Pulsitile tinnitus

[AngelHeart]

Just wondering if anyone has pulsitile tinnitus where you hear your heartbeat in your head/ear 24/7. If so, have you had it investigated or have you got hearing loss? Ive got it and I was told it was related to my hearing loss but I'm really worried about it and it makes me so sick to think of it . Thank you xxx

[Mo B]

Hi Pauline

I also have pulsatile tinnitus. I have had it for years (about 20) and never really had it investigated.Doc once said to me that a lot of people have it ,him also, and you just have to get on with it basically! i think mine was brought on by listening to loud music when younger. I have a very slight hearing loss in my left ear.Anyway it can be horrid cant it. I find most of the time it is just in the background and not noticeable but if stressed or been somewhere with a lot of noise its really loud. I have just started on an anti depressant for anxiety/depression and sometimes it makes my heart rate speed up and this can panic me because i then start listening to the tinnitus and this makes my heart go faster!! lol I tell myself if I couldnt hear it like most people I would be unaware of this. I can hear it now as Ive been reminded of it! I have a friend also that is a sufferer but hers is constant and she has been really upset by it . she has to have a noise masker under her pillow at night but she is now a bit more chilled about it so thats a good thing. Try not to worry about it. Ive had it for years and most of the time it doesnt bother me. Think of it as a special gift, as we can tune in to our pulse whenever we want to !! save the doc time and effort!!LOL:)

[AngelHeart]

Thanks very much hun, do you have yours all the time too? Its hard to believe that it could just be there lol ! Yes, I understand what you mean that you can hear it more when stressed and its like a vicious circle with me at the minute especially as I have labyrinthitis ( inner ear disorder ) at the minute too and I dont think thats helping.
Thanks again for replying :) I appreciate it xxx

[Mo B]

Yes mine is there 24/7 although if im really relaxed and tired I dont notice it at all. Only if I think about it.I also find that aspirin, tonic water(as it contains quinnine) are things to avoid as this ups the sound alot. Flying also does it. By the time I get off the plane its almost deafening. I think its the constant noise of the engines that does it. Also if you are not well as with your labyrinthritis.

Hope you feel better soon:)x

[AngelHeart]

Oh I didn't think to avoid things. Mines the same too hun. It goes quiet if I'm relaxed and I hardly hear it too, though it does go louder when I bend down or exercise so it must be the change in preasurre in my ear doing that. I've never been able to get use to it yet and I've had it nearly 6 years. Thanks again hun xx

[Mo B]

Its connected with your blood pressure and what we are hearing is the blood pulsing through a vein or artery that is near the ears.Thats why you can hear it more when you exercise etc x

[AngelHeart]

I've never had high blood preasurre though. It really worries me at times as its really annoying. Does your sometimes soun like its resounding in your head? Like echoing? xxx

[November]

Hi
I suffer from this too Ive always had Tunnitus but had surgery on my ears 6 months ago and since then have been able to hear my heart beat in my ear. I have hearing loss in my right ear and wear a hearing aid buy it's my left ear that I have this problem with. I keep meaning to ask about it every time I have a check up on my ears but never do! It doesn't bother me too much just gets worse if once I notice it then sit paying attention to it and start to worry about it but if I don't concentrate on it too much it's not too bad

[TillySm]

Hi Pauline32,

I am no doctor, but I know a little about pulsatile tinnitus. Because you have had it for a while - I wouldn't panic or worry about it but you do need to get it investigated for your own reassurance.

Go to a GP and ask to see an Ear, Nose, Throat medical specialist. Get it out of the way so you can stop worrying about it forever - Pulsative tinnitus in most cases is benign, but it could be a sign of - carotid artery problems, idiopathic intracranial hypertension, vasculitis and giant cell artiritis (but most of these conditions have other symptoms as well). It is most likely nothing at all - just benign tinnitus like %20 percent of the worlds population has.

If you have a medical symptom that concerns you it is best to see the right medical professional/specialist and be sure about it. After you have seen the ENT specialist OR neurologist and if it was nothing at all (which it probably isn't) ask for a letter stating their observations for your GP and your records so you can read it when you get worried for reassurance. If they won't give you a letter but send it to the GP, ask your GP for a printout of the letter - it is your right.

If your GP refuses to send you to a specialist to get it checked - then they are almost %100 percent sure that it is completely benign and have staked their reputation on that so you can stop worrying.

