Pulsatile tinnitus. Causes and Treatment

How often do you encounter annoying and disturbing sounds? Repairs from neighbors, traffic outside the window, or subway noise can at times be very annoying, but they don’t last forever. In addition, you can always move to a new place where it’ll be quiet and peaceful. But imagine that acoustic stimuli that are constantly in your head or ears!

Tinnitus is a common problem among Americans. Unlike noisy neighbors, tinnitus is impossible to run away from. Does constant tinnitus interfere with life? Undoubtedly! You can’t focus on work, you can’t communicate normally, and most importantly, you can’t get enough sleep! Tinnitus is a serious problem. It should not be overlooked.

Unfortunately, in recent years, doctors have been increasingly diagnosing pulsatile tinnitus in Americans. What is it and what are the treatments? Let’s answer these questions together!

What is Pulsatile tinnitus?

First, let’s take a look at the definition. Pulsatile tinnitus is a type of disorder that affects 1% of Americans who suffer from tinnitus. What does the patient feel? These are pulsatile sounds, clicks, or other acoustic effects in one or both ears. In addition, the patient may experience additional unpleasant symptoms:

• Dizziness
• Pressure and pain in the ears
• Numbness of the temple, cheeks

If you hear sounds/clicks in sync with the heartbeat, this indicates the presence of pulsatile tinnitus. When you hear a heartbeat during or after a physical exercise, this is normal. But if you feel sounds during rest, then most likely you have a problem.

Acoustic stimuli can intensify and weaken depending on certain factors. For example, when turning the head to the side, or when changing position during sleep.

The noise can range from a low roar to a high-pitched ringing, which occurs in one or both ears. Sometimes the noise is so loud that it interferes with concentration or can lead to psychological disorders.

There is another important difference. Most of the time the patient is the only one that hears the sound, however there are rare cases where the sound can be detected by a doctor.  Unfortunately, it is not always easy to determine the cause of pulsatile tinnitus.

What causes Pulsatile tinnitus?

Pulsatile tinnitus has unpleasant symptoms. They usually interfere with a happy life. But this is not the worst thing, because the presence of such acoustic stimuli can be the first sign of more serious health problems. Therefore, pulsatile tinnitus should not be ignored and left to chance.

Pulsations manifest themselves in varying degrees. Their nature varies depending on the cause of the problem. Dr. Zhanneta Shapiro identifies the following causes of pulsatile tinnitus:

• Sensorineural hearing loss
• Cardiovascular diseases (hypertension, arterial aneurysm, vascular stenosis, etc.)
• Glomus ear tumor

Each of these causes can lead to dangerous consequences, so they require immediate treatment!

Is it possible to get rid of pulsatile sounds?

Before starting treatment, it is important to understand that pulsatile tinnitus can be a symptom of a more serious problem. By identifying the cause, you’ll be able to get a recommendation for treatment of the annoying acoustic phenomena. Therefore, the first step to recovery is to find the cause of the  sound. Tinnitus evaluations & treatment are interconnected. Before the physician prescribes a course of treatment, the patient must undergo proper diagnostic examinations.

After all, the initial physical examination does not always give an accurate result. To clarify the diagnosis, the patient will have to take tests and undergo medical diagnostics:

1. MRI can show blood vessels, brain structure, skull bones, meninges, etc.
2. An audiogram can reveal hearing problems
3. An x-ray of the skull reveals brain pathologies, the state of bone tissue, the presence of tumors, hematomas, etc.

Only by identifying the true cause of the problem, you can effectively eliminate it! Moreover, visualization can help to assess the extent of the problem for further treatment planning.

Different causes can cause pulsatile tinnitus, so the treatment methods differ from each other.

• Medications
• Surgical interventions
• Radiation therapy, etc.

Particular attention should be paid to the treatment of pulsatile tinnitus due to sensorineural hearing loss. Since millions of Americans suffer from this problem, they are automatically at risk. What is the treatment for pulsatile tinnitus?

First of all, the use of hearing aids with tinnitus programs. These devices help you hear the outside sounds you want to hear and mask your tinnitus. Most brands of hearing aids have such devices on their product list. Therefore, you will not have any difficulties with the selection and purchase. The main thing is to choose a hearing care professional who’ll identify the problem and give the right advice.

Audiology Island has been helping Americans regain their lost hearing for many years. We have helped thousands of patients and found the right hearing aids for them. Do you have hearing problems and feel pulsing sounds? Our doctors of audiology have certifications in tinnitus treatment and will be able to identify the problem and help point in the right direction for treatment.