Common Symptoms of Pulsatile Tinnitus
Pulsatile tinnitus is a rare type of tinnitus. Tinnitus, ringing in the ears, can occur with a wide range of hearing conditions and ear injuries. With pulsatile tinnitus, though, patients will experience a whooshing or thumping sound in one or two ears that appears to move to a steady drumbeat. Pulsatile tinnitus is related to regular tinnitus in that it involves the perception of sound other individuals don't hear. However, unlike normal tinnitus, patients are hearing sounds from inside their own body. Doctors can sometimes hear the sounds if they use a stethoscope to listen. Other names for the condition include pulse-synchronous, vascular, or rhythmic tinnitus. Most cases of pulsatile tinnitus are caused by a specific health issue like irregular blood vessels.
There are a variety of common symptoms to look out for. Learn about them now.
Hear Steady Pulse-Like Beat
The most characteristic symptom of pulsatile tinnitus is regularly hearing a steady beat. This beat tends to sync up with an individual's heart rate. When their heart rate increases, the sound will become faster; when it decreases, the sound will gradually slow. Some patients only hear the sound in one ear, while others hear it in both. It's common for individuals to hear their heartbeats if their heart is pounding hard. But individuals hearing their heartbeat loudly, even in situations where they haven't exerted themselves, is unusual. Many individuals with pulsatile tinnitus find the sound to be distracting and loud. Some even say it's unbearable.
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Hearing Loss
When the pulsatile tinnitus is related to irregular blood vessels alone, the drumlike sound tends to be the only symptom. However, the condition can also be related to high pressure in the spinal fluid surrounding the brain. Other symptoms may present when this is the case, hearing loss being one of them. Patients may not be able to hear well around the sound of the pulsing. Their hearing may come and go in seemingly random spurts and it may be difficult to hear certain high or low-pitched sounds. Affected individuals might need to turn their television up louder or ask others to repeat themselves several times before they understand them. If individuals are experiencing unexplained hearing loss, they should see a doctor to rule out things like intracranial hypertension. Even in cases of permanent and irreversible hearing loss, an audiologist can often use things like hearing aids to help.
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Dizziness
Dizziness is another symptom that may occur if there's too much pressure around an individual's brain. The dizziness may be related to the fluid in the inner ear. Typically, an individual's inner ear is the part of their body that helps them balance and orient themselves in the world. Episodes of dizziness can present with different specific symptoms, one of which is vertigo. Vertigo makes affected individuals feel like the world is moving even when their body is still. It's responsible for individuals feeling like the room is spinning, or like they're going to fall off the edge of high places. Lightheadedness can make patients feel like they're going to faint. Disequilibrium occurs when individuals have trouble walking steadily and feel as though they're weaving or going to fall. It's also common for any or all of these symptoms to be accompanied by feelings of anxiety or panic.
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Issues with Vision
Issues with vision may occur as a side effect of intracranial hypertension and are often linked to pulsatile tinnitus. Individuals have reported a number of different problems. Some may not notice they have vision problems until they're pointed out by another person. A doctor will typically do a neurological exam to determine the existence of visual loss. Hypertension can lead the lateral rectus muscles to become weakened. These muscles turn the eyes outward. If they're too weak to keep the eyes aligned, patients may experience double vision as their eyes turn inward. Affected individuals may also have reduced peripheral vision. A doctor will perform a dilated eye exam to see whether patients have signs of papilledema. Papilledema occurs when pressure increases around or inside the brain, which leads to a swelling of the optic nerve.
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Headaches
Headaches typically accompany pulsatile tinnitus if there's intracranial hypertension. These headaches can range from mild to severe, and they may involve different types or locations of pain. Sudden and extreme pain is an indicator emergency medical attention is required. If patients don't get emergency medical treatment, they may have permanent damage to their brain and spinal cord. The complications from this damage and pressure can be fatal. If individuals have a headache due to intracranial pressure, they may also have neurological symptoms like behavioral changes, fatigue, muscle weakness, problems talking, vomiting, and blurry vision. Many of the symptoms are similar to those of a stroke.