Pulsatile Tinnitus

Hi, Buffy,

We're glad you've joined Tinnitus Talk! I have pulsatile tinnitus, too (right ear only). I've had it for about 4 years now, and have been to several doctors, and had a number of tests, including MRI/MRA, CT scan, Doppler of carotid artery. All came out negative. However, my pulsating hasn't gotten worse; it has remained about the same, and/or actually seems a little better.

Have you been to more than one doctor for your condition, and have they suggested any more tests for you? You might try going to a neurologist or neurotolgist, to see if they might have additional suggestions. Also, it has been suggested that those of us with pulsatile tinnitus might want to circulate our test results, to have another specialist look at them to see if they can see anything that might have been missed or overlooked.

Are you having any other symptoms, such as headaches, eye/vision problems, etc? That can sometimes indicate another condition -- IIH (benign intracranial hypertension), which is a buildup of fluid around the brain. It is a common cause of "whooshing" in many individuals.

You might want to check out Whooshers.com, a website devoted to pulsatile tinnitus. They also have a Facebook group for pulsatile tinnitus sufferers to share information and provide support.

Please don't give up; pulsatile tinnitus is a difficult condition to live with, but it is considered highly curable if a cause can be found.

Best wishes,
Karen

 

@Marlene ,

Yes, it is possible that an ophthalmologist (I don't know about an optician) could pick up on a lot of conditions just by examining your eyes. I think they could see any abnormalities that might lead them to think there was high intracranial pressure. But -- I'm no doctor, so I'm not sure. In my case, I did have an eye exam by an ophthalmologist the first year I got pulsatile tinnitus. No abnormalities were found. Thanks for suggesting this, and I hope your headaches are getting better!

Take care,
Karen

 

Hi, @buffy,

Yes, I think it might be a good idea for you to return to your GP to be checked out, just in case there is something new to be found. To tell you the truth, ENT's don't usually know a lot about pulsatile tinnitus, and they may refer you to someone else. They mostly treat the run-of-the-mill ear infections, etc. My ENT referred me to a neurotologist to be checked out further.

Your GP would be a good place to start, and you should definitely mention the headaches and vision problems. He could perhaps test you for high intracranial pressure (?). I don't know how they do that, but I have heard of many people having a lumbar puncture if IIH was suspected.

A question: Do you have both pulsatile tinnitus and ringing/hissing tinnitus in your left ear? I'm asking because I have both. Before the PT started, I had a mild form of regular tinnitus in my right ear for about 25 years. My PT started four years ago, after taking a blood pressure drug.

Did yours start gradually, or suddenly? Did you just wake up with it one day?

Are you in the U.S.? On Whooshers.com, there are some recommendations of specialist doctors who are familiar with PT. One doctor is in New York, and one is in Baltimore. In the UK, I've heard that people have had good luck at Addenbrooke's Hospital.

Take care, and please keep me posted on how you're doing, and what you decide to do about returning to the doctor.

P.S. --- You could try Googling the symptoms for benign intracranial hypertension, to see if you think they might apply to you. Then, you could mention it to your doctor on your next visit.

Best wishes,
Karen

 

Hi, Buffy,

Yes, sometimes Whooshers.com scares me, too! Most of the time, though, pulsatile tinnitus is not anything serious. It's good to be checked by your doctor to rule anything out, but most likely all is well. I've never found a cause for mine, but it has gotten much, much better recently. The ringing/hissing is pretty quiet today, and I can't really hear my whooshing right now. Why? I don't know; I just finally determined not to worry about it and live my life as much like before as possible. Also, since mine was blood pressure-related, I got my blood pressure under control through exercise and natural supplements, and no longer take blood pressure meds.

I hope you are able to get an appointment with your GP some time soon!

Take care, please don't worry, and try to remain as calm as possible. Yours may subside gradually on its own, as mine has done.

Best wishes and hugs,
Karen

 

@James

I agree with you that it's easier to cope with PT if you can get your life on a some kind of a schedule. That has mostly been working for me lately. Although I'm old enough to be a retiree, I still work part-time --- mostly for the distraction and sanity it provides! This keeps me on a regular schedule so that I don't have time think about the pulsating and the ringing so much. Mine gets better in the evening hours, so if I can just make till then, I feel I have survived another day successfully. Sleep helps, too, and if you can find a way to sleep most nights, your PT will probably calm down.

I hope you have a good night tonight, and that things calm down for you again.

Take care,
Karen

 

Hi, Grace,

No, I don't think it is possible to develop PT from noise-induced T. PT is also known as "vascular tinnitus", and there is usually some sort of physical cause for the PT. I think your ears are more sensitive now since you have T, and you were hearing your pulse after a lot of exertion. For most of us with PT, it is a constant pulsating sound, not sporadic.

Or at least, that's my opinion. Does anyone else have any thoughts on this subject?

 

Grace,

I just tried that in my non-pulsating ear (left ear), plugging my ear with my fingertip. I can hear a rumbling sound that does sound kind of like a heartbeat. So maybe that was what you were hearing. Believe me, if you had PT, you'd know it! Just relax, and don't worry about it; I think you're fine!