Tinnitus affects 20 percent of the American population, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. It is a symptom characterized by a sound heard in the inner ear. You can experience temporary tinnitus when you are exposed to very loud music, like at a concert, and you hear a loud ringing in your ears once you are in a quiet setting. Persistent tinnitus may or may not be indicative of an underlying condition, which can only be determined by your doctor.
Types
Tinnitus in which the sound is heard only by you is subjective tinnitus. This type is usually due to injury to the inner ear or as a result of aging, allergy, disease, infection, inflammation, medications or stress. When the noise can be heard by others, it is objective tinnitus. According to UMMC, objective tinnitus is less common; however, pulsatile tinnitus is often referred to as objective because the noise can be heard by a doctor using a stethoscope or special earpiece.
Pulsatile Tinnitus
Pulsatile tinnitus is characterized by a throbbing, thumping, blowing or swooshing sound in the ear that synchronizes with your heartbeat, explains the Oregon Tinnitus & Hyperacusis Treatment Clinic, of Portland. Pulsatile tinnitus accompanied by hearing loss, swallowing difficulties or hoarseness or that becomes progressively louder, requires immediate medical attention.
Causes
Pulsatile tinnitus is usually caused by the presence of blood vessels that lie very close to the inner ear, such as the carotid artery and jugular vein. As blood flows through these vessels, they make a noise that is conducted into the inner ear. Other causes may be an enlarged jugular bulb, which is the area in the skull where the jugular vein lies; an abnormally located carotid artery; or conditions such as hyperthyroidism, or overactive thyroid; or anemia. In rare cases, pulsatile tinnitus may be caused by an aneurysm; hardening of the arteries; hydrocephalus, or increased pressure in the head; or a glomus, which is a vascular tumor that develops and fills the middle ear.
Diagnosis
Even if a doctor cannot hear tinnitus sounds, he can conduct a physical exam, a hearing test, a computerized tomography scan and magnetic resonance imaging/magnetic resonance angiography, or MRI/MRA, to determine the degree of tinnitus and to pinpoint any underlying conditions.
Treatment
Treatment for pulsatile tinnitus involves treating the underlying condition causing the symptom. Treatment may include anti-inflammatories, antivirals, antibiotics, or medications to regulate or lower blood sugar. Surgery or radiation therapy are treatment options if the tinnitus is caused by a tumor. If no underlying condition is present, then a person may be instructed to avoid loud sounds or music, reduce or avoid stress, and eliminate caffeine and nicotine. It is also advised to play soft noise or music at night to drown out the tinnitus while you are trying to sleep.
