Have you ever jumped into bed after a long day, turned over and noticed the sound of a rhythmic heartbeat as you tried to sleep? Well, you are not alone. This happens with millions of other people too. But why does this noise occur and what is there to be concerned about?

According to doctors, if this happens occasionally it could basically be due to your carotid artery sitting against your pillow. However, if you hear your heartbeat all the time while lying on your side, it could be pulsatile tinnitus.

Pulsatile tinnitus is a relatively rare condition that affects up to 15 million people worldwide.

what is pulsatile tinnitus,

Pulsatile tinnitus occurs when there is a disturbance in blood flow In the arteries and veins near or around the ear.

Being a rare form of tinnitus, it causes a persistent noise in the person’s head that no one else hears. They often, but not always, describe it as a ringing sound. People who have pulsatile tinnitus hear a sound that may be loud or soft but occurs in time with their heartbeat or may sound like a whisper.

According to doctors many times Pulsatile tinnitus is a sign of vascular disease – which affects your veins and arteries, as well as malformations of the vascular structures or abnormal blood flow near your ear, and in some rare cases, tumors.

Pulsatile tinnitus can be caused by ear blockage, high blood pressure, narrowed veins and arteries in the head and neck, abnormal connections between arteries and veins, benign head or neck tumors, elevated pressure within the brain, and less commonly anemia and hypertension. Pregnancy, which causes the heart to work harder.

How does pulsatile tinnitus affect you?

Like tinnitus, pulsating tinnitus can disrupt your ability to concentrate, sleep, or work.

Many people who have tinnitus or pulsatile tinnitus develop depression or have symptoms of anxiety. Most importantly, pulsatile tinnitus can be a symptom – and your first warning – that you have a serious medical condition.,

Signs and Symptoms of Pulsatile Tinnitus

Some signs and symptoms of this condition include:

A rhythmic rattling or wheezing sound inside your head that often keeps pace with your pulse is the most common symptom of pulsatile tinnitus.

This is normal blood pulsating faster than normal through a variety of veins and arteries located near your ears. This may include larger arteries or veins at the base of your neck and skull, and smaller arteries in your ears. In a way, people who have pulsatile tinnitus hear their own heartbeats.

What causes pulsatile tinnitus?

While pulsatile tinnitus usually occurs when there are some abnormalities that alter blood flow in the blood vessels, sometimes changes in blood flow are also a sign of a serious medical condition. Some of these include:

atherosclerosis

This occurs due to hardening of your arteries, which can cause uneven blood flow.

arteriovenous malformations

These are tangles of blood vessels that affect the connections between your veins and arteries.

high blood pressure

High blood pressure measures the pressure of blood on your blood vessel walls.

anemia

Anemia can increase your blood flow, which in turn can affect your blood vessels and cause pulsatile tinnitus.

middle ear tumors

Some people have small tumors in the middle ear that are located near the parts of the ear that receive sound.

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