Whooshing in ears

[Dimdim101]

I woke up and was leaning on my left shoulder, scrolling on my phone, and noticed a whooshing in my left ear that was in time with my heart beat. It’s different to when you feel your pulse in your ears where it just feels like pressure with each beat - this was an actual whoosh. When I turned away it went away, and turned back it came back. I moved around a bit more and then when leaning on that shoulder again it didn’t come back. Read some scary things about pulsatile tinnitus that scared me... I’m only 22 but I do get migraine auras so always worry about anything to do with narrowing blood vessels or stroke risk. Is this sort of whooshing only bad if it’s constant, and can it occasionally just be triggered by your position even when nothing is wrong?

[Dimdim101]

If it was something like aneurysm present or narrowing vessels would it be 24/7 rather than momentary like that?

[RadioGaGa]

I had this fear a couple of years ago now, I think.

An aneurysm would cause this by pressure, an aneurysm doesn't come and go, neither would the pressure, so likely the PT wouldn't come and go either.

I think you're fine

[Dimdim101]

Aneurysm and narrow blood vessels are just what I read this whooshing in ear could suggest, but I think you’re right that it wouldn’t come and go like that. I guess I should stop letting every little thing worry me

[RadioGaGa]

No it's understandable I suppose, that this bothered you (as it did me, when I had exactly the same thing)

But the association between PT and anything serious is actually quite weak. ''Yes'' it can be a symptom, but 99.9% of the time it's benign

Good luck

[KK77]

and can it occasionally just be triggered by your position even when nothing is wrong?

I think this is the answer to your question. There are a lot of blood vessels and nerves in your neck area that are sensitive to position - especially prolonged twisting/bending/flexing movements.

I don't think it's anything serious like 'narrowing of blood vessels' at your age.

[Dimdim101]

Thanks so much! That does make a lot of sense (though I read people with pulsatile tinnitus experience do experience lessing of symptoms when they are in certain positions and vice versa). I'm often in positions that strain my neck (e.g. lying on my side in bed or hunched over on the computer) so I'm just surprised as to how this has never happened before if position is the cause, hence why I jump to more worrying conclusions instead...

Honestly it was such a quick thing, I need to let go of it and only need to consider it as an issue if it continues I believe

[ErinKC]

Did anything come of this for you? I just had the exact same thing happen.