Panicking about pulsatile tinnitus

[Greenelefant]

I've been having pulsatile tinnitus in my left ear for about 2 months, on and off. Its starting to give me a lot of anxiety that I'm about to have a heart attack/stroke or something but I have health anxiety and know I'm probably worrying over nothing.

I've had some other health issues recently, including tachycardia for which I've seen a cardiologist, had a 24hr ecg and echocardiogram and he couldn't find anything wrong, just sinus tachycardia and I'm now on beta blockers which help a lot. I've also been having some dizzy spells and seen an ENT who thinks I have vestibular decompensation after a bout of labrynthitis last year. I'm going to have a head MRI soon just to rule out anything else.

I've had a really stressful time recently and been feeling anxious but read mixed things about whether pulsatile tinnitus can be caused by anxiety. My GP isn't interested, particularly having been given the all clear by the cardiologist.

Essentially, my question is whether I should go back to the GP again or whether this is just another physical symptom of anxiety?

Anyone?

OP - try to feel reassured by having seen two specialists.

Have you had blood tests recently to make sure low B12/iron/vit D aren't causing dizziness?

Are you getting plenty of exercise - a good walk every day - and maybe try meditation, yoga or pilates to help you relax.

Yes I've had blood tests thanks. I can't exercise as the moment as am recovering from surgery.

My main worry is a carotid artery aneurism and no one has checked for that. I feel like there is so much pressure in my head and am having tension headaches. I can feel the muscles in my head and neck are really tense.

I know stressing and anxiety make it worse but I just keep panicking.

Have you been diagnosed with pulsatile tinnitus? I had a thumping in one ear for months but it wasn’t in sync with my pulse which I think pulsatile tinnitus is. I was referred to ENT and diagnosed with tensor tympani syndrome. I think stress can play a part. It was very annoying but after 3 or 4 months it just stopped.

Yes it's in time with my heat and definitely pulsatile tinnitus according to my GP. I think a lot of tinnitus can be caused by stress/anxiety but I've read that pulsatile is mainly due to a physiological problem. It's much worse at night and really affecting my sleep as well.

I saw the cardiologist before I got the pulsatile tinnitus so although he's checked my heart he didn't do anything specifically about the pulsatile tinnitus as I didn't have it then.

Is there a more sympathetic GP at your practice that you could discuss your concerns with, OP. Your GP shouldn't be uninterested, you deserve better.

I have pulsatile tinnitus. Got it years ago after perforated ear drum. I had to have MRI scan as there is a potential cause which is benign . I think it is caused acoustic neuroma or something. I didn't have it. Don't worry if you do apparently it is very common. Anyway over the years it has gradually gone but it was always worse if I had a hangover or was overly tired.

I also had hearing tests but I have super hearing (way above average).

Go to your GP. It isn't anything to worry about but you will get some tips on how to cope with it.

Thanks, I have super hearing too. It can be a curse as much as a blessing!

Unfortunately my GP practice, because of covid, only allows you to speak to your allocated GP. He can sometimes be good but is always so busy that I always feel like he just wants to get me off the phone asap.

I am worrying about a carotid artery aneurism. It's very rare but I tend not to find that reassuring as I have had a few very rare illnesses in my lifetime!

When you had your blood tests did they check your thyroid? Overactive thyroid can cause both tachycardia and pulsatile tinnitus and anxiety. It also responds well to beta blockers. I'm assuming they did as it should've been ruled out, but worth double checking.

Yes thanks they've checked my thyroid.

My heart always beats in my ears at night….I think it’s anxiety

I have had this most of my life. I have general tinnitus as well which has been checked out with no definite cause found, so I just live with it.

Thanks, that's reassuring. I would absolutely believe it is anxiety as I'm am really anxious! But from what I've read online it always has a physiological cause, which is what is worrying me.

Strange that it happens most in the evening as that is when I'm most relaxed.

B12 deficiency sounds a very likely cause of the tinnitus& the anxiety.

Check Tracy Wittys B12 website for good reliable information, but NHS serum B12 tests are known to be unreliable up to 50% of the time & B12 deficiency cannot be ruled out unless you've had a "therapeutic trial of 6x B12 injections & it didn't help. Anything else is officially negligent & you can insist, though too many doctors are ignorant of this, so it may be a fight to begin with.

This happened with my daughter, they insisted she didn't have pernicious anaemia as her bloods were in range, but that therapeutic trial of B12 injections, got her out of a wheelchair in under 2 weeks

That's interesting. They did a B12 test but I don't know what the actual result was.

@Greenelefant

This symptom list should help you to decide. This is the best site for all information in one place, including NICE guidelines etc. There's a few causes of deficiencies, all need injections as treatment to begin with & only deficiency caused by a long term un-supplemented vegan diet can then maybe safely switch to pills

Definitely get your results though, as there is a national range & then local ranges that can be lower than the national one in some areas.

Doctors too often don't understand the results either. Mine & my brothers turned out to be low on our blood tests, but we only found out by getting a copy of the results. Mine treat straight away when I pointed it out. My brother was initially told "it's only a vitamin "

Here you go. The linked support group on this site were a godsend to us when seeking treatment too...

www.b12deficiency.info/signs-and-symptoms/

I have this. It's worse when I bend forward. GP just shrugged and said don't worry about it.

Have you got a date for MRI? Once you've had that hopefully you'll be reassured that both this and cardiology cannot find an underlying cause.

I have it and much more noticeable in evenings and at night. I try to distract myself with meditation or a podcast and learning to live with it.

I understand your anxiety. Hope you get reassurance soon.

I've had it for years and never worried about it. Only happens at night when I lie on my right side with my head in a certain position. I'm sometimes woken up by a loud thumping sound that seems to come from outside, then I realise it's me and move my head and it stops.

I also have this, it’s been properly checked out and no sinister cause. I also have excellent hearing! Try not to worry, although it does take getting used to if it sticks around like mine has.

Have you had your covid vaccine? If so, how long ago was it?

If it's worse at night, try changing your pillow. I'm deaf with tinitus and get this with feather pillows but not with synthetic. I also have special holes in my hearing aids to prevent this. Didn't know it had a name!

I have it, and dizziness. It's menieres for me.

The cardiology appointment and investigations happened before I got the tinnitus so he didn't address it but the GP said if anything was wrong it would have been picked up in the ecg and echo. I'm not totally convinced of this though.

The MRI is this coming week so should have the results of that soonish.

I have had both covid jabs, the tinnitus started about 6/7 weeks after my first jab so would be surprised if its related.

Interesting about the pillow. I normally use a fairly thick gel pillow and felt like this was compressing my neck/arteries so have started using a much thinner one. I think it had helped slightly but not much.

It's pretty bad tonight. I'm sitting upright on the sofa and not feeling particularly stressed/anxious. Just counting down the days to my MRI now and hoping I don't drop dead in the meantime (only partly joking!).