What Is Pulsatile Tinnitus?

Pulsatile Tinnitus Causes

What is pulsatile tinnitus? Pulsatile tinnitus is a type of tinnitus, or "ringing in the ear" that is often associated with circulatory or blood flow disorders and conditions. Pulsatile tinnitus causes a rhythmic sound in your ear which often correlates to your heartbeat (thus the name "pulsatile"). The sound can resemble thumping or whooshing. It is sometimes called vascular tinnitus. The word vascular is a medical term related to blood circulation.

Pulsatile tinnitus is different from most cases of tinnitus which are caused by damage to some part of the hearing mechanisms of the ear. Most often, the sounds caused by pulsatile tinnitus come from turbulence in blood vessels inside the head or neck.

Pulsatile tinnitus affects approximately one individual in 30 who experiences tinnitus. Some people have the more common type of tinnitus and pulsatile tinnitus at the same time.

Pulsatile tinnitus can indicate a serious underlying physical problem like an impending stroke. All cases should be taken seriously and investigated thoroughly to find the underlying cause.

Pulsatile tinnitus causes Causes of pulsatile tinnitus include the following.

Fluid in the ear - Fluid in the ear is also known as middle ear effusion. It simply means that fluid fill a space in the middle ear that is normally occupied by air. This condition may be caused by an ear infection, inflammation, or problem with the Eustachian tube. It is sometimes accompanied by decreased hearing, a feeling of fullness, and may also include ear pain.

Various forms of high blood pressure - These could include hypertension, or a condition called benign intracranial hypertension (often abbreviated to BIH). BIH comes from increased pressure of the cerebrospinal fluid that bathes the brain.

Atherosclerosis - This is a condition in which cholesterol causes plaque on artery walls in blood vessels near an ear (often the carotid artery which leads to the brain). Part of the artery becomes blocked, causing turbulent blood flow which results in unusual sounds reaching the ear.

Atherosclerosis typically affects older patients with a history of high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease and smoking. Your doctor may recommend certain medications that will help control the condition.

Twisted arteries - As is true with atherosclerosis, a twisted arteries near the ear will result in turbulent blood flow, causing the patient to hear usual sounds.

Glomus tumor - This is a type of noncancerous tumor, made up of intertwined blood vessels, that forms in the ear itself or just below the ear. It usually causes hearing loss. In older patients, treatment is usually unnecessary because the tumor grows very slowly. However, young patients who have a glomus tumor may need surgery. 

Intracranial vascular lesions - The most well known of this type of problem is an include aneurism, but there's also something called an arteriovenous malformation. An arteriovenous malformation which is an abnormal connection between an artery and a vein. Either of these things can not only cause pulsatile tinnitus, but can also lead to bleeding in the brain. They can be extremely dangerous.

Venous hum - This condition tends to happen to patients who have thyroid problems, anemia or are pregnant. It results from an abnormality that causes elevated blood flow through the jugular vein. This increased blood flow can be heard as a hum which may or may not be synchronized with your pulse.

There are a number of other causes of pulsatile tinnitus, but they're relatively rare compared to those mentioned above.