hearing heart beat with afib

[tj777]

at the time I was diagnosed I started hearing my heart beat in my ear has any one had this with a fib

[jeanjeannie50]

Yes, I think you'll find that a lot of members here have experienced hearing their heart thudding in their ears. I don't know why it happens some times and not others. I'm in constant AF now but had it years ago shortly after I started with AF.

Jean

[tj777 in reply to jeanjeannie50]

I have mentioned it to the Dr's but I was just wondering if any one had looked in to it

[sassy59]

I only get that when I wear earplugs at night. It’s off putting but I manage to sleep.

[tj777 in reply to sassy59]

I was just wondering what actually cause s it as no Dr has mentioned it but it's connected

[Tudee in reply to tj777]

I believe it is called Pulsatile Tinnitus

[tj777 in reply to Tudee]

Yer it has been mentioned this has turnout to be a popular post

[MrsSuzuki]

Yes I get it quite a lot too. Don't know why but it's difficult to get to sleep at times.

Lily

[tj777 in reply to MrsSuzuki]

apparently it's called pulsatile tinnitus I was told mine started just before I was diagnosed with afib I'm trying to see if they can treat it

[lieboen in reply to tj777]

I had the same thing till I had my ablation. When I came out to recovery my first thought was am I alive. My pulsatile tinnitus was gone. Than my back started hurting, so I new I was alive.

[Peacefulneedshelp in reply to lieboen]

I wonder if it has something to do with the nerves and since its all controlled by the brain?

[tj777 in reply to Peacefulneedshelp]

Quiet interesting you said that I see somewere that tintinitus noise comes from brain rather then ear

[JudiHalf]

I think it’s quite common, I’ve had it for a few years, have never bothered to ask doctor about it.

I have to have TV on to get to sleep as it seems louder when quiet and earplugs make it very much louder!

[tj777 in reply to JudiHalf]

it's interesting I will have to look into it to see what they say

[Karendeena in reply to tj777]

Please let us know as I get this every night when I go to bed

[Rosie1066]

I hear mine all the time and have done ever since I had open heart surgery.

[tj777 in reply to Rosie1066]

It's quite interesting will have to find out why

[Rosie1066 in reply to tj777]

if I want to take my pulse all I have to do is sit and count the heart beats I hear!

[Hylda2]

I have it with pulsatile tinnitus. Before I had pace and Ablate used to like listening to my heart beating strong after an AF episode

[Nerja2012]

Tj. I have it in 1 ear only. Pulsatile Tinnitus it never goes away but your brain gets used to it ,

[tj777 in reply to Nerja2012]

Yer strange I have it in left ear since being on medication it is more like tinnitus

[Nerja2012 in reply to tj777]

TJ, it is Tinnitus but when you can hear your heartbeat, its called Pulsatile Tinnitus . Hopefully yours will go.

[tj777 in reply to Nerja2012]

It's more a whooshing noise now I just find it strange that it's never mentioned but it's a big symptom with afib from what I can see

[Nerja2012 in reply to tj777]

Tinnitus comes with lots ofdifferent sounds and pitches so I believe.

[mrgwair567 in reply to tj777]

A friend of mine who does not have AF but has tinnitus with a whooshing noise says hers has been almost eradicated by wearing a hearing aid .

[Peony4575 in reply to tj777]

I have constant whooshing noise but inexperience more over one side of my head rather than in my ear though am hearing it. Mine started about 5 years before my first AF incident and I don’t think they are connected. I tune it out mostly so actually don’t know know if it’s there or not during AF episode as other things taking my attention

[tj777 in reply to Peony4575]

How do you tune it out

[Peony4575 in reply to tj777]

You don’t focus on it . It’s always there but only become aware of it if I look for it or it becomes louder which it does with muscle tension . It’s really the only thing to do with any kind of tinnitus or it drives you mad . I look at it as my built in cardiac monitor

[CDreamer in reply to tj777]

I used to have PT but no longer. The whooshing sound could be from high BP and/or arteriosclerosis so I would say there are these few things you may want to get checked by your doctor which may help.

Mine was purely I could hear my pulse very loudly. It stopped after ablation - in fact I woke up from sedation and thought I must be dead because I could no longer hear my heart beating. Thankfully the nurse standing over me assured me she was still of this world, living and not an angel.

[Ozette in reply to tj777]

Interesting. Now that I think about it, I haven't had it since going off of antiarhythmic medications after AV Node Ablation. Maybe they were the cause and I didn't realize.

[Mozey]

I have always been able to hear my heart beat, I wish I had known them what was going on and got help/medication for it then. But still hear after having a stroke.

