Restless blood flow can be caused by conditions such as aneurysms and atherosclerosis, in which the arteries narrow.
A doctor issues a serious warning about rhythmic tinnitus, which can signal a life-threatening condition.
Pulsatile tinnitus (PHT) is a repetitive sound you hear in sync with your heartbeat, often due to changes in blood flow or increased awareness of blood flow near the ear. Dr Ahmed Abd Elbari, who has 326,000 followers on TikTok, advises that if you feel such a sound, it's extremely important to mention it to your GP, even though "in most cases" it's "completely benign".
The expert explained that the doctor usually starts with a physical examination, listening to the vessels of your heart and neck, and may suggest a hearing check. Additional tests, such as blood tests, may be needed, as low vitamin B12 or iron levels can contribute to PSU.
Imaging tests such as MRI, CT scan or ultrasound may also be needed. Dr. Abd Elbari noted that PSU may result from increased blood flow with intense exercise, pregnancy, hyperthyroidism, or anemia, but cautioned that it may also indicate serious problems such as aneurysms or tumors.
He mentioned that restless blood flow can be due to conditions such as aneurysms and atherosclerosis, in which the arteries narrow.
"Locally increased blood flow can also occur, which means that a blood vessel has an increased blood supply. This is most often due to a tumour. It is important to know that most tumors associated with pulsatile tinnitus are benign," Elbari explained. He added that, in general, ASD resolves once the cause is removed.
According to the UK National Health Service (NHS) definition, an aneurysm is a bulge in a blood vessel that results from a weakness in the vessel wall. When blood flows along the weakened blood vessel, the pressure causes a small area to bulge out like a balloon.
They can develop anywhere in the body, but are most commonly found in the brain and the artery carrying blood from the heart to the rest of the body. The NHS warns that most brain aneurysms only lead to noticeable symptoms if they burst, leading to the 'extremely serious' condition of subarachnoid haemorrhage, where bleeding can cause brain damage.
A ruptured brain aneurysm is considered a medical emergency, with symptoms including sudden, excruciating headache, neck stiffness, pain when viewing light, faintness and vomiting. According to MailOnline, around 15,000 people a year in England suffer a burst brain aneurysm.
Elbary said a common cause of PSU is altered consciousness, which he explained as a better awareness of blood flow, with the most common cause being hearing loss.
"It's due to the fact that you're not as aware of your surroundings and the pulse starting to move because it's become more obvious to you. Despite all this, there are many other reasons for this. In most cases it's completely benign and nothing to worry about, but it's definitely something you want to check, especially if it's something new or you've never checked before, or it's getting worse," the expert added. | BGNES