Pulsatile Tinnitus Affecting My Life

[PEDRO13]

I have PT in my right ear. During the past 2 years the PT has has been there all the time apart from 3 days recently when I had a bad chest infection.

This was strange why the PT went away, was it due to the coughing and blowing my nose. Was it something due to my sinuses. I was so happy it would be the best present I could ever have. I was also taking Lemsip which is a flu/ cough medicine. Unfortunately the PT came back.

It is more noticeable at night but the PT is helped by shaking my head back and forth and holding my nose and making my ears pop and this tends to minimise the PT. However when I waken up the PT is always much worse. Why is the PT so much more noticeable when I wake up? Is it because when I am asleep there is no movement of my head.

My PT is really bad when I drink alcohol with a large meal. Getting to sleep at night is very difficult due to the whooshing noise which is very uncomfortable feeling and I feel my heart beat in my right ear. Why does alcohol make my PT so much worse? Is it because the alcohol dilates the blood vessels and allows more blood to flow through the blood vessels next to my ear.

I am prescribed Omeprazole for excess acid and I notice that the PT is less when I stop taking the Omeprazole
I have had an MRI and CAT scan, I also have had an ultra sound check on my carotoid artery. All test proved negative. I personally was hoping that I had something physically wrong with me so that some surgery could solve what was causing my PT.

When I go to the doctor now they just can't be bothered with me. The ENT consultant said I have just got to live with it.

I feel like taking a hammer to my right ear.

Any help for the terrible condition.
Thanks. Pedro13

 

[Karen]

Hi, @PEDRO13

I have both pulsatile tinnitus and regular tinnitus in my right ear, too, so I can totally sympathize with what you are experiencing. Yes, I think you're right about the alcohol dilating the blood vessels and making your PT seem worse. It does have something to do with the vascular system, so that makes sense to me.

I've been living with PT for over 6 years now, as my doctors could not find anything, either. What I can tell you that works best is to try taking calming supplements, such as magnesium (I take magnesium glycinate), try to remain calm, use sleep aids if needed (I occasionally use melatonin, but magnesium seems to work best for me, taken 1 hour before bedtime), and exercise regularly. You could also try dietary changes to see if that helps, such as cutting down on caffeine, sugar, and sodium.

Another person on here has suggested that a low-dose beta blocker works for some people. It didn't work for me, but you could consider trying it, by asking your doctor for a prescription.

Finally, I'd suggest that you send your tests scans to another doctor or doctors, to see if they can find anything. There is a clinic in San Francisco that specializes in pulsatile tinnitus, and you could consider contacting them. There are also two doctors that many people have contacted: Dr. Eisenman, at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, and Dr. Maksim Shapiro at Langone Medical Center, NY. They will look at your scans for a fee, and let you know their findings.

I wish you a quiet evening, and best wishes for the new year!!

Karen

 

[PEDRO13]

Thanks very much Karen. Will take on board the advice you have given.
I have been thinking about getting the information from the scans that have been carried out. I will need to ask the doctor how to get this information.
The NHS in the UK is very slow to deal with this problem. Their solution is to sleep with music at full volume and then you won't notice it.
Is there any specialists in the UK.
What PT does is it stops you drinking alcohol as you know it will make the PT unbearable. It is New Years Eve right now and the thought of the after affects of alcohol puts me off having a drink. Remember I am only talking about a couple of lagers. This PT is a terrible disease and it really affects your quality of life. I am glad I am retired because there is no way I could work right now. There must be physical cause for my PT and I am sure there is a cure.
Sorry for this miserable post.
To all you out there with this terrible PT have a happy new 2017 year and I hope you all personally find a cure or the PT just goes away.

 

[Karen]

Hi, Pedro,

You may have seen this article before, but I'll post it again:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/a...emailing-expert-3-000-miles-away-America.html

It's about a tinnitus sufferer in the UK who found a cure by sending his scans to Dr. Maksim Shapiro in New York, and then his doctors at Addenbrooks operated on him.

There may be some good PT doctors in the UK, but I don't know of them. You might want to check out Whooshers.com, or contact the British Tinnitus Association.

Best wishes, and a hope for a cure (or at least an improvement in our PT) in 2017!!
Karen

 

[PEDRO13]

Thanks again Karen,
Yes I have read the article in the daily mail. I have read almost everything there is to read on the Internet concerning PT.
my PT is definitely vascular in nature.
By having a large meal and drinking alcohol the heart will pump more blood through blood vessels. Possibly due to a small blockage or a malformed blood vessel this will increase the whooshing noise which is synchronised with my ♥ heart beat.
I think I will have this PT for the rest of my life unless I pursue this by getting specialist help, which is not easy in our NHS system.
Again thanks very much Karen your advice is very much appreciated.
Remember PT is very different to the normal Tinnitus, only 2% of all Tinnitus sufferers have PT and according to all the evidence it is the most Troublesome.
I am still wondering why my PT went away for 3 days when I had a bad chest infection. There is never a day goes by when I am not thinking about this terrible medical condition.

 

[Karen]

Hi, Pedro,

Yes, it does seem unusual that your PT actually went away for 3 days. However, I do remember that something like that happened to me when I had a cold and bronchitis. The PT was still there, but much quieter, and I don't know why. Something about being sick, and the body trying to heal itself (?)

Anyway, I hope that 2017 will be better for you!!

If you never find a reason for your PT, it is possible to live with it. I'm proof of that! What seems to happen, over time, is that your mind and body get used to it, and you can sort of put it out of your mind for awhile. I try very hard to stay busy, and keep my mind occupied. That really helps.

Good luck, and take care! Please stay in touch, and let us know how you're doing.

Karen