heartbeat or pulsing sound in ear help what can i do

For me it seems if my blood pressure goes up, I can hear that swooshing in my ears with my heart beat.

Hello all it's been nearly a year since the gushing sound of blood rushing in my right ear has been fixed, and I'm so grateful for the canadian medical system for diagnosing and repairing what turned out to be quite a serious problem with my vascular system.  I listened to the sound of blood gushing in my ear for four months before some serious side effects of the underlying issue revealed themselves. I began to have infrequent light headedness, fatigue, and near the end my vision blurred and then doubled as a result of what was determined to be a C C F. Or what is known as a cavernous carotid fistula.  This resulted in an abnormal connection between my carotid artery on my right side and a vein linked to the sinus cavity behind my right eye (this caused acute nauseating double vision near the end before being operated on). I actually had arterial pressure pulsing backwards through my right sinus cavity. The neuro team said this condition was probably 2-3 years in the making, and the audible gush sound was a symptom experienced due to backflow pressure through veins near my eardrum, as well as this condition stalling return blood flow from my right hemisphere. They said my brain was "tight"....and I was in risk of serious complications when I was diagnosed. I was being treated by an ear nose and throat specialist who miss diagnosed me ana had scheduled me for same day deviated septum surgery a week after my diagnosis. Thank god I didn't have that procedure performed as I Most likely would have bled out on him due to that arterial blood flow in the right sinus vein structures.  I did have a 3cc balloon inserted into the fistula successfully on July 1 2012, and despite some agonizing headaches after the procedure work the vascular structures in my face and right hemisphere returned to normal, I have fully recovered and have no lasting effects from the ordeal. Follow up MRIs have proven no more malformed vessels. They can't explain why this happened and I am not a candidate for ehlers-danlos syndrome. The silver lining is that I can post my experience and possibly help someone else who was desperate for a medical professional to listen to me and realize my symptoms were not a result of a common affliction. Double vision in the same eye only as the side the audible gushing sound is on means get a contrast MRI done ASAP!! Demand it!!

I had pulsitile tinnitus too. I notice i got it after a cold sx. I sufferred for a month. It bacame worse that even daytime i can hear it on the right side ear and got even louder when i sleep. Went to EENT doctor, prescribed me Prednisone x7days and after 3 days only of taking, it was gone, completely! Thank God!

April 16,2013 I had mild case of flu x3 days, then after that I noticed i could hear my hearotbeat on the right side of my ear! At first it was tolerable but after a month it bcame louder swoosh like river, i can hear even daytime. Went to my md, prescribed antibiotics and nasal spray, didnt work. It came to point where it was really bothering my sleep no matter position i take. Decided to get appt with EENT on 5/29/13. To my horror though, on 5/28!13 i had sx of bells palsy! So went to ER and was rx Prednisone and antiviral meds x 7days for bells palsy, CT normal. i did mentioned to the ER dr my PT but he said it could not be related. So the next day went to my EENT appt, did hearing test all normal. Dr thinks it could be allergy that cause swelling in the inside so the prednisone i was taking could help with the inflammation. EENT dr also said the PT and the Bells Palsy could not be related,was just coincidence I guess. He told to cont the nasal spray of which i did for the heck of it. After 3days of taking Pred, PT was gone, completely! Not even a small heartbeat in the most silent night, thank God. But then I was still dealing with Bells Palsy. As of the writing of this comment bells palsy is actually almost gone,thank God! So for those of u who has similar case like mine, dont despair,there's hope. Most of all too, I prayed and believed for recovry. Peace.

I have the same problem and had a mastoidectemy and it solved the problem. It was like heaven for my head to be silent. A vein was blocked off. I went to Mass Eye and Ear Hospital. Hope this is helpful to you.

My husband has suffered for 4 1/2 years with his heart beating in his ear, he hears the crunching of his food in his ear and is extremely dizzy - he has been to 9 doctors - ENTs, neurosurgeons, neurologist, etc. and no help from anyone.  He has had tens of thousands of dollars of tests, angiograms into the brain, MRIs, CTs, etc. and nothing shows.  Well we now have found the problem - it is called superior semi-circular canal dihisence syndrome - he is having surgery in a couple weeks and it will be gone after his recuperation!!!!  AMEN!!!  Please look into this - with persistence AND THE INTERNET we found what his problem was and took all the materials we printed to a doctor and he is now going to be taken care of.  I can't spell the type of doctor he is seeing but I'll do my best ---- the doctor is an Otolargn____ (sorry)  NOT an ENT.

 

Hope this helps and you find relief!

Hi there, I experience symptoms like these as well and have been for some time in my right ear. The "heartbeat" sound is always there, and like many others, seems to be worse at night. It becomes more prevelant, louder and annoying when I am jogging so to be sure I am going to visit my GP as I am worried about high blood pressure! I don't know about the fluid buildup but sometimes my ear becomes what I can only describe as an intense itch deep down my ear canal, at times waking me from my sleep. like yourself it sometimes feels wet after i "scratch it" I also get severe pain in this ear. 3 different doctors have diagnosed 3 different things (cartlidge in my ear, glue ear and stress coming from my neck) I am very aware that for some reason the pain gets really bad when I am stressed, tired or spend too long on a computer. So you may gain relief from the pain by trying to avoid any of these. I hope this helps somewhat.

