Can tinnitus cause sensations?: Being so very... - Tinnitus UK

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Can tinnitus cause sensations?

PointedEars profile image
6 Replies

Being so very new to this (mine started about 6 weeks ago) I am still trying to adjust, but I wanted to ask whether tinnitus, specifically perhaps pulsatile tinnitus, can be accompanied by sensations? There are times when I can clearly hear my pulse, predominately in my right ear and especially so when I lie on my left side. However, sometimes I can also sometimes feel my pulse in my chest, up the right side of my neck and what seems like up the right hand side of my face and into my head. Recently at times the left side of my face (around the temple, behind my right ear and upper jaw) has sometimes been feeling a little "rubbery" - a bit like the when the dental anasthesia has almost worn off and feeling has started to return to the skin, except that this feeling is not quite as intense. I don't know whether this might be related to anxiety, or posture perhaps (prolonged sleeping on my right side as it makes the tinnitus less distracting). I had mentioned it to my GP who made a note, but didn't say much. I am due to see the GP again in two weeks and do have a referral to ENT. I am not sure how much of this is down to elevated anxiety or actually real so my apologies but it is rather disconcerting at times. The sensation is not there all the time, but I have noticed it on a number of occasions during these last two weeks in particular. Its all a bit vague and I am prepared to accept that I may be overreacting and it may be normal with pulsatile tinnitus.

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PointedEars
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Happyrosie profile image
Happyrosie

we all experience tinnitus in different ways. You are very early on in your journey - and it could be that from now on you will forget about it and live your life normally. At least one in ten of us have tinnitus, and can forget about it most of the time.

A good source of information is the website of Tinnitis UK.

Notreve7766 profile image
Notreve7766

Hello

Have you been diagnosed with Pulsatile Tinnitus? A lot of the sensations you are describing are similar to my own in the early days when I first heard Tinnitus. As I became less anxious these sensations dropped away. The body can make sounds and when we are anxious we tune into these things more so than when we are relaxed is how it was explained to me

PointedEars profile image
PointedEars in reply toNotreve7766

Well, when I had my hearing test 6 or 7 weeks ago I mentioned to the audiologist that I had suddenly started hearing a low pitched pulsing sound recently which I eventually realised was in time with my pulse. It wasn't there all the time, but I could hear it during quiet times such as going to sleep or sitting reading or working at the computer. I was told it was probably tinnitus. I replied that I thought tinnitus was a running of whooshing noise. His reply was that often that is the case but hearing any noise within the ear is classed as tinnitus. I was advised to see the GP.

A couple of weeks later I saw my GP. I mentioned the noise, some anxiety and generally feeling low. I was once again was told the noise was probably "a bit of tinnitus" and advised to come back in a couple of weeks. If the problem was still there I would be referred to ENT. It was and I was referred. She mentioned all of the things I described may be related, which puzzled me at the time. However, I have since been informed on here that hearing one's pulse is called pulsatile tinnitus and have read that all the above can be are symptoms of pulsatile tinnitus.

Whether what I have been told to this point constitutes a diagnosis, I am not entirely sure so I do not take it as a definite diagnosis just yet. I am hoping that ENT can confirm that one way or the other. I should probably point out that I do not have to make any effort or consciously focus on my pulse or hearbeat. I just hear it in the background so to speak and sometimes have to make an effort to distract myself from it. I can be annoying sometimes, particularly when I am trying to concentrate and all I can hear is uhmmm uhmmm uhmmm.. when I am trying to think!

Notreve7766 profile image
Notreve7766

I don't have pulsatile Tinnitus but experienced many of the symptoms you mentioned above during the early months of hearing Tinnitus. I would drive to get an official diagnoses from ENT.

Notreve7766 profile image
Notreve7766

I remember when i heard Tinnitus for the first time I had a whole range of sensations which made me feel something was wrong with me but in hindsight it was me being anxious about the situation which caused the sensations. Please try and relax. In all probability what you are experiencing isn't serious and your going to be fine.

PointedEars profile image
PointedEars

Thank you. I will try to remain calm. :-)

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