[Peony4575 in reply to Mozey]

Sorry about your stroke . Wasnt aware there was help or medication to treat it, I have just accepted it’s there

[fairgo45]

I used to have this a lot in the early days of afib. It was very annoying for ages. It happens when you lie down and the blood rushes to your head the irregular heartbeat of afib causes a kind of tinnitus in the ear but instead of a ringing noise it picks up your heartbeat.

You could try sleeping with two pillows but with the right medication and treatment it will go away.

Speak to your cardiologist about it

Janet

[Jetcat]

yes me too. I think it’s very common to be honest. I can also remember the days when I could look down and see my t shirt moving to my heart beat.!!! I had a very forceful heart beat. Since meds and ablations I have a nice soft beat now which calms me down.👍

[Nan1]

I also have the Pulsatile Tinnitus, more so in my left ear. I found in time i’ve got used to it. hopefully it will get easier in time for you

[whats]

It always seemed to me to be caused by fluid stopping up an ear or ears, ie, worse with a cold. Sometimes if I hold my nose lightly and blow lightly my ears clear and I can't hear my pulse.

[secondtry]

Yes I have the same. Over the years here there have been many possible causes mentioned including putting the blame on Flecainide. I find I can turn down the volume a tad by reducing sugar and or gluten in my diet.

I am not aware of any medication generally effective. As already mentioned the best is to be distracted/busy and then for me I don't notice it, only when I am quiet reading, resting or in bed.

[OldJane]

pulsatile tinnitus in one ear should ideally be scanned. I think many conditions trigger it. Rarely, it can have a concerning cause - a faulty blood vessel or a growth. I had MRI at ENT for mine, no worrying cause found. Can be related to age. In my case I put it down to a traumatic operation. It seems to have affected the way the aural nerves perceive the blood flow. It drove me mad when it fist happened nearly 4 years ago, I slept with a soft headband speaker playing brown noise but now I hardly notice it. I am not convinced it is linked to AF and nor were ENT, I know non AF senior folk with it. I joked to GP that it was my internal heart rate monitor! It certainly makes AF episodes more obvious

[tabletphobic]

I've had that at times before and after diagnosis

[Windlepoons]

I've had it for decades. Well before my first AF episode. It doesn't bother me and makes it easy to know when my heartbeat is starting to go a bit off piste so I can go and rest.☺️

[Jajarunner]

It's what I call cardionoia (cardiac plus paranoia). Heightened awareness due to having this often scary condition. Xx

[bassets]

I have had it since beginning with AF, but I have always been aware of my heartbeat, and knew it was skipping beats long before that. I always thought it was normal. The whooshing and thudding always gets worse with catarrh.

[Karendeena]

Hi, yes, I get this all of the time when I lie down on my side. I get it in both ears. I thought it was wax causing it as when I check my pulse I am not in afib

[MummyLuv]

I use to have it when lying in bed every night, drive me bonkers initially but somehow I got use to it 😂 I’m back in NSR and I’m certainly still much more aware of my heartbeat but no longer hear it.

[Brandue]

I have proximal afib and don't experience this. When I'm in afib I have to pee about every 10 minutes until it calms down. My afib last about 4 hours and can feel the beats in my chest.

[tj777 in reply to Brandue]

That's got to be the vagus nerve with the peeing affects your blood pressure if you want to pee as well

[Witchmama in reply to Brandue]

The frequent urination is due to a hormone called Atrial Natriuretic Peptide that is produced by the atria of your heart when you are in afib due to the increased stress on the atrial walls of the heart. The ANP hormone causes water excretion by the kidneys by inhibiting the reabsorption of Sodium. The Sodium pulls water along with it and thereby causes the frequent urination.

[tj777 in reply to Witchmama]

Interesting thanks

[Brandue in reply to Witchmama]

Very good explanation. Thanks..

[OzJames]

I hear it in my right ear not all the time but every few nights before bed and whilst my head is on pillow. it’s almost like Morse code, I check my pulse which is normal at the time so not sure what causes it or whether it is related to AF. I feel it when I’m in NSR as well

[Ppiman]

I have tinnitus but recently began to hear my heart pulsing in my ear, like a whooshing song on my left side. It comes and goes. I think it’s quite common and safe.

Steve

[LouBrig]

I have the whooshing sound only in my left ear, when I lay on that side. It appears to be quite common. I just avoid sleeping on the left.

