Hearing your own heartbeat in your left ear can be a disquieting experience. This sensation, while often benign, sometimes indicates an underlying condition.
Understanding Pulsatile Tinnitus
Pulsatile tinnitus is the medical term for hearing a rhythmic sound, like a heartbeat, in your ear. This differs from other forms of tinnitus, which typically involve ringing, buzzing, or hissing sounds not synchronized with a bodily rhythm. Pulsatile tinnitus, by contrast, presents as a whooshing, thumping, or rushing sound that directly correlates with your pulse. You can often confirm this by feeling your pulse while listening to the sound.
Underlying Causes
Pulsatile tinnitus in the left ear often stems from changes in blood flow or increased awareness of normal blood flow in vessels near the ear. These changes can arise from various factors, ranging from common issues to more complex medical conditions.
Vascular issues are a frequent origin of pulsatile tinnitus. Conditions that alter blood flow, such as high blood pressure (hypertension), can make blood flow more turbulent and audible, leading to a pulsing sound in the ear. Atherosclerosis, or the hardening and narrowing of arteries due to plaque buildup, creates uneven and louder blood flow, which can be perceived as pulsatile tinnitus. Specific blood vessel conditions near the ear, including anomalies in the carotid artery or jugular vein, can also generate audible turbulence. For instance, carotid artery stenosis, a narrowing of the carotid artery, is a common arterial cause of pulsatile tinnitus.
Ear-related factors can also contribute to hearing internal body sounds. Blockages in the ear canal, such as earwax buildup, can amplify normal body noises, making the heartbeat more noticeable. Middle ear infections or fluid accumulation behind the eardrum can also heighten awareness of internal sounds, leading to pulsatile tinnitus.
Systemic conditions affecting the entire body can also manifest as pulsatile tinnitus. Anemia, a condition characterized by a deficiency of oxygen-carrying red blood cells, can cause the heart to pump harder and faster to compensate, increasing blood flow and making the heartbeat more audible in the ear. Similarly, an overactive thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism) can speed up heart rate and increase overall blood flow, leading to a more noticeable pulsatile sound. Additionally, increased pressure around the brain, known as idiopathic intracranial hypertension, can affect blood vessels and lead to pulsatile tinnitus.
Sometimes, despite thorough investigation, no specific cause for pulsatile tinnitus is identified, a situation referred to as idiopathic pulsatile tinnitus.
When to Seek Medical Advice
If you experience hearing your heartbeat in your left ear, seeking medical advice is a sensible step. It is particularly important to consult a doctor if the sound is new, persistent, or worsening. Pulsatile tinnitus can sometimes signal an underlying medical condition that requires attention.
You should also seek medical evaluation if the pulsatile sound is accompanied by other symptoms, such as dizziness, hearing loss, ear pain, or changes in vision. A history of high blood pressure or existing heart conditions also warrants prompt medical assessment if pulsatile tinnitus develops.
Diagnosis and Management
Diagnosing the cause of pulsatile tinnitus involves a comprehensive approach. A healthcare provider will begin by taking a detailed medical history and performing a physical examination, which may include listening to your neck and skull with a stethoscope. If the sound can be heard by the doctor, it is termed objective pulsatile tinnitus.
Further diagnostic steps may involve blood tests for conditions like anemia or thyroid issues. Imaging tests are often used to visualize blood vessels and structures near the ear. These can include magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT) scans, magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), or CT angiography (CTA) to assess blood flow and identify any abnormalities.
Management options for pulsatile tinnitus are tailored to its underlying cause. If earwax is the culprit, professional removal can alleviate the sound. For conditions like high blood pressure, medication can help regulate blood flow and reduce the pulsatile noise.
Anemia, if identified as the cause, can often be managed with iron supplements or other treatments. In rare instances where a specific vascular issue or tumor is identified, surgical intervention might be considered. When no specific cause is found, or if treatment of the underlying condition does not fully resolve the sound, management may involve coping strategies such as sound therapy using white noise generators to mask the sound.