Pulsatile tinnitus is a rare type of tinnitus that has two characteristics which set it apart from ordinary or typical tinnitus.
First, it is also called objective tinnitus because another person can hear the noises inside your ears.
Second, it is not characterized by tonal noise that most patients with ringing in the ears complain about-rather they hear pulsing noise that come in rhythms.
The pulsing noise inside the ears goes along with breathing or heart beat.
Identifying the causes of pulsatile tinnitus is important in prevention and treatment.
There are a number of disorders that cause the pulsatile type of tinnitus, and in many cases the underlying disorder can be determined, unlike many cases of the non-pulsatile form of tinnitus.
Among the usual causes of this rare case of tinnitus are anemia, malformations of blood vessels in the neck or ears, hypertension, atherosclerosis, and other cardiovascular problems.
Tumors near the ears may also cause the problem.
Nonetheless, experts think that people with pulsatile tinnitus are only extra sensitive to internal noises, taking into account that not all with cardiovascular issues suffer from hearing disturbing internal noises.
Clicking ears may also be a product of conductive hearing loss.
A ruptured eardrum, for instance, can make you lose sensation of external noise, and you know the brain switches its attention to available noises.
As with cardiovascular disorders, conductive hearing loss does not cause tinnitus in every case.
Most causes of pulsatile tinnitus can be prevented by maintaining a good lifestyle.
That involves healthy diet, regular exercise, stress management, relaxation, and regular visits to your doctor.
A healthy diet does not only comprise of the nutrients you need.
To keep yourself free from cardiovascular disease, you should reduce intake of fatty and cholesterol-rich food.
Of course, you are only not doing this to prevent tinnitus.
There are more serious conditions that can result from a bad diet.
You should also stay away from alcohol because habitual drinking of alcohol-laden beverages can also lead to various disorders, and studies also show that alcohol may cause some degree of hearing impairment.
Once you hear pulsing noise in your ears, set an appointment with a physician, who will order clinical tests to find possible causes.
Although tinnitus is not the disorder itself, it can be bothersome.
Many people suffer from anxiety and insomnia because of it.
Treatment is based on the particular cause.
In most cases, the causes of pulsatile tinnitus are more serious than the perceived pulsing noise.