Pulsatile Tinnitus, much worse when laid on left side

[XyZed]

Hi there. I started with pulsatile tinnitus about three weeks ago. I get a pounding in my right ear that is 100% in sync with my heart rate. In fact I took my heart rate without needing to put my finger on the pulse it was exactly 60 bpm.

The only time I can notice it is if I am in a deadly silent room, and it's quite faint even then. During the night if I lay on my back, on my front, or on my right side I can hear it but only quite faintly. But for some reason, when I lay on my left side I can hear my heartbeat pounding in my right ear pretty loudly.

I wonder if anyone else has had anything similar, or any idea why this would be?

[Hidden]

Hi there XyZed

Reading your post with interest. I don't know much about pulsatile tinnitus but hope you get some answers. Sorry this is stuck on underscore. All the best.

[rabbits65]

Ask your GP to refer you to the ENT clinic as you need to see a specialist . Good morning. 😊

[DownUnderInAus]

I could have written this post myself, the only difference in my PT is that it is in my left ear and it gets quite loud when I lay on my right side. I have had the PT for over 2 years, I've seen 3 ENTs who have given me different diagnosis's that don't ring true to me. I've had scans etc, everything appears normal. I sometimes wonder if an artery or vein is coming into contact with my inner left ear in certain positions such as when I lay down?

[Hidden]

I have this in my left ear with the swooshing tinnitus plus ringing. I was refered to a ent specialist a few years ago, they say it’s caused by hearing loss but my hearing is ok so I,ve learnt to live with it, I,m74 and had it a long time. I don,t like going to the doctor as we always seem to get fobbed off with drugs.

[XyZed in reply to Hidden]

I have some hearing loss in the affected ear. It's not so much a loss in volume but a loss of the top frequency range so things are a bit muffled in that ear. I've also been getting very occasional and thankfully short-lived standard tinnitus in that ear. I get a high pitched tone that if I ignore disappears withing 15 seconds or so.

[Non-Leaguer]

Like Down Under in Aus my pulsatile tinnitus is in my left ear. After an Ultrasound it was found I have a tortuous blood vessel in my neck, tweaking it after extreme wood cutting(honest). Also 60 beats per minute 24/7 but after a year have learned to live with it. I use pillow speakers to help me get off to sleep and Aftershokz headphones during the day. These play music from my phone through my cheekbones! Good because you can still chat and hear what everyone is saying. Also if walking you can hear birds and also traffic which you cannot do with ordinary headphones clamped on your ears. Best wishes and keep posting.

[XyZed]

Just an update. Had an MRI scan, everything normal. Consultant also said everything looks normal in my ears, so that's it. He said he could refer me to someone who can help with coping with tinnitus, but it's not that bad for me.

I still have it, but it's only really noticeable at night in bed when I lay on my left side (the pulsatile tinnitus is in my right ear). It somehow doesn't seem as loud most of the time. My main concern was if it was caused by any of the potentially serious causes, which seem to have all been ruled out in my case.