[PICCASO]

I had the same in my ear, drinking alcohol don't help either, I found it's something to do with sleeping with the pillow under my neck, duck down and feather, so I bought some Sleep and Soak travel pillows and only put my head on it rather than tucking it under my neck, problem solved for me

[Danceawaytheblues]

It`s good to know that others experience the same thing as me. Mine is worse if I try to sleep on my left side, once it start`s I roll over and it seems to disappear. Happy Days. 😊😊😊

[Debjimmay]

It’s nice to know that someone else has this problem. I have been hearing my heartbeat in my ear (left ear) for years now and it was well before I was diagnosed with Afib. I’ve mentioned it to my doctor but they act like they have never heard of it and just brush it off. I’m sure if they had it they would look at it differently as it can be very annoying at times. It’s called pulsating tinnitus and if you have time to do some research on it you will find it is very interesting and even a little disturbing as to what causes it. The only good thing I can say about pulsating tinnitus is I know if my heart is beating irregular.

[Tapanac]

yes all the time. Nuisance isn’t it plus frustrating snd a bit scary especially if it’s bouncing around.

[DKBX]

Always had it even before Afib but more noticeable now. Beats an Apple Watch!

[Locksy1]

Yes, especially when trying to go to sleep and lying on one side you can hear/feel it -

[Glb1948]

I have had that off and on for several years. If i turn to the other side when im sleeping it seems to help. Most of the time it happens at night or when i first get up but it goes away.

[lynneangela]

Yes I have this sound too and l can't sleep with the noise and I've only just realised what it is, my heart.

[petmice]

I never made that connection until you brought it up! I've had AF for years but didn't actually know I had it until 2021, so I never thought to question that pounding in my ears and assumed I could ignore it. Next time it happens (which isn't often) I'm going to slap on my BP cuff because it detects AF (in case the pounding isn't heart-related). Also, I see my EP in May (3 month ablation follow-up appt) and will ask about that - it could be a useful indicator that my heart needs my attention.

[tj777 in reply to petmice]

yes it's quite interesting with so many having the same thing there must be some connection I've actually see a couple of years back on a group someone said amlodipine was causing it but I'll have a investigation

[Tabor]

hello tj777, yes I hear my heartbeat in my ears specially when my heart rate is up. My God Bless you always!!

[Witchmama]

I have been able to hear my heartbeat in my right ear, and sometimes my left, since I was 3 years old. I would think there were soldiers marching in the basement and wake up screaming because I was afraid there were coming to get me. My grandmother assured me it was my heart beating that I hear and all was well. It's comforting when I hear it now. I don't usually hear it during the day when I'm upright, I mostly hear it when I lay down on a pillow at night.

[tj777 in reply to Witchmama]

That was a young age did any one look into it

[Witchmama in reply to tj777]

Not the heartbeat sound I hear specifically. But I have been diagnosed with paroxysmal Afib and I did have an ablation for it. Still hear the heartbeat in my ear though, so I don't really think it has anything to do with afib. Someone else said Pulsatile Tinnitus. My symptoms seem to fit that diagnosis.

[willec49]

As others here note, that is called Pulsatile Tinnitus. I have it occasionally and from my research, it is apparently related to circulatory- related issues.

[Tomred]

Hi TJ,yes ive had this especially on my pillow at night, but when i first started on bisop and multaq it disappeared .

[mesally]

I'm hearing impaired so I don't hear it but my goodness do I feel it. It's like my heart is doing the jive to Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of company B. If only it would learn to do a slow waltz!

[SCCDL]

I have had it when I lie down - sitting up makes it go away - I have had afib for about two years now - only one brief episode of abfib since my ablation last August of 2022. However, I still get the pulsatile tinnitus but I try not to worry about it.

[tj777 in reply to SCCDL]

I would actually like to no what is causing it

[TheGrinch2]

Hya, yes, I've have this and whooshing in ear with afib,started just before diagnosed

[rubyr61]

when i first had a metal valve put in back in 2003 with in a few weeks it was going crazy but worst that that was the sound of the metal valve clicking away and vibrating through my metal filling in my teeth and up through the ears causing me a lot of pain when i explained this to the dentist he laugh at me but agreed to change the filling for porcelin ones which helped now i just hear the heart beats no vibrations and still do after 20 years the trouble is nobody believes you in the medical world so it is great to hear i am not the only one

[Cundara1234]

I hear the heartbeat in my ears, mostly when I climb the stairs. I have arrhythmia (SVES - extra systole). Not a single therapy helps me. . I tried a lot of medicines. Three years ago I had an ablation due to atrial tachycardia. I had a tachycardia of 230 beats. They suspected atrial fibrillation, but they didn't prove it. Only atrial tachycardia. They solved it with ablation. I didn't get that fast rhythm anymore. However, my problem is now extrasystoles. I also tried antiarrhythmics such as Propafen, Flekaride, but it didn't help. There's no way I can solve it with therapy. I'm angry and disappointed because of it. The ultrasound is mostly fine. .Slight mitral regurgitation. Holter shows only extrasystoles. It's not dangerous, but I can't function normally. I don't know what to do anymore.