1. < Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT)

Pulsatile tinnitus

Posted by beatricefay @beatricefay, Jun 2, 2018

Started getting heart beat sounds in right ear only. Got an MRA to check the arteries (no results yet). Strangely the sounds start in the evening and continue when I go to bed. I have no idea why it's quiet during the day. Has anyone else had this experience. If my arteries are okay in my brain then I have to look for other causes. Any ideas. I checked medication side effects but that doesn't seem to be the cause. One night I exercised in the evening and I had no sounds, but that didn't work yesterday. I'm perplexed.

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Mentor
Sue, Volunteer Mentor | @sepdvm | Mar 22 9:26am
In reply to @dcike "I have the same problem in my right ear. I was diagnosed with Otosclerosis twenty years..." + (show)
@dcike

I have the same problem in my right ear. I was diagnosed with Otosclerosis twenty years ago with moderate hearing loss in the right ear. The ENT suggested a stapedectomy, which I wish I would have had done. He said it could go bad again so I opted for hearing aids which helped immensely. The pulsatile tinnitus mostly disappears when I sleep. It has gotten worse lately, so I either see the ENT about the surgery or go with a larger hearing aid and see if that helps, as I am having difficulty hearing with the right ear again.

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Hello @dcike. It would probably be a good choice to see an ENT, since 20 years have passed since your diagnosis. A lot of progress can be made in 20 years. There may be new and better treatment options out there. Has anyone talked about a cochlear implant for you? I have chronic tinnitus from and acoustic neuroma and the other ear a cancer surgery plus radiation. As my hearing has diminished and stronger hearing aids are used, my ENT surgeon at Mayo CLinic said that Cochlear implants would improve my hearing even more. Just curious if the same is true for your case?

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wishbone | @wishbone | Mar 23 5:35pm
In reply to @morninglory "I have had this problem for many, many years. Also had a MRA and have never..." + (show)
@morninglory

I have had this problem for many, many years. Also had a MRA and have never had a diagnosis. However I have within the last 6 months been diagnosed with Meniere's Disease which affects that one ear with the pulsations and extreme pressure during an episode. Not much help for you but know you are not alone with the problem.

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Wondering if you get the beat sounds all the time or how often.

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1 reply
morninglory | @morninglory | Mar 23 7:22pm
In reply to @wishbone "Wondering if you get the beat sounds all the time or how often." + (show)
@wishbone

Wondering if you get the beat sounds all the time or how often.

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The beats seem to come in one week at a time and then a respite from them and then again the next week. Currently just got out of hospital for unrelated problem and since on steroid have not had the horrible pounding for over a week> Not sure why the relief, if due to meds or what but it is wonderful

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wishbone | @wishbone | Mar 23 7:29pm

Wow. Trying to learn more about cause and what I can do. An ENT basically dismissed me after an MRI didn’t shed any new info. Have you found anything that actually relieves the pounding?

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debufra | @debufra | May 28 12:46pm

This entire thread has been fascinating to me. I experience pounding in my head as if someone is hammering in the basement. The segments of pounding are never the same. For example, three, silence, then one, then silence, then four and so on. These occur most frequently during the daytime. Often connected to movement such as standing up or turning my head. I can go for days or weeks without experiencing this. It is never in rhythm with my pulse. Sometimes it is soft, sometimes rather loud. I should mention that I am quite deaf and have a cochlear implant in my right ear. I haven’t identified the sound as being in one ear or the other. Simply in my brain. I am very grateful for discovering this conversation as it helps me understand that I am not alone. Have talked to primary care and am set for CAT scan and neurological referral but will now also talk to my ENT physician. And see about adding magnesium. Thank you everyone.

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KC Terry | @kcterry | May 29 10:45pm

It could be because of many reasons….suggest you read the Fox News article by Erica Lamberg entitled, “Ask a doctor why am I hearing my heartbeat in my ears.”….go to http://www.foxnews.com/health

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dorajak | @dorajak | Jun 15 11:33am

I have pulsatile Tinnitus! It is debilitating .My heart pounds in my ears and neck . Upon investigation tests ordered by my DR. They found that I have previously had a stroke, have soft and hard plaque in my brain, but I still get no help for this . They tell me there is nothing I can do about it.. My DR did put me on an antidepressent and I dont like taking them. But for now it helps me to stay sane.
I am wondering if anyone hass any more information on this?

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1 reply
mslw | @mslw | Jun 16 5:54pm
In reply to @dorajak "I have pulsatile Tinnitus! It is debilitating .My heart pounds in my ears and neck ...." + (show)
@dorajak

I have pulsatile Tinnitus! It is debilitating .My heart pounds in my ears and neck . Upon investigation tests ordered by my DR. They found that I have previously had a stroke, have soft and hard plaque in my brain, but I still get no help for this . They tell me there is nothing I can do about it.. My DR did put me on an antidepressent and I dont like taking them. But for now it helps me to stay sane.
I am wondering if anyone hass any more information on this?

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http://www.whooshers.com/

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1 reply
mslw | @mslw | Jun 16 6:01pm
In reply to @lizm2 "I have been dealing with pulsatile tinnitus in my right ear for about a year. After..." + (show)
@lizm2

I have been dealing with pulsatile tinnitus in my right ear for about a year. After going to my primary, then an ENT, I finally ended up at a neurosurgeon. I had an MRI first which showed narrowing of a vein close to my ear. The neurosurgeon then performed a cerebral angiography and venography. Finally diagnosed with Dural AV Fistula. This is all pretty recent, so good times. I now have to have some kind of procedure where surgeon will block some vessels in my brain to prevent the turbulent blood flow which is causing me to hear blood swooshing in my ear. My point is there always seems to be a cause for this, so don’t give up!

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Yes, there’s always a cause, but there’s not always a safe solution.
I’m ok with it most of the time, and it might save my life someday to know that my heartbeat is irregular.
But sometimes, I’m sad that I’ll never hear silence again and angry about taking the ototoxic medicine that apparently was the catalyst.
http://www.whooshers.com/

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