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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kittyrushing | @kittyrushing | Aug 23, 2019
In reply to @jamienolson "Hi @tlcnurse1, Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. Here is some information that Mayo Clinic has out..." + (show)
@jamienolson

Hi @tlcnurse1, Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect.
Here is some information that Mayo Clinic has out on Tinnitus- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/tinnitus/symptoms-causes/syc-20350156. Have you mentioned your symptoms to your physician? @beatricefay - do you notice your pulsatile tinnitus all day long?

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How do you determine whether or not you need the test to determine if the constant pulsating heartbeat you hear is in a blood vessel near your ear or in your brain? My otolaryngologist said it is up to me to decide. ??? @kittyrushing

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aadgloria1401 | @aadgloria1401 | Aug 23, 2019

Best to get a referral to a neurointerventional Radiologist, I had a mra, mrv and cerebral angiogram to rule out a fistula but I have a mild stenosis in the transverse sinus

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kittyrushing | @kittyrushing | Aug 23, 2019

Thank you! I will try to find one and go from there.

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2 replies
aadgloria1401 | @aadgloria1401 | Aug 23, 2019

Dr Aman at UCSF Pulsatile clinic is were I went

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aadgloria1401 | @aadgloria1401 | Aug 23, 2019
In reply to @kittyrushing "Thank you! I will try to find one and go from there." + (show)
@kittyrushing

Thank you! I will try to find one and go from there.

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If my PT gets louder then I’ll go get the cerebral venogram done to check the pressure and vein with a possible stent but that’s when it gets louder

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lizm2 | @lizm2 | Aug 24, 2019
In reply to @aadgloria1401 "Did your scans show the fistula and what were your symptoms besides the whooshing, I’m waiting..." + (show)
@aadgloria1401

Did your scans show the fistula and what were your symptoms besides the whooshing, I’m waiting to see the NIR for next steps on cerebral angiogram, they found some mild stenosis of the left transverse sinus but not sure what that’s is

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Hi, sorry for the late reply, this went to junk. The mri showed what they thought was stenosis. Once they did the cerebral angiogram, neurosurgeon Found fistula. I had the embolization about a year ago, unfortunately the noise came back after 4 months. Not nearly as bad though, so haven’t went back to doc yet.

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lizm2 | @lizm2 | Aug 24, 2019
In reply to @aadgloria1401 "Did your scans show the fistula and what were your symptoms besides the whooshing, I’m waiting..." + (show)
@aadgloria1401

Did your scans show the fistula and what were your symptoms besides the whooshing, I’m waiting to see the NIR for next steps on cerebral angiogram, they found some mild stenosis of the left transverse sinus but not sure what that’s is

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Forgot to answer your other question, no other symptoms than that. But the whooshing was so loud and constant that it was giving me major anxiety and messing up my sleep.

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lizm2 | @lizm2 | Aug 25, 2019
In reply to @kittyrushing "Thank you! I will try to find one and go from there." + (show)
@kittyrushing

Thank you! I will try to find one and go from there.

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I went to a neurosurgeon, and he finally recommended a cerebral angiogram. This is how I finally got a diagnosis of DuraL AV fistula.

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aadgloria1401 | @aadgloria1401 | Aug 26, 2019
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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I had the cerebral angiogram but no venogram , I’m wondering why they did a venogram on you? I was told that the venogram is to check to vein pressure so I didn’t do it

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