rapid thumping sound in left ear

Posted by cinnamon @cinnamon, Apr 22, 2012

rapid thumping sound in left ear

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) Support Group.

Hello @melissac13 and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I understand you can relate to @stacmac and @kittyrushing with the thumping sound in your ear.

Will you please share if you try acupuncture to let others know if it provides you relief?

REPLY
@melissac13

Hello. Have you learned anymore about this. Mine started two months ago, and oddly I was told my BP was a little high. (When I went in about it.) I went to my Family doctor (suggestion was to lose 5 pounds and eat more fruits and vegetables). I went to an ENT whom told me that is was a muscle spasm. It seems to get worse for about 10-12 days around menstruation.
I told both the ENT and my doc that when I plug my ear the noise goes away. The ENT looked at me like I didn't know what I was talking about. My family doc listened and said it sounded interesting. Why would external pressure relieve the rapid (seems like 4x my heart beat - like I hear all 4 chambers) beating I hear. I read something about poor posture. Today my husband agreed to start eating better with me. Right now I can hear the regular heart beat flow. But when I burp and don't swallow right away it is a speedy, rhythmic pulsating. I'm so afraid. I don't wantbto have surgery.

Jump to this post

@melissac13 Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. You started to have thumping in your ear two months ago and you are looking to Connect with members like you.

Members like @kittyrushing @thumpingear @variegata @stacmac @lizm2 @cls91383 have experience with this topic and may be provide you with information and/or support.

I'm wondering if you have considered seeing another ENT or tinnitus specialist?

REPLY
@erikas

@melissac13 Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. You started to have thumping in your ear two months ago and you are looking to Connect with members like you.

Members like @kittyrushing @thumpingear @variegata @stacmac @lizm2 @cls91383 have experience with this topic and may be provide you with information and/or support.

I'm wondering if you have considered seeing another ENT or tinnitus specialist?

Jump to this post

Hi. I've seen an ENT and he said it was caused by spasms in the ear.

REPLY
@melissac13

Hi. I've seen an ENT and he said it was caused by spasms in the ear.

Jump to this post

@melissac13-Hi. The body can be very loud sometimes. Think of the common things...a burp, hiccup and other bodily noises. It’s very common to get nervous about a noise that seems uncommon. I have had a thumping in my ear for a very long time. I got it checked out and was told the same thing. The ear drum in that specific ear, spasms. The ear drums are muscles and sometimes they can be stressed by all kinds of things. Loud noises, temperature etc...although it’s not a “normal” feeling. If you can normalize it as something your body does, then you will be on the road to hearing it less. When your mind knows it’s not harming you, it will not alert you as strongly. Hope this helps.

REPLY
@melissac13

Oh wow..... I am so sorry to read about your doctor. 🙁 I think there may something to what she has said though. I have been reading quite a bit. I read a NIH doc and it seemed all the patients did not have narrowing of the arteries but, that having acupuncture might provide some relief. They had done all these different pressure points. This is my second month with it. As I mentioned previously, I had a brief reprieve. I think it went away for two weeks. I started eating a heart healthy diet. If anything, it can't hurt. 🙂 I will keep you updated of I learn anything! Take care, Melissa

Jump to this post

Melissac13, please my posting at https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/thumpingdrumming-in-right-ear/?pg=2#comment-441992 It includes my diagnosis and what triggers the drumming spasms, duration, etc. More than a few ppl experience these after yawning or burping, but as these are autonomic actions, stopping them from fully happening before the drumming is triggered is just a matter of luck. I can only add that mine started not long after I was diagnosed with a frozen left shoulder (adhesive capsulitis), but no doctor has found this to be anything more than coincidental. And perhaps it is. Who knows? I've found no reason why they started or why some days or nights they are more frequent and longer in duration than others. Regardless, do please read my earlier posting via the link above.

REPLY
@melissac13

Hi. I've seen an ENT and he said it was caused by spasms in the ear.

Jump to this post

@melissac13 I was unclear. The ENT did say that it was due to ear spasms, but there was no explanation or treatment provided, right? I was wondering if another ENT might be able to confirm the diagnosis and explain the, "I plug my ear the noise goes away," part.

REPLY
@jmnm

@gregk I think I’ve been experiencing the same thing. I get a fast, sporadic thumping/tapping in my right ear only that can last for hours. Very fast, very distracting. Almost sounds like when you have water in your ear and you tap your head. Does not match my heartbeat at all. And stops when I completely close/plug my ear. I can’t sleep or focus on anything when it’s happening which is very often lately. I’ve been trying some wax clearing drops and flushing with warm water to see if it will improve and also magnesium supplements. But please, if you or anyone else have any ideas or suggestions for at home relief, how to stop it or what it is, please let me know!! Thank you!

Jump to this post

I have had these same symptoms for over 10 years. Did anything finally help you? The only thing that works for me is wearing a tight earplug in my right ear when it starts happening.

REPLY
@wintercraig

I have had these same symptoms for over 10 years. Did anything finally help you? The only thing that works for me is wearing a tight earplug in my right ear when it starts happening.

Jump to this post

@wintercraig, has this thumping been diagnosed as tinnitus? Or is it different?

REPLY
@loisde

It most happens if I give even a little burp but can come on anytime.

Jump to this post

Omg! I have the exact thing! If I burp, I get in my left ear, it's like if I was at fireworks, and I cup my ear, it sounds like that! It's like a spasm, but with random hard thumping. NOT heart beat. So, what is this?? It started about 2 months ago.

REPLY
@redmonarch8

For the past 24 hours, I've been having the spastic thumbing in my ear. It doesn't match my heart beat either. It's very random, but it seems to happen every 3-6 seconds and lasts about 5-10 seconds. What could this be?

Jump to this post

Did you ever find out what it was? I started getting this about 2 months ago. I also have ringing in the ears, have had it for about 3 years.

REPLY
Please sign in or register to post a reply.