I can check my pulse by being quiet and listening
May 14, 2013 6:50 PM Subscribe
Friends, I honestly thought I would never EVER have to ask a question with YANMD in it, but I was wrong. I can can hear my heart beating. In my right ear.
A month or so, I went to my GP about this, and she listened with her stethoscope and told me that she did not think I have an aneurysm or anything serious, and that I might just have congestion and was in need of a good cleaning out of my earwax.
A few months and a good earwax cleaning later, and I can almost constantly hear my heartbeat in my right ear. Any thoughts on what is going on or what I should do?
Again, I know YANMD, but any insight would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
A month or so, I went to my GP about this, and she listened with her stethoscope and told me that she did not think I have an aneurysm or anything serious, and that I might just have congestion and was in need of a good cleaning out of my earwax.
A few months and a good earwax cleaning later, and I can almost constantly hear my heartbeat in my right ear. Any thoughts on what is going on or what I should do?
Again, I know YANMD, but any insight would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
I had that and it was an ear infection. A round of antibiotics cleared it up and daily allergy medicine has kept it away.
posted by dawkins_7 at 7:14 PM on May 14, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by dawkins_7 at 7:14 PM on May 14, 2013 [2 favorites]
It's a form of tinnitus that can be caused by an infection in the Eustachian tubes (the congestion your doctor was referring to) or other inflammation.
What happens if you take a decongestant or ibuprofen?
posted by dfriedman at 7:17 PM on May 14, 2013 [1 favorite]
What happens if you take a decongestant or ibuprofen?
posted by dfriedman at 7:17 PM on May 14, 2013 [1 favorite]
I recently read about a case where the pulse noise was so loud the person wasn't even able to sleep. It was because of a pore or something that had grown wrong in the ear. Simple surgery fixed it. Keep going to doctors, one of them will figure it out.
posted by myselfasme at 7:24 PM on May 14, 2013
posted by myselfasme at 7:24 PM on May 14, 2013
It took me a few months for my freaking eyelashes to stop sounding so loud in my ear when I *blinked* after I had an ear infection. I am n-thing that it is some type of ear congestion or infection, or extra fluid in your ear post infection. It's really frustrating, I know. Since you are continuing to have problems months later, this is when an ENT is appropriate.
posted by shortyJBot at 7:28 PM on May 14, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by shortyJBot at 7:28 PM on May 14, 2013 [1 favorite]
If it's pulsatile tinnitus, it may be one of those things you just have to put up with. I've had it for 30 years.
This can be caused by exposure to excessive noise, medication side effects, or about a gajillion other things -- some treatable, some not. It would probably be worthwhile to see an ENT doc about it.
posted by Corvid at 7:34 PM on May 14, 2013
This can be caused by exposure to excessive noise, medication side effects, or about a gajillion other things -- some treatable, some not. It would probably be worthwhile to see an ENT doc about it.
posted by Corvid at 7:34 PM on May 14, 2013
If your doctor rules out infection, it may be allergic congestion (it is pollen season) that is causing pulsatile tinnitus. IANMD, IANYD. I solved this myself with guaifenesin, a cold medication, which loosens your mucous, including ear wax. Once you are clear allergy meds will keep it away.
posted by Deodand at 7:34 PM on May 14, 2013
posted by Deodand at 7:34 PM on May 14, 2013
I have this! It's super annoying, and started when I was pregnant. Eleven years ago.
For some people, this is a side effect of ear infections, etc, and appropriate treatment (for the infection) will make it go away. For others, it's something triggered by an infection (or pregnancy, or whatever), and you're likely stuck with it forever.
Definitely go see an ENT and talk to them about it, but prepare yourself for the possibility that you're stuck with it.
posted by MeghanC at 7:34 PM on May 14, 2013
For some people, this is a side effect of ear infections, etc, and appropriate treatment (for the infection) will make it go away. For others, it's something triggered by an infection (or pregnancy, or whatever), and you're likely stuck with it forever.
Definitely go see an ENT and talk to them about it, but prepare yourself for the possibility that you're stuck with it.
posted by MeghanC at 7:34 PM on May 14, 2013
I've had this for years, in my left ear (in combination with straight-up, garden variety tinnitus).