We researched my husband's problem and found the answer on the internet after 4 years and 11 doctors.
ENTs, neurosurgeons, neurologists, etc. It's fairly new to the medical field - it's called Superior Semi-Circular
Canal Dehicense Syndrome. FINALLY AN ANSWER - my husband is having surgery August 12th and we
pray this is the answer! Please everyone look into this - if you can pass this on please do so!

My husband has been suffering with his heart beating in his ear 24/7 just pounding, hearing himself chew his food and you will find this strange but in a quiet environment he can hear his eyes move!!!!  He has seen 11 doctors over the last 4 1/2 years - ENTs, neurologists, neurosurgeons, etc. and has had angiograms into his brain, MRIs, CTs, blood work and more and they have found nothing.  Finally we started our own research and found his problem!!!  It is called Superior Semi-Circular Canal Dehicense Syndrome.  We went to an (I can't spell this next one) Otolarg_____ and he did a temporal CT of just the ear and said our diagnosis is absolutely correct!  Part of the bone in one of the semi-circular canals is gone.  Surgery is scheduled for August 12, 2013 and he is so excited that this horrible nightmare could be over.  Just wanted to share this with people.  This hasn't come to the attention of the medical field until the late 1990s so if the docs aren't keeping up on their medical training they don't know about it.  Hope this info helps!!!!

The field the doctor is in helping my husband is Otolaryngology! :-D

My husband has suffered for 4 1/2 years with his heart beating in his ear, he hears the crunching of his food in his ear and is extremely dizzy - he has been to 9 doctors - ENTs, neurosurgeons, neurologist, etc. and no help from anyone. He has had tens of thousands of dollars of tests, angiograms into the brain, MRIs, CTs, etc. and nothing shows. Well we now have found the problem - it is called superior semi-circular canal dihisence syndrome - he is having surgery in a couple weeks and it will be gone after his recuperation!!!! AMEN!!! Please look into this - with persistence AND THE INTERNET we found what his problem was and took all the materials we printed to a doctor and he is now going to be taken care of. I can't spell the type of doctor he is seeing but I'll do my best ---- the doctor is an Otolargn____ (sorry) NOT an ENT.


Hope this helps and you find relief!

As someone who also suffers from many of the conditions listed, let me give you a few facts.  Any sound you make such as eating or speaking that sounds extremely loud is usually due to fluid in the ears.  The sound can't dissipate as it normally does because everything is "full".  it could be fluid in the middle ear, or it could be fluid in the cochlea (Meniere's Disease).  When antibiotics don't work or aren't called for, steroids usually are.  These can be administered orally, via injection, or even directly into the ear drum for people with additional health problems where steroids are normally counterindicated.  Vertigo is due to pressure on the nerve in the ear which is responsible for balance.  If a tumor is not detected via an MRI or other imaging techniques, then it is something else.  Imaging should be done of blood vessels.  They can become enlarged from years of infections and sinus problems, and the pulsating sound is your own heartbeat because the vessel is too close to the nerves.  In some cases, surgeons can move these vessels.  Unfortunately, it seems little is known about these ambiguous symptoms, and it seems even less research is being done.  In my case, I had some symptoms for over 40 years on and off until one day, they came on severe and never left, leaving me with significant hearing loss, pulsating sound, and vertigo.  All I can tell people is what I myself am doing.  Become REALLY proactive in your health care.  Demand testing.  Demand investigation.  Don't let doctors just give you a blanket diagnosis that has no treatment or cure until every other possibility has been exhausted.  And even when that happens, keep researching on your own.  Most of hese problems are diagnosed by slotting a person into a pre-conceived cubby hole, or because SOME symptoms match, while they ignore others that don't.  I had one doctor try to convince me that the sound I was hearing resembled something it didn't.  No matter how many times I stated that, I just got a blinks.  Good luck to fellow suffers!      

Hi I am still trying to get over the flu but one of the symptons is the gushing/pulsing sound in my ear. Very interesting though from your comment is that I have had the worst headache for the past 10 days. Everything I take including very strong pain killers have not relieved it. I find when I first wake up its ok but once I sit up it is quite loud and irregular.
Some said previously about a build up of mucus and since I have both of these it may be related. I am seeing a doctor again tomorrow.

I am having the same problem in my left ear. My Orieynolarygologists suggested I get a MRA, but it sounds like for plusitile tinnitus it is more likely going to be treated by a neurologist. I know this is what I have because when I push on artery on the right side of my neck, it will lessen the sound. Plusitile tinnitus can be warning sign of a much more dangerous condition and is often treatable.

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I'm at my witts end, 2nd bout of this plusitile tinnitus : ( now been 5 weeks with the heartbeat vibrating in ear been to my GP who sent me away saying nonsense to P/T and that it goes away by itself and nothing could be done?, please help I've tried steaming and taking Piriton tablets at a nurse's suggestion nothing works yet, I'm not in any pain so feel guilty going to hospital just really annoying moreso it is when trying to sleep it's there and I've noticed I'm bringing up muck, sometime raised temprature, eyes watery as if I've had some sort of cold? 

It first started for me in January when I had tonncilitus and when it went after around 9 weeks maybe I was lucky but it seems back with a vengence! sadly I must admit I have been on anti-depressents in the past so part of me thinks is it mental health connected?

Is going private really the only way? because the doctors I've encounted just laugh P/T off

Fiona - UK