Pulsatile tinnitus facts

Pulsatile Tinnitus Characteristics

Tinnitus is a condition manifesting through a person hearing numerous noises inside his or her ear or ears without their presence in the outside. Pulsatile tinnitus is a type of this phenomenon. However, it is different since the sounds heard often are in repetitive concordance with the heart beats of the patient. Therefore, hissing, thumping, scratching and many other sounds may be heard in one's ears each time his or her heart beats. Furthermore, this tinnitus may last for a short period of time, or it can trouble a person for quite a long timespan. Namely, you may have pulsatile tinnitus for several hours or days, or you might suffering from it for months. Either way, even though this condition poses no serious threats to our organism, those who experience it should treat it since it is a type of an anomaly.

Reasons behind Pulsatile Tinnitus

Logically, taking into consideration the fact that this condition is connected with the heart, since you can hear its beat, one's blood vessels play an important role when establishing a possible culprit. Namely, sometimes, due to an increased flow of blood and fluids through our blood vessels, these get transferred near our ear drum making it possible for us to hear our heart's pulsations. Thus, it is natural that people suffering from high blood pressure, hyperthyroidism or anemia all have pulsatile tinnitus as a usual symptom of their condition.

Unfortunately, the reasons for tinnitus of this type may be more serious. Vascular tumors in the ear, ear infections, or any serious problems regarding vascular pathways in our neck or head may all be directly connected with the pulsatiletinnitus.

Manifestations and Possible Treatment

The most often manifestation of this condition is a ringing sound in a person's ear or ears, appearing along with the sound of a heartbeat. The pulsatile tinnitus sound is therefore rhythmic and has a certain pattern as well as frequency. It may vary in pitch, tone and volume, as well as the type of heard sound. Often, patients can even hear their breathing sounds in their ears along with all the other unwanted noises. Upon seeking medical assistance, the patient may be examined by the doctor using the stethoscope. Sometimes, CT or MRI scans are needed in order to perceive the cause of pulsatile tinnitus in an individual.

Once the cause has been determined, the proper treatment engages. Thus, almost every time you treat the underlying cause of this type of tinnitus, this condition disappears as well. It rarely causes hearing loss as other types of tinnitus do. Nevertheless, it is best to seek medical attention as soon as you notice the symptoms.