What is Pulsatile Tinnitus?

Pulsatile Tinnitus is a rhythmical noise that usually has the same rate as the heart.

The most common causes of pulsatile tinnitus include:

• Conductive hearing loss. This type of hearing loss intensifies internal head noises — sounds such as breathing, chewing, and blood flowing through the ear. Conductive hearing loss makes it easier to hear blood flowing through two large blood vessels that travel near to each ear. 
•  Carotid artery disease. The accumulation of fatty buildup (plaque) inside the carotid arteries can create turbulent blood flow. This can cause a pulsating sound.
•  High blood pressure. When blood pressure is high, blood flow through the carotid artery is more likely to be turbulent. That turbulence generates the pulsatile tinnitus.
•  Blood vessel disorders. Many blood vessel disorders can cause pulsatile tinnitus. These include an abnormal connection between an artery and vein, twisted arteries, or a benign blood vessel tumor behind the eardrum.
•  Ear muscle disorders. Tiny little muscles that attach to the bones inside the ear can sometimes go into spasms, and this can cause pulsatile tinnitus.

Ear anatomy and hearing Conductive hearing loss makes it easier to hear blood flowing through two large blood vessels that travel through each ear. These are the carotid artery and the jugular vein, which circulate blood to and from the brain.

Most of the time, pulsatile tinnitus is nothing to worry about. If it doesn’t go away on its own or becomes really bothersome, talk to your doctor.

Your doctor will likely examine your ears and listen to the blood flow through the arteries in your neck. He or she will listen for an unusual sound that blood makes when it rushes past an obstruction. If your doctor hears this sound, you’ll likely need a test to look for a narrowing or malformation in your carotid artery — and possibly surgery to correct the problem. Otherwise, you may need a hearing test or other additional testing.