I saw many kinds of doctors and had many many tests. Not a tumor (?), not an infection, not a problem with my carotid arteries, not wax, not hearing damage, etc., etc.
None of the doctors figured it out, and the best they could do (which is pretty good, actually) was to tell me that there was nothing overtly dangerous going on and that I should mostly get used to it/hope it one day changes.
One specialist suggested that an artery had grown close to the eardrum.
It was pretty frustrating at first, but over time it's become less objectionable. I won't say I don't notice it daily, but it has become normal.
I have had some sessions with a skilled cranio-sacral massage therapist which lessened the volume of the pulse aspect temporarily, which has made me think about the connection (or correlation) of stress to this experience. Though the basic tenets of that school of massage are debatable, she was pretty amazing at letting some very deep and tiny muscles (in my jaw and at the base of the skull) relax. For me, though, tinnitus is mostly a mental game, and devoting that much direct attention to the sound(s) was making it a bit of a madness factory, so I gave that up. For now.
I agree that you should keep getting doctors to give it a go. You'll learn what it's not, at least!
posted by eyesontheroad at 7:35 PM on May 14, 2013
I saw many kinds of doctors and had many many tests. Not a tumor (?), not an infection, not a problem with my carotid arteries, not wax, not hearing damage, etc., etc.
None of the doctors figured it out, and the best they could do (which is pretty good, actually) was to tell me that there was nothing overtly dangerous going on and that I should mostly get used to it/hope it one day changes.
One specialist suggested that an artery had grown close to the eardrum.
It was pretty frustrating at first, but over time it's become less objectionable. I won't say I don't notice it daily, but it has become normal.
I have had some sessions with a skilled cranio-sacral massage therapist which lessened the volume of the pulse aspect temporarily, which has made me think about the connection (or correlation) of stress to this experience. Though the basic tenets of that school of massage are debatable, she was pretty amazing at letting some very deep and tiny muscles (in my jaw and at the base of the skull) relax. For me, though, tinnitus is mostly a mental game, and devoting that much direct attention to the sound(s) was making it a bit of a madness factory, so I gave that up. For now.
I agree that you should keep getting doctors to give it a go. You'll learn what it's not, at least!
posted by eyesontheroad at 7:35 PM on May 14, 2013
I just wanted to chime in with the pulsatile tinnitus can just go away. I had it bad for a few months, but I did the following: (a) reduced salt intake in hopes of lowering blood pressure; (b) started exercising more and lost some weight; and (c) started cleaning out my ears regularly.
After a few weeks it slowly went away. I don't know if any of the above helped solve the problem or if it would have gone away on its own. But it doesn't always stick around for ever.
posted by bswinburn at 7:52 PM on May 14, 2013 [1 favorite]
After a few weeks it slowly went away. I don't know if any of the above helped solve the problem or if it would have gone away on its own. But it doesn't always stick around for ever.
posted by bswinburn at 7:52 PM on May 14, 2013 [1 favorite]
FWIW, I'll offer a counterpoint to bswinburn's things above (noting as I do, that he made no definitive claims that those things worked and that my anecdata is no better), but my pulse tinnitus gets worse when I'm regularly cleaning my ears, not better.
posted by jacquilynne at 8:15 PM on May 14, 2013
posted by jacquilynne at 8:15 PM on May 14, 2013
Google "superior canal dehiscence syndrome." This is one of the symptoms.
posted by KathrynT at 8:18 PM on May 14, 2013
posted by KathrynT at 8:18 PM on May 14, 2013
Mine went away with no changes that I was aware of. Phew.
posted by wintersweet at 8:20 PM on May 14, 2013
posted by wintersweet at 8:20 PM on May 14, 2013
Yeah, it is a symptom associated with superior canal dehiscence syndrome (SCDS), but the only way they can definitively diagnose that is with a high-resolution CT scan. And the only way to fix it involves drilling a hole in your skull, temporarily moving aside part of your brain, and patching the tiny hole in your skull (an anomalous fistula between the bony labyrinth of the inner ear and inside of brain cavity) with bone glue or something along those lines. I wouldn't even take a single step down this diagnostic path unless you're also experiencing vertigo, especially in response to loud noises or your own voice. It's probably pulsatile tinnitus like others have said. I would go the whole anti-inflammatory + decongestant + allergy medicine route and see whether that helps. Also drop caffeine & alcohol, and reduce salt for a while.
