Objective pulsating tinnitus - at 4 years old

[sammyloux]

New to this site, only 3 weeks ago when cuddling my 4 year old son did I hear a noise coming out of his ear....the shock! I found it was coming out of both ears, a pulsating buzzing sound. When I asked him what that sound was (not mentioning his ears at all) he replied to say it was his special ear noise. As if this was normal to him!!! The doctors have been terrible - after researching I found this could be objective tinnitus? The doctors hadn't even heard of this, told me 'I couldn't hear a noise' however after much pushing have finally referred my son to the EAT clinic. There's such a long waiting list, I don't know if my son needs to be seen urgently should I book private? I have had no advice only what I've found online and here on this forum. Is there somewhere private he can be diagnosed and treated if so what is the cost? Help!

[kimmmmmm]

ENT know nothing about T...absolutely nothing ...they say it will get in time and some dont ....do your own research on it and give then the information when you see them....they blame hearing loss and hair cell damage as the cause ...most i know wasnt noise induced and mine is somatic.....if your son isnt bothered about it....dont panic him and make him feel like its worng....that will cause him to have anxiety and make him sick.....i have never heard of anyone having objective T...it's pretty rare

[kimmmmmm]

sometimes it can be caused by the station tubes ....there's alot of reason for objective T....but ive never met anyone who has it ...let us know how your finding goes with the consultants ....you can always see a private ENT consultant ...but its pricey

[sammyloux in reply to kimmmmmm]

Thank you for your advice and for responding!!! I will keep an update here on his progress currently looking into private. Just a diagnoses would be good to see what we’re dealing with and if it does needed to be dealt with urgently.

[bridgeit]

Hi Sammyloux, I don't have objective tinnitus, but I have plenty of experience with obstructive GPs, referrals to Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) specialists and private medical care.

Get a cup of tea; this is a long post!

You could give the NHS ENT clinic a call to make sure that the referral from your GP reflects the symptoms you're concerned about if you don't have a copy of the GP's letter.

If your son's referral is about objective tinnitus symptoms, you could ask the ENT clinic to confirm whether or not his case is regarded as urgent - although it could still take a few weeks.

If the referral is not about objective tinnitus symptoms, then you could make sure the clinic knows about these symptoms and ask them if this makes a difference with appointment scheduling. They may refer you back to your GP...……………. be ready to stand your ground.

Try not to pre-judge the ENT clinic, but when your appointment finally happens do be firm about the noises you can hear from your son's head and make sure your son gets enough time for a thorough examination and you get enough time for questions. Write your questions down to make sure all your concerns are covered.

PRIVATE DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT:

With private care, you choose the consultant and chances are your son will be seen within a week or so.

The cost of seeing an ENT consultant privately is generally around £250. You can check out consultant costs by looking online for a paediatric ENT consultant working in your area. They're usually based in a private hospital (such as Nuffield or Spire). If you contact the consultant's private secretary they can advise about his/her costs. You don't have to book anything, just ask about the cost of a consultation.

Pre-diagnosis investigation may include scans and blood tests. Scans will cost extra and one MRI or CT scan in a private facility can cost £1000 upwards. A blood test might cost between £200-£500 dependent upon complexity.

Once diagnosed, treatment costs will depend entirely upon what's found and what's required. An ENT surgical procedure I had recently cost almost £8,000. All drugs are also charged privately and one course of pills can easily cost £200 upwards

Private medical costs quickly rack up. If uninsured, the patient generally has to pay up front.

A couple of other (important) things to bear in mind: There are issues with NHS and private sector cross-over regarding treatment/hospitalization, which is prohibited by NHS England. Some GPs also take exception to patients choosing to go private and can be remarkably unsupportive as a result.

Good luck with getting a sensible diagnosis for your little boy and I hope this info helps.

[sammyloux in reply to bridgeit]

So glad I joined this forum thank you so much for taking the time to write to me!! It’s a good job I’m a confident mom because I could easily have been shunned out of the docs thinking I was mad, but no I’ve done my research and will continue to do more and stand my ground!!!. Currently looking at private just to get a diagnosis, thanks again for all of the info x

[bridgeit in reply to sammyloux]

You're welcome Sammyloux. Just an additional thought: most private consultants require a GP's referral letter to enable an appointment to be made with them. You can use a copy of the letter you've had for the NHS ENT clinic, or you can ask your GP directly for a letter to your chosen private consultant. If this isn't achievable for whatever reason, you can see a private GP to obtain a referral letter to your chosen consultant. Hospitals such as Spire and Nuffield offer a private GP service. The cost of a 20min GP appt. along with a referral letter will cost about £130. You might actually find a visit to a good private paediatric GP quite reassuring ...……………..

[kimmmmmm]

pulsating T ...theres another form on the internet where people have posted what theres sounds like (recorded it) mostly it can be blood flow and nothing to worry about....i think the sight was called whooshers or something