Archive · 18 Dec 2025
Understanding Pulsatile Tinnitus and Its Causes
Sometimes, people hear a whooshing or rushing sound in their ear that beats with their heartbeat.
This is called pulsatile tinnitus.
It can happen if there's earwax, fluid, or an infection blocking the ear.
It can also be caused by health problems like high blood pressure, anaemia, or issues with blood vessels.
Doctors can check for this with ear exams, hearing tests, and special scans.
Treatment depends on the cause, like cleaning the ear, controlling blood pressure, or special treatments.
If the sound is constant, loud, or comes with other symptoms like headaches or dizziness, it's important to see a doctor right away.
Pulsatile tinnitus is a rare form of tinnitus characterized by a whooshing, rushing, or thumping sound in time with the heartbeat.
Common causes include earwax blockage, fluid, infection, high blood pressure, anaemia, thyroid imbalance, atherosclerosis, and vascular changes.
Diagnosis involves ear exams, hearing tests, imaging (MRI/CT scans), and possibly a carotid Doppler ultrasound or eye exam.
Treatment depends on the underlying cause and may include clearing earwax, treating infections, controlling blood pressure, or specialized medical or surgical treatments.
Serious symptoms that warrant immediate medical attention include constant sound, sudden onset, one-sided sound, headaches, vision changes, dizziness, hearing loss, and neurological symptoms.
- Who
- Individuals experiencing a whooshing or blood-flow sound in their ear
- What
- Pulsatile tinnitus, a rare form of tinnitus characterized by a noise in the head that pulses with the heartbeat
- When
- When the ear is partially blocked by wax, fluid, or infection, or due to underlying medical conditions
- Where
- In one or both ears
- Why
- Due to increased blood flow turbulence near the ear, often caused by conditions like high blood pressure, anaemia, or vascular changes
- Condition
- Pulsatile tinnitus
- Symptoms
- Whooshing, rushing, or thumping sound in time with heartbeat
- Common Causes
- Earwax blockage, fluid, infection, high blood pressure, anaemia, thyroid imbalance, atherosclerosis, vascular changes, raised brain pressure
- Diagnosis
- Ear exam, hearing tests, imaging (MRI/CT scans), carotid Doppler ultrasound, eye exam
- Treatment
- Clearing earwax, treating infection, controlling blood pressure, correcting anaemia, specialized medical or surgical treatment, sound therapy, tinnitus retraining
- Serious Symptoms
- Constant sound, sudden onset, one ear, headaches, vision changes, dizziness, hearing loss, neurological symptoms