Pulsitile Tinnitus

[millyskye3]

I am currently five months postpartum. When I was five weeks pregnant I began to experience pulsatile tinnitus in my left ear which sounds like a whooshing noise in rhythm with my heart. I was told that this was due to the increased volume of blood due to being pregnant and the midwives had no concerns about my blood pressure so I assumed it would disappear after I had given birth. Now that I am five months postpartum this pulsatile tinnitus in my left ear has continued to the point where it is now continuous, it doesn’t matter whether I am doing strenuous exercise or simply sitting down at rest. If I was to hold down the left side of my neck under my jaw the sound stops, if I was to turn my head to the right the same stops, and if I tap on the left side of my neck under my jaw I hear an echoing noise up into my head and my ear. I have had an appointment at ENT and have been told that my hearing is good and there is no signs of anything inside my ear. I am really really concerned that there is something else going on here and as I have outstanding health anxiety already I can’t help but obsess and google my symptoms to the point where I’ve convinced myself that there is something very bad. Has anybody out there experienced anything like this to which has begun in pregnancy and has carried on into the months after?

Could be anaemia.

Have you had a blood test to check iron, b12 and vit d?

I have anaemia but have been on iron tablets for 3 months and no difference, it’s getting worse if anything.

I could have written your post word for word apart from being pregnant. I can't decide whether to call the doctor but it's so annoying.

@Plump82

I could have written your post word for word apart from being pregnant. I can't decide whether to call the doctor but it's so annoying.

I think you should always get Pulsatile tinnitus checked out

Yes. Me! I had a routine eye test which picked up optic nerve swelling - a short while after that I developed pulsatile tenititus. I had a few tests run and the diagnosis is idiopatic intracranial hypertension. Very much managed by medication which has vanished the PT.

No one can diagnose you my love - in the kindest way you really should seek advise from your doctor.

So as a starting point I would suggest 2 things:

1. book an enhanced ocr eye test with soecsavers/whoever ; and
2. go see your doctor.

Tackle these things as soon as you can, by being proactive you will ease your anxiety I'm sure.

Good luck.

Thankyou.

Yes, I am awaiting a CT scan and CT angiogram. With the waiting lists just now I don’t know when this might be!
Just concerned that it’s getting worse.

Thanks for the advice.

I also had a lumbar puncture which was the defining test after the ct scan that confirmed the IIH.

Try and relax, I know it's hard the the PT is excruciating - you have my sympathies. I sometimes found that a very warm shower gave me some respite for a short time.

I would recommend seeing an optician. I had (still have) pulsatile tinnitus and it turned out to be a symptom of intracranial hypertension. The tinnitus was my first symptom. It took 3 months and numerous doctors to finally be diagnosed. The doctors only took it seriously when I visited the optician who could see swollen optic discs. Within 2 weeks of seeing the optician I had had urgent referrals to neurology, eye hospital and a lumbar puncture done which diagnosed me. On my 2nd visit to the doctor (out-of numerous visits) the doctor originally diagnosed me with a blocked ear tube. If you haven't already I would book opticians appointment.

Thankyou for your reply. I have had my eyes checked and everything appears normal, no concerns. Still searching for answers. Also had an MRI and artery Doppler which was clear also. Hoping to be referring for an MRA/MRV.

Hi there, I have been suffering from pulsitile tiniitus for coming up to 3 years now. I went to the doctors as I also felt like I had water in my ear. I was diagnosed with a cholesteatoma in January and had it removed about 10 days ago. I dont mean to frighten you but the infection had spread very close to my brain and I could have got meningitus or a brain absess. They had to glue the lining of my brain. The ringing has subsided but I do have packing in my ear still. I do have a check next week but I would strongly ask if you can get your ears checked out.

It probably nothing serious for you but I would insist its followed up.

How was yours diagnosed? I’ve had an MRI which was normal.

Hi @millyskye3 i am experiencing this now, with an angiogram booked for next month. Wondering what your outcome was? Many thanks

Hello,

So I’ve had an MRI, CT angiogram and carotid Doppler. I then pushed my ENT consultant to refer me for a MRV which is an MRI which looks specifically at the veins which is a leading cause of PT (venous sinus stenosis/ narrowed vein).
However, I am due in the next couple of weeks with baby number 2 and I’ve luckily not had too many problems with my PT during pregnancy. Strangely once I had returned to my pre pregnancy weight in December the noise was so much quieter. During pregnancy it’s been quiet but now nearing birth it’s started to creep back in- I assume as my blood volume is much higher. I imagine it will return with a vengeance post partum like last time. My MRV is on hold until I’ve given birth and finished breastfeeding but most people get a result with this procedure. If not they send the results off to a neuro entronologist like Mr Axon under Nuffield Health.
Have you joined Pulsatile Tinnitus ‘wooshers’ group on Facebook? It’s INCREDIBLY helpful and useful in trying to find out how to get help. This is unfortunately a symptom of a cause that is quite rare and not many GP’s etc know about it well so it takes a lot of self advocacy and research.
Is this something that started for you after birth, are your symptoms just like mine?

My friend had this and is now taking medication for her heart which has made the noise stop.

Thank you so much for your reply, it means a lot. Do you mind me asking; did you have any of the mentioned tests/scans during your pregnancy as you mentioned you’re due very soon? I had an MRA brain scan which has picked up an abnormal collection of vessels. They think this might have re-routed my blood and shouldn’t be a problem but the angiogram is to know for sure. How was the angiogram? Im
quite nervous. Based only on my own experience, I would have assumed the angiogram would give you your diagnosis over an MRA/MRI?

I find it interesting that my symptoms started 10 months post partum in June.

Oh crikey I get this intermittently - seems to happen when I'm very anxious/ stressed. Never thought to get it checked 😬

It probably is fine, sorry to have scared you @Wren77. is it a ringing your heart or a wooshing/similar to sound of tyre being inflated? I think tinnitus is quite common.

No worries, no I had all of these tests done last year post partum and haven’t had anything in pregnancy as your not allowed really with the likes of the MRV as it requires contrast to be injected which isn’t safe for baby.
I didn’t have an angiogram with the wee camera. I had a CT angiogram, in the CT machine, looking at specifically the head/neck with the contrast solution injected. I’m 99% sure this looks at the arterial areas ‘angio’ and not venous. You can also get a CT venogram. If you look at MRV images on google or those on the wooshers Facebook page they are really details and pick up every tiny vein. I’ve been told by a lot of people in that same boat that if the noise stops when compression is made to the neck it’s most likely to be a venous issue not a arterial one. Most of the time, hospitals like to rule out anything arterial as that’s more of a medical worry compared to veins which is why they don’t really get investigated.
I know the postpartum things is very odd but again after almost 3 years of research, in women of childbearing years. This is a finding which just seems to happen. Whether is induced by hormones of increased blood volume that picks up on some thing that was always there. Who knows. There’s a lady on TiKtok from America called Nikki Jazz who suffered from
this during and after pregnancies and she was diagnosed and chose to get treated. It’s a really interesting read and doesn’t make you feel so alone when the noise really gets you down. Hope that’s all helpful.