Pulsating and noisy in the left or right ear - causes and treatment

For what reason can there be a pulsation in the ear?

Discomfort and unpleasant sensations?
This can lead to impairment and long-term impact on a person’s activity. Let's take a closer look at the causes of the condition when there is pulsation in the ear. Let's outline ways to correct the situation and consider a set of preventive measures. The appearance of problems may not be a manifestation of a disease of the ENT organs, but of concerns that are associated with the condition of the heart and blood vessels. In this condition, when a person complains: “I hear a heartbeat in my ear,” a consultation with a specialist who will examine the ear is definitely necessary. This may be the result of a serious problem that requires diagnosis, correct diagnosis and timely treatment.

When I hear a pulse in my right ear, this feeling is familiar to many. What is the reason for pulsating in the ears? This obsessive state can occur in two or one ear. Combined with pain, it becomes unbearable. Sometimes the ear may not hurt. But this does not make it much easier, because the feeling of discomfort is so serious that it does not allow you to live in peace. When there is a knocking in the right ear, a person is subject to a number of concomitant disturbances in the normal course of the life process:

• Insomnia.
• Loses appetite.
• He is in a neurotic state.

If there is pulsation in the ears, be sure to try to see a doctor as soon as possible. After all, the cause of discomfort can be not only an infectious disease. It is necessary to exclude the phenomenon of cardiac pathology or other disorders. Only a specialist will deal with this condition. It is the doctor who can prescribe a diagnosis in order to subsequently determine the correct treatment for each individual patient.

If you avoid solving a problem, your health may deteriorate. The ear will hurt, noises will be heard, and then a whole bunch of problems will follow. Therefore, you shouldn’t expect the situation to worsen, it’s time to take action! And the ear doctor comes in handy here.

Diagnostics

In order to determine the possible cause of the development of pulsation in the ears, you need to seek help from a specialist:

• Initially, the otolaryngologist begins to figure out the problem of pulsation in the ear, who clarifies the nature of the complaints, the time of their appearance and the conditions against which they arose. It is important for the specialist to know the patient’s history, his early neurological status and the condition of the hearing organ. This will allow you to assess the speed of development of the disease and the severity of the process. Family history is also clarified. This is especially important if close relatives at an early age experienced strokes caused by thrombosis or rupture of cerebral vessels, hereditary variants of cholesterol metabolism or tumor processes.
• The patient is examined. With such clinical manifestations, it is important to assess not only the condition of the hearing organ, determining the patency of the ear canal, excluding the presence of wax plugs, but also the condition of the vestibular apparatus. Impaired coordination may lead the doctor to believe that parts of the brain or middle and inner ear are affected.
• Assessment of neurological status. If there is a suspicion of a pathological process in the nervous system due to pulsation in the ear, the patient requires a consultation with a neurologist with a general assessment of the state of the nervous system.

Causes of discomfort

Tireless statistics confirm that for a condition such as this sensation, the cause lies in disorders:

• Activity of the heart.
• Conditions of blood vessels.
• Neurological diseases.

The sensation of a pulse in the ears can be caused by:

• Atherosclerosis.
• Pressure.
• The vascular system of the brain.
• Osteochondrosis.
• Inