What Exactly Does Your Pulsatile Tinnitus Sound Like?

Just curious if hearing your own heartbeat in your ear(s) for you guys is actually hearing the legitimate sound of a heartbeat the way we all know, or if it is your ringing that just goes up and then down with every beat.

For me, it's a very high frequency sound that goes along with the beat of my heart, up and down in my hear. It does not sound like an actual "heartbeat" inside my ear.

Is that considered actual Pulsatile Tinnitus?

 

That's what mine sounds like too...

 

Yes.

 

When I had it, the sound varied from a whoosh-whoosh to a tea-kettle-like sound in time with my pulse. There are sample audio files on whooshers.com, and a linked article (By Dr Shapiro) with several recordings from people with objective tinnitus. The flub-dub (one hears with a stethoscope over the heart) is muted into one pulse by the time the blood gets to the head. The pulse you hear almost always is the result of turbulence in blood vessels, and many factors change the nature of the turbulence and the transmittal to your ear.

 

A web link:
http://www.neuroangio.org/wp-content/uploads/Pulsatile Tinnitus/Sounds/Sound_1.wav

 

@Harlan Stockman I keep reading that the most common thing is the blood vessel issue like you mentioned. Mine has been going on for a week now. Would an MRI diagnose what you speak of?

It should be noted that I have high cholesterol (was told last week) and had my ear syringed like crazy to get wax out a week before this began. Could this have anything to do with it?

 

Mine does not sound like that. I have never had whooshing just high pitch tone. The PT sounds like nonstop beeping. I’m losing my mind at this point now.

 

The most important issue with the MRI is to have it read by someone who diagnoses PT, such as a Neuro interventional radiologist. My 1st MRI showed the dAVF, but it was totally missed by the vanilla radiologist at the local radiology lab. My 2nd MRI (to be sent of UCSF) also showed the dAVF, but was missed by a 2nd vanilla radiologist. Best to get the MRI referral from someone who knows what to look for; not every MRI is under the same conditions. Not everyone uses the best techniques for seeing areas of high hemoglobin contrast, and not everyone does post-contrast study, which is critical if the problem is venous.

Atherosclerosis in the carotid arteries can causes PT.

 

So did the give you anything for the dAVF and if so where are you at now

 

5 weeks post embolization surgery, no PT for 4 weeks

 

I can confirm that an arterial tinnitus caused by carotid dissection sounds so similar.

 

Thanks guys.

My PT has been on and off for the last week, although constant the last 48 hours.

Is it at all possible for this condition to legitimately be triggered by anxiety and stressed? Hard for me to believe at this point that would be the cause, but I will admit that I was living in a very stressed state in the days and even weeks leading up to its onset.

 

That's pretty much what mine is - a pulsating hiss that sits at the base of my skull. Sometimes it's very very aggressive, sometimes more tolerable.

 

When did yours start? Have you ever done an MRI?

 

December 2015 after I injured my neck. Had an MRI but I doubt if the operators were tinnitus experts - they didn't scan my cervical spine area which is where I am sure the problem began

 

And why do you think that’s where it began? You’ve felt pain in that area ?

 

In what I guess I could call "Good" news, my PT has at least subsided when compared to when it began after a nightmare 2 weeks ago and even last weekend. It was PIERCING in and out of my left ear. Now it only appears after I've worked up a bit of a sweat or get my heart rate really going. Still concerning and still a problem, but I guess I should take this as a good sign?

 

My pulsatile tinnitus sounds like a low, beating drum. Probably a lot like what you'd hear in a stethoscope. And when I exercise or am stressed, it's worse.

 

You just described my Tinnitus word for word. You are the first one. I suffered a head trauma (physical assault) back in December but I can recall back in October / November, hearing my pulse in my ear but it was more like a palipatation and only happened when I slept on my side and was a sensation not a sound.

Now, it beats like a slow drum and if I put my finger on my pulse in my neck it is in tune but it doesn’t do it on every beat only some beats but it is always in sync with my pulse and echos.

The echos can turn into long buzzes that can connect and turn into a sort of constant low buzz or I suppose it could be a low whoosh. But for the most part it beats like someone banging on a bongo drum from a fair distance with a large echo.

It gets worse with stress. Always.

I find it is variable.

I am doing Keto and at times my electrolytes have been low. I wonder if that has anything to do with it?

I wonder if I have PT and not regular T.

Does PT show up on a MRI? What is used to diagnose it? I am seeing an ENT in a couple months. Should I ask for aything specifically when I see the ENT? What can be done to cure PT?


The most frustrating thing about my T is not knowing exactly what caused it. I was told by my GP it was likely from a blow to the head during the physical assault. So concussion. But then I was told I also had inner ear fluid. Then I was told the inner ear fluid cleared up. Then I found out about TMJ as I was hit in the jaw as well as the head.

If I could pinpoint the cause, then perhaps there is a treatment. Now I am thinking maybe I have PT because it is EXACTLY as you described and I have not been able to find anyone to describe it this way. Definitely not high pitch (knock on wood). I used to describe it as bass from a distant stereo in another room or a car driving by with the bass thumping.

If you have any advice and could answer any of my questions, please let me know! I hope there are some possible treatments for PT if they can find out what the cause is? Thanks a lot.

 

Mine sounds like a heartbeat, thud thud thud...,

 

An MRA is more sensitive at picking up the vascular issues, even then, it can be missed. I've had 3 embolization surgeries.

Please read this: https://www.tinnitustalk.com/thread...d-to-do-to-get-answers-and-a-diagnosis.36645/