If you HAVE seen an ENT specialist or a neurologist and they have cleared you - stop worrying right this minute! If they said it is nothing then their career is staked upon that observation.

Take care

[AngelHeart]

Thank you. I've got an ENT appointment on Monday and was going to ask them about it there. What I'm worried about is if they will dismiss me like my GP has done. I've been to see 3 Gps and ask my audiologist about it and they've all told me not to worry about it. The only reason why I have an ENT appointment is because I have labyrinthitis (inner ear problem) and I had to fight for that so I'm using it to ask about the tinnitus too. I'm still sick with worry over it though and I know I shouldnt have googled but I've read some things about it thats made me feel this way and I can't get it out of my mind. Thanks for your reply xx

---------- Post added at 22:40 ---------- Previous post was at 22:29 ----------

Also if they did a CT or MRI scan would this rule out most things or would I need further tests? xx

---------- Post added at 22:41 ---------- Previous post was at 22:40 ----------


Hi
I suffer from this too Ive always had Tunnitus but had surgery on my ears 6 months ago and since then have been able to hear my heart beat in my ear. I have hearing loss in my right ear and wear a hearing aid buy it's my left ear that I have this problem with. I keep meaning to ask about it every time I have a check up on my ears but never do! It doesn't bother me too much just gets worse if once I notice it then sit paying attention to it and start to worry about it but if I don't concentrate on it too much it's not too bad


Sounds like the surgery has caused you to have this hun. I was told it was my hearing condition that causes mine as you start to hear the sounds inside your head . What surgery did you have? xx

[TillySm]

Excellent! Your ENT will reassure you and remember to get a letter from them clearing you and/or stating what they found send to your GP then get a copy of the letter for your own reassurance. You are doing the right thing.

MRI with contrast can see pretty much everything (and every year they get better more accurate as they upgrade the machines and software to optimize the procedure). If you have a clear MRI AND/OR a doctors clearance than your worry should be %100 gone. But a specialists word that there is nothing wrong is just as good.

take care

[AngelHeart]

I'm just hoping they will do a scan and just not dismiss me as I don't think I can just 'take their word' . I want them to do a scan so I know that its clear I would be more reasured by this just worried they wont suggest this xx

[TillySm]

Hey Pauline,

I totally know what you mean. The ENT specialists spend years and years studying and identifying symptoms and disease, throughout their training they send them to many hospitals to actually see diseases and treatments. So you can trust the specialists word. Remember that if they are wrong they can be sued for ALOT of money so it is in their best interest to get it right.

As above I totally know what you mean though - sometimes you have to see a test for yourself so you can reassure yourself.

I used to worry excessively about disease when I was in my early twenties - because I DID feel weird, different, anxious and have weird symptoms but I was googling and MISUNDERSTANDING the symptoms and patterns of disease! I think that is what a lot of health anxiety sufferers do - we are hypersensitive and misunderstand what is happening in our bodies - something is happening but it is mental illness related and the mind can cause physical symptoms in the body and (can sometimes) exaggerate normal symptoms that you do have. You are right in having your Pultisile tinnitus check out it is a sensible thing to do.

Getting a contrast MRI of the brain pretty much cured my health anxiety and it only flares up every about 6 years. I could physically see that my brain was healthy and straight away knew that my mental illness had been fooling me all along. NO GP would give me an MRI so I had to find a doctor that understood health anxiety and wasn't afraid to run tests. He understood that it would reassure me so he wrote on the referral to the imaging place - patient complaining of headaches, keeps walking and banging into things. That was enough for the government to approve it. Sometimes they need to twist the truth a bit for you. If they compromise with a cat scan - get them to use a contrast dye. But what you really want is a contrast MRI - because it can see tiny legions from MS and vascular mini strokes where a cat scan may not. (Don't be worried about these things though you don't have them - I am just giving you the example of why MRI's are better). Oh yeah - MRI doesn't give you the small radiation doses from cat scans but they say you get more rads from a plane flight.

I am not sure but presume that when investigating your ear tinnitus they would just run a full MRI brain scan, I think they would. You are going to be fine! You are doing the right sensible thing in getting it checked out and this will ease your worries!

I truly hope you feel %100 better soon, please keep (I can only speak for myself) me updated! I am really wanting to know how you get on. I know that you will be fine.

regards,

Tilly