Strange pulsatile tinnitus - Hearing Disorders Message Board

spinifex · 07-10-2007, 09:47 PM

I have been suffering for few years from strange hearing noises(tinnitus). At night just when I start falling into sleep I, get, these nerve like bursts in my head/ears. The worst time is 4-7AM it wakes me up from a deep sleep.
Another description is like small blasts of adrenalin going through my head, just little and quick shocks or bursts (painless), no flashes, and always when I am getting into a sleep. Sometimes goes on and off for short while then stops for a bit and starts again.
Its strange... they will stop the moment I open my eyes or get up. It never happens during the day. I also have slight constant tinnitus, but those pulses are driving me mad. In the beginning there were less frequent, now is every night-mid- morn. Over the years I had MRI/CT/MRA, MRV with contrast of head and neck, blood test and various tests for inner ear. The were all normal. Seen lots of doc and ENTspecialist, and they don’t know whats causing this...and I can't take this much longer.
Any comments or help sure would be appreciated.

boubou · 08-16-2007, 06:36 AM

Hey! I've got the same thing you have, I just had no idea how to describe it.
Did you get it checked out?

spinifex · 08-27-2007, 05:18 AM

Boubou,

Yes I have. Still no idea whatsoever. I am doing some web searching about TMJ, but I don't think I have this. Can you describe your symptoms? How long have you had it? Just curious :-)

Take care

boubou · 08-27-2007, 07:41 AM

It's not TMJ. TMJ is not a condition, it stands for temporomandibular joint (I'm a dental hygienist). The TMJ can become inflammed with grinding or clenching but you'd see wear marks on your teeth...you may wake up with sore teeth to bite or some pain in your joints just below the ears.
As for my symptoms, I've had tinitus for years as well as earing loss. I'm 42 years old and it's getting worst. The type of sound you described is I beleive something else than tinitus. I've had trouble describing this feeling. I find sometime it happens when falling asleep or waking up. It's like you say, like a rush in my head, loud high pitch hissing in my ears, VERY irritating, makes me cringe. I suppose I feel it now in the morning, when trying to get up right after waking up when really tired. Does that all sound familiar?

spinifex · 08-28-2007, 05:52 PM

Your symptoms sounds familiar. I was thinking more about TMJ-Disfunction. Mainly joint and muscular areas are affected, but there are some symptoms that occasionally accompany TMJD.

* pain in the shoulders, back, or neck
* tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
* dizziness
* blurred vision or double vision
* vertigo and nausea
* grinding of the teeth
* hearing problems
* pain in front of the ears

Have you seen an ENT or any other specialist?