posted by bennett being thrown at 8:30 PM on May 14, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by bennett being thrown at 8:30 PM on May 14, 2013 [1 favorite]
I had this. I went to an ENT. He said it wasn't dangerous and there was nothing he could do. It lasted 1.5 years, and then went away with no action on my part. Good luck!
posted by pizzazz at 8:55 PM on May 14, 2013
posted by pizzazz at 8:55 PM on May 14, 2013
To go along with what KathrynT mentioned (superior canal dehiscence syndrome) - The Doctors show had a bit on this.
posted by Sassyfras at 9:01 PM on May 14, 2013
posted by Sassyfras at 9:01 PM on May 14, 2013
yeah, to follow up on what bennett being thrown said -- SCDS is expensive and complicated to diagnose, and even more expensive and complicated to fix. Unless your life is being wrecked, it's more of a "huh, good to know" thing.
posted by KathrynT at 9:03 PM on May 14, 2013
posted by KathrynT at 9:03 PM on May 14, 2013
I had this when I was about 14, and I also saw a bunch of doctors, and eventually had a CAT scan and MRI of my head and neck. They never really figured out what it was, but the MRI did show that an artery ran closer to my ear than normal. It lasted about a year, then went away on it's own.
posted by piper4 at 9:32 PM on May 14, 2013
posted by piper4 at 9:32 PM on May 14, 2013
I am experiencing this as an uncommon side effect of pregnancy. Sometimes it sounds like I am underwater. The doctor had a neat little trick to confirm that it was fluid in my middle ear to blame. She hit a tuning fork and placed the single end on my forehead. I could hear and feel the vibrations in the affected ear.
Good to know the reason but sadly there is no treatment during pregnancy.
posted by saradarlin at 11:54 PM on May 14, 2013
Good to know the reason but sadly there is no treatment during pregnancy.
posted by saradarlin at 11:54 PM on May 14, 2013
When I had it the ENT checked for a number of things, all negative. He told me a lot of tinnitus is never explained. One theory: it was there all along, but was drowned out by regular background noise, then hearing decreases with age, and we become more conscious of the tinnitus.
Doubtful in my case: it came on too suddenly. It also went away after a few months. At long intervals it recurs, but only for a short time and with no cause I can identify.
Keep track of your blood pressure just in case. And good luck.
posted by wjm at 3:08 AM on May 15, 2013
Doubtful in my case: it came on too suddenly. It also went away after a few months. At long intervals it recurs, but only for a short time and with no cause I can identify.
Keep track of your blood pressure just in case. And good luck.
posted by wjm at 3:08 AM on May 15, 2013
I have pulsatile tinnitus in my right ear. It comes and goes, but I've had it for 10 years now. I had an MRI once when it was really bothering me, but there was nothing funny in my veins/arteries. There are some causes for pulsatile tinnitus that can be quite serious so it is good to get it checked out. This pdf from the "whooshers" forum is a pretty good summary.
posted by kms at 6:17 AM on May 15, 2013
posted by kms at 6:17 AM on May 15, 2013
Useful things you can mention to your doctor are:
- whether you can make the sound go away by tilting your head different directions or lightly pressing on your neck in various spots
- if it is better or worse at different times during the day
posted by kms at 6:29 AM on May 15, 2013
- whether you can make the sound go away by tilting your head different directions or lightly pressing on your neck in various spots
- if it is better or worse at different times during the day
posted by kms at 6:29 AM on May 15, 2013
This thread is closed to new comments.
You have what sounds like pulsatile tinnitus. Sometimes it is from blood flow at the base of the skull, and sometimes it is more local to the ear itself. Does an anti-congestant help? You might ask for an ENT referral.
posted by Nickel Pickle at 7:01 PM on May 14, 2013 [3 favorites]