Posts Tagged ‘pulsatile tinnitus’

Ear Ringing Constantly: An Overview

By Jane On June 15, 2009 No Comments

Tinnitus is becoming a common ear malady due to the increasing susceptibility of people to factors that bring about the problem. It accompanies hearing loss in most cases, as most cases are due to exposure to loud noise. Experts, however, point that lots of cases of this ear problem are due to poor lifestyle. Ear ringing constantly is attributed to tinnitus, being the usual symptom that characterize the disorder, though ear specialists would confirm that tinnitus may be in form of other ear or head noises such as buzzing, hissing, or humming noises, which can be annoying at times.

There are two types of tinnitus: objective tinnitus and subjective tinnitus. The first one is the rare form and occurs in about 3% of all the cases. It is also called pulsatile tinnitus because it is often heard as pulsing, thumping noise that sometimes accompanies heartbeat or breathing. The sound is rhythmic. This one may be heard by another person by leaning forward near the patient’s ears or by a doctor using his stethoscope. The other type is subjective tinnitus, occurring in the rest majority of the cases, and is a type which can only be heard by the affected himself.

Ear ringing constantly is caused by so many factors. The first is excessive noise exposure. Loud noise has been blamed to many cases of sensorineural hearing loss. This kind of deafness occurs as a result of cochlear trauma due to continual exposure to loud noises – vehicle horns, engines, lawnmowers, factory noise, loud speakers etc. Another cause is earwax build-up causing obstructive hearing loss and tinnitus.

Ear infections may cause fluid and pressure build-up in the middle ear causing damage which may lead to ringing symptoms. Some prescription and non-prescription medicines also cause ringing in the ears. These drugs are termed ototoxic and include aspirin, ibuprofen, antibiotics, antihistamines and chemotherapy drugs. Ringing ears is also a malady of the elderly due to the natural wear and tear process. Head trauma is another disorder that gives rise to tinnitus occasionally. Vascular problems like atherosclerosis, anemia, hypotension and hypertension may cause pulsatile tinnitus. Stress is also accompanied with tinnitus in a process that seems like a loop as stress causes or worsens tinnitus and tinnitus causes stress, too.

There are many treatments available for tinnitus. One is wearing ear maskers – devices that produce white noise that covers ear noise. During the onset of the problem, patients are given anti-anxiety drugs and antidepressants to help them cope with their condition. Relaxation techniques, tinnitus retraining therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, transcranial magnetic stimulation, cochlear implants, and in rare cases surgery are treatment options.

Tinnitus Causes

By Fritz On March 4, 2009 No Comments

Tinnitus is caused by an underlying medical condition and among the common tinnitus causes are the common colds, allergies or sinusitis.  There are other medical problems which may be causing tinnitus and each of them will be discussed here.

Allergies, common colds and sinusitis are identified as tinnitus causes because of the fluid buildup that it causes in the head.  When blowing your noise, take it easy as a large amount of pressure is placed in the inner ear.

Problems in blood circulation are also identified as culprits of tinnitus.  Diabetes and hypertension are some medical conditions that can affect the proper circulation of blood.  This is what causes  pulsatile tinnitus.  Diet adjustments can be done to minimize high blood pressure.

Stress is also identified as an aggravator of tinnitus.  However, for the few people who have a mild case of tinnitus and are suddenly exposed to stressful events, the tinnitus becomes noticeable and they tend to blame stress for it.  Learning how to react properly to stressful events in life can help a lot.  A little relaxation, meditation and even yoga can also be done.

Infection in the inner ears can cause a reasonable amount of damage if left untreated for quite some time and may lead to a ringing in the ears.  The good thing is it does not cause deafness, unlike constant exposure to loud noise which can damage the cochlear nerve and even lead to permanent hearing loss.

Tinnitus is a condition which can be avoided.  Knowing the common tinnitus causes can help you find ways to avoid getting a ringing in the ears in the future.  Majority of those who have tinnitus now are actually unaware that some things that they expose themselves and their ears to can eventually bring problems for them.

Ear Pulsing

By julius On December 18, 2008 No Comments

Hearing various sounds inside your own ear can be considered as tinnitus. Tinnitus refers to the noise or ringing in the ears. The sounds varies from a ringing down to a sensation of having your ear pulsing.

Tinnitus has been found to be a common problem among people nowadays. By then, only older people are expected to have experienced tinnitus. However, nowadays, people of the younger generation are also affected by such. The main cause of such hearing disorder is the exposure and further damage of the auditory nerves due to loud noise.

Noise has been proven to be the most common cause of tinnitus, however, there are also other factors that can contribute to such result. Bodily disorder like hypertension, heart murmur, glomus tumor, Eustachian tube disorder and many others can be a more specific cause for a special kind of hearing disorder known as pulsatile tinnitus.

From the name itself, it clearly speaks of the pulse as a main characteristic in this specific kind of tinnitus. Pulsatile tinnitus gives off a sensation of an ear pulsing sound that can be heard only by the person having it.

Pulsatile tinnitus is caused mainly by a change in blood flow in the large arteries and veins in the neck, the base of the skull, or the smaller blood vessels inside the ear. Although it had been studied that there is still no known cure for tinnitus, this specific kind however has its own cure and treatment.

The treatment of pulsatile tinnitus is related to its specific cause. Like for example, when the proven cause of the ear pulsing sound is due to increased blood flow coming from a high blood pressure, then the treatment would be for the high blood pressure. By treating the high blood pressure and making it stable again, it would then stop the beating sound inside the ear.

Treatment for pulsatile tinnitus usually involves a disciplined approach which includes a variety of symptom management methods. Drug therapy, alternative treatments, relaxation sessions or homeopathic tinnitus remedies can be of great use in soothing the tinnitus patient from the annoying and stress inducing ear pulsing sound.

Pulsatile Objective Tinnitus

By julius On December 18, 2008 No Comments

Tinnitus is the perception of ringing sound in the ear without a source. It may spring from various causes such as diabetes, high blood pressure, allergies, stress. The sound of tinnitus varies from person to person. It can be a temporary or permanent ringing in ears that you have to live for the rest of you life.

In the case of pulsatile objective tinnitus, a person can hear beating noise in the ear similar to his or her heartbeat. The noise can be a single or multiple beats. This is not a common type of tinnitus which can be treated effectively. Other people can also hear the beats from the ear using a stethoscope or other modern medical equipment.

Objective tinnitus could be a result of malformation of the arteries and veins located in the head or neck which may sometimes require surgery to resolve the problem. Such expensive and risky procedures that even a simple error can lead to a more severe hearing problem or deafness.

There are medical conditions that are related to pulsatile tinnitus. This include:

• Arterioevenous shunts
• Vascular Abnormalities
• Congenital arteriovenous malformation
• Glomus tumors of the jugular
• Glomus tumors of the tympanicum
• Mechanical Abnormalities
• Patulous Eustachian tubes

In order to determine the root cause of the problem, some testing procedures may be undertaken such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA) ultrasound, CT scan and other possible testing measures. Soon as the cause of the problem is ruled out, it would be easier to direct tinnitus.

Furthermore, the basic tinnitus treatment depends on the symptoms and causes of the unwanted noise. If the pulsating in ears is caused by hypertension, controlling the blood pressure to its normal level will resolve the problem. An appropriate medication should be carefully supervised as the risk of stroke or death is possible.

Aside from drug medication, there are also alternative and natural yet effective tinnitus treatments that can be employed. Cardiovascular exercise and diet are also other forms of treatment.

Pulse In Ear

By julius On December 18, 2008 No Comments

Most people can hear their heartbeats especially in a very silent room.  Because our ears are very sensitive, for that reason the ear is able to sense pulse from our bodies. When the person is over stressed or engaged in stressful activity, they may also hear pulse in ear synchronized with their own heartbeat since our carotid arteries are close to the ears.

The sound of pulse to be heard in your ears is known as pulsating or vascular tinnitus. Generally, tinnitus is the ringing, hissing or roaring in the ears. It can also be heard as pulse or throbbing sound in the ear or head. The main possible causes of hearing pulsating tinnitus include:

• Chronic inflammation or infection of the middle ear. This is often accompanied by increased blood flow to the inflamed tissue. The sudden pressure or blood flow can sometimes be heard in the ear  like pulse or multiple beats.

• Eustachian-tube dysfunction. The Eustachian tubes linked the middle ears to the upper throat. They work like an air valve to equalize the era pressure both in the inner and the outer ear. Failure of the Eustachian tubes to function well sometimes result in pulsating tinnitus.

• Middle-ear effusion (fluid). The middle ear is usually an air-filled space. If there is a presence of infection, inflammation or dysfunction in the Eustachian tubes, this may also result to pulsatile tinnitus. The symptoms commonly experienced from this cause are decreased hearing, a feeling of pressure in the ear sometimes go along with ear pain.

• Vascular tumors. These tumors in the middle are benign types commonly referred to as “glomus” tumors or “paragangliomas.”. Since they are located in near or inside the ear, the abnormal blood flow can also cause hearing of pulse in ears. Usually a patient will undergo surgical procedures solve the problem.

There are other causes of vascular tinnitus not mentioned in this article. It is therefore advised for the sufferer to see an ENT specialist for further evaluation of such to prevent tinnitus and other ear problems to get worse. The ruling out of the possible causes of the pulsation in the ears can help in finding an effective tinnitus remedy for the condition.