Pulsatile Tinnitus

[Metroname]

Hi. I suffered with tinnitus, and then right sided pulsatile tinnitus for many years. The pulsatile version was never all day, every day, but it used to appear several times a day and it certainly was a drag.

About three years ago issues unrelated to hearing persuaded my GP to put me on Statins (Atorvastatin to be precise). A week later I realised that I had not been aware of the pulsatile tinnitus for some days, and since then I have continued with the statins and go for months without being troubled by tinnitus at all. I very occasionally hear it faintly, but it has been an unexpected and very welcome release. No one I have mentioned this to has an explanation, but I'm sure the change of medication led directly to the cure. I wonder if anyone else has experienced a statin related cure for tinnitus.

[Happyrosie]

that’s a very interesting post, Metroname. Certainly when I went on statins it made no difference to my T (but then he wasn’t pulsatile). I cannot think of any anatomical reason why this should be.

But during my time on this forum I’ve seen so many things that people find helpful, and other people find not helpful - it’s such a variable thing

[DownUnderInAus]

Hi, I have regular tinnitus (hissing) and pulsatile tinnitus. I've been taking a statin (rosuvastatin) which has had no effect on my tinnitus but it has cured my dry scalp (mild dandruff) and my irritable bowel (cramps and bloating). I've "stopped taking the drug (at times) and both the dandruff and irritable bowel have returned.

[Marsh3l]

This is an interesting read. Firstly, I’m really happy for you.. it’s great something has worked .

I have Pulsating tinnitus. Ive had MRI and everything is good. I’ve always felt it’s related to blood flow. As that’s what it sounds like. If I go for a run and get my heart rate up the pulsating sound is faster and louder along with my heart rate, . my ENT described it has been able to hear the blood flow through arteries close to the ear.

Sometimes it’s very loud and aggressive of the times it settles but it never goes away.

[TinnitusUKPat Partner in reply to Marsh3l]

With pulsatile tinnitus all that has often happened is that we're now aware of a system in our body which was previously not apparent to us - external sounds outside our body are not being perceived as well as they used to be, so internal sounds are far more apparent to us as they're easier to hear.

Finding it a bit alien and difficult to make sense of is quite normal - but our body is a noisy place and all that might be happening here is that the curtain is being pulled away a bit so that we can be aware that our body is working as it should.

Personally speaking, I'm happy for some secondary confirmation that my blood is running through my body and that my heart is beating away more or less normally (I'm a lucky person with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy) - my POV on this is that I want to hear that sound but other people's milage may vary and that's fine too.

[MickJF]

Interesting post Metroname. I to suffer from PT and am convinced it is something vascular or muscular. Not quite sure though whether I want to go on statins to get rid of it if I can avoid.

[TFU589]

Google "hyperlipidemia and tinnitus", and found this article online.

But that is just one article...

Atorvastatin in the Management of Tinnitus with Hyperlipidemias

Mirza Khizer Hameed, Zeeshan Ayub Sheikh, Azeema Ahmed and Atif Najam

ABSTRACT

Objective: To determine the role of atorvastatin in management of tinnitus in patients with hyperlipidemia.

Study Design: Quasi-experimental study.

Place and Duration of Study: ENT Department, Combined Military Hospital, Rawalpindi, from July 2011 to August 2012.

Methodology: Ninety eight patients of tinnitus with sensorineural hearing loss having hyperlipidemia were included in the study. Their pre-therapy serum cholesterols were measured, and tinnitus scores were recorded on a 'Tinnitus handicap questionnaire'. They were administered tablet atorvastatin 40 mg once daily with low fat diet for 8 months. After 8 months of therapy, patients were purposefully divided into responsive and unresponsive group depending on serum cholesterollevels. Post therapy serum cholesterol levels and tinnitus scores were also recorded after 8 months and compared with pre-therapy records.

Results: Serum cholesterol came to within normal limits in 51 (52%) patients (responsive group), while it remained high in 47 (48%) patients (unresponsive group). Improvement in tinnitus score in the responsive group was seen in 36 (70.5%) patients and in 2 (4.2%) patients of the unresponsive group. Improvement in tinnitus scores was compared in the two groups using Fisher's exact test and were found to be statistically better in the responsive group (p < 0.001).

Conclusion: Tinnitus, in patients having hyperlipidemia, can be successfully dealt with by treating hyperlipidemia with lipid lowering agent atorvastatin.

jcpsp.pk/archive/2014/Dec20...

[Stubble in reply to TFU589]

If only I didn't have other reactions to statins...!

[Metroname in reply to TFU589]

Thanks very much for this research which appears to confirm my personal discovery that Atorvastatin can alleviate - in my case pretty well cure - tinnitus. I appreciate that it's not likely to have the same effect for everyone, and I can only hope that in my case the statins are also doing good in the area for which they were initially prescribed!

[TFU589]

Well. take a look at the study and in addition to the statin they were advised to adopt a low cholesterol diet. That should have had an impact on improving their hyperlipidemia. How much, don't knows. And who knows how well people adhered to the diet, "what, no Mutton", joking.

Yes, and no matter how much you adhere to that diet and exercise, there can be a limit to how much you can improve your lab results, but need to give it a go.