Is that… is that normal? You just laid down to bed, turned out the lights, and now you can hear the rhythmic thumping of your heart in your ears. Unlike some other forms of tinnitus, in which you hear a sound usually buzzing or humming and the source of the sound is unclear, pulsatile tinnitus has a physiological source.
In most cases, this is caused by irregular blood flow in one of the blood vessels around your ear. Search Close Search. Question: What would cause a muffled thumping sound in my left ear almost like hearing a heart beat?
This sound is not in the right ear, only the left. It doesn't happen all the time and there is no hearing loss.
Answer: A couple of possible answers come to mind. First, there is a large source of blood flow in your head close to the bottom of your ear canal. The carotid artery is large and can sometimes produce a pounding or heartbeat sound in your ears, particularly after exercise or exerting yourself.
It is common to have tinnitus or noises in the ear on one side instead of both ears. Tinnitus can be a ringing, whistle, roaring or even a pulsing sound. The pulsing sounds more like what you are experiencing. I would want you to see your primary physician to rule out high blood pressure or other medical conditions as a cause, particularly if you feel your hearing is normal.
You may be directed to an audiologist for a hearing test by your primary doctor as part of the work-up. If so, you may be asked questions about how often and for how long your tinnitus occurs. These abnormalities include sigmoid sinus diverticulum and dehiscence. The sigmoid sinus is a blood-carrying channel on the side of the brain that receives blood from veins within the brain. Sigmoid sinus diverticulum refers to the formation of small pouches diverticula that protrude through the wall of the sigmoid sinus into the mastoid bone behind the ear.
Dehiscence refers to the absence of part of the bone that surround the sigmoid sinus in the mastoid. These abnormalities cause pressure, blood flow and noise changes within the sigmoid sinus, resulting in pulsatile tinnitus.
These conditions can also cause the characteristic thumping or whooshing sound of pulsatile tinnitus:. If you suspect that you have pulsatile tinnitus, you should undergo a thorough medical evaluation by an otolaryngologist who is familiar with the condition. For about a third of patients, the source of their pulsatile tinnitus may be unknown but it is important to rule out the serious possible causes.
Physicians at Penn Medicine have developed a comprehensive program to streamline the evaluation and potential treatment of pulsatile tinnitus. The team will first ask about your medical history and conduct a thorough exam of your head and neck. Your eyes may be checked to look for any signs of increased pressure in the brain. The underlying cause of pulsatile tinnitus must first be identified before the appropriate treatment can be determined.
The comprehensive team at Penn Medicine Penn has the expertise and resources needed for optimal evaluation and treatment. Since pulsatile tinnitus can be caused by a variety of underlying health conditions, an in-depth evaluation will help Penn physicians create a personalized treatment plan for you. If your doctor determines that your pulsatile tinnitus is caused by hyperthyroidism, elevated intracranial pressure or anemia, treatment may include medications.
High blood pressure may also be treated with medication, in combination with lifestyle changes like exercise, smoking cessation and weight loss. If your evaluation reveals that a blood vessel disorder or malformation, tumor or ear abnormality is causing your pulsatile tinnitus, your doctor will likely recommend otological or neurological surgery to correct that underlying condition.
This is occasionally combined with adjunct therapy, such as stenting for aneurysms. If there is no underlying condition causing your pulsatile tinnitus, your doctor may suggest self-management techniques to help alleviate your symptoms. In some cases, sound therapy may help to suppress the thumping or whooshing sound caused by pulsatile tinnitus. We find this idea dubious as the 8th nerve has no hearing receptors.
Practically, the inner ear needs blood and sometimes the branches of the labyrinthine artery are tortuous, but is there is no practical investigation to confirm that microvascular compression is causing tinnitus.
It is possible. Pulsatile tinnitus can also be associated with benign intracranial hypertension BIH , also known as pseudotumor cerebri. Pseudotumor cerebri is discussed here.
Sun and Sun discuss reconstruction of the sigmoid sinus wall. As of , we have never encountered this procedure in our clinical context in Chicago Illinois. The "whooshers" website has a large amount of information on pulsatile tinnitus. Pulsatile tinnitus Timothy C. Most tinnitus is due to damage to the cochlea 9 above In pulsatile tinnitus, people hear something resembling their heartbeat in their ear.
Pulsatile tinnitus is usually due to a small blood vessel that is coupled by fluid to your ear drum. It is usually nothing serious and also untreatable.
Rarely pulsatile tinnitus can be caused by more serious problems -- aneurysms, increased pressure in the head hydrocephalus , and hardening of the arteries. A vascular tumor such as a " glomus " may fill the middle ear, or a vein similar to a varicose vein may make enough noise to be heard.
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