was) was showing a little hearing loss but that maybe came from the pulsatile tinnitus being so loud. The ENT ordered an MRA with contrast due to my pulsatile tinnitus. The MRA showed dural arteriovenous fistula. If it is not taken care, it can cause a brain bleed.

If you are having pulsatile tinnitus, make sure to be seen. A head CT scan does not show your arteries or veins, it will only show a fracture or bleed. Better to be safe than sorry.

 

Explain more about your situation please, I have been searching for months to figure out mine. So you got an MRI? I was ordered to have one but my hyperacusis is bad so I put it off. You had a dural arteriovenous fistula? Explain more, I have never heard of that type of fistula before.

 

I had an MRA/MRI with contrast. Yes, a dural ateriovenous fistula is my diagnosis. It’s when the veins and arteries get entangled, this can result in a brain bleed of not taken care of. They are going to do an angiogram and then place coils or glue into the veins to close them up.

It’s pretty scary but if you’re having pulsatile tinnitus, definitely go get checked out. This is very rare, it could be many things or nothing for you but I would definitely go get it checked just to be sure.

 

This is the same thing I had been suggesting to people in this thread:

If You Have Pulsatile Tinnitus, Here's the First Thing You Need to Do to Get Answers and a Diagnosis

Mine was the same issue.

 

Damn that’s crazy. I hope they get you all fixed up.

When is your surgery? Unless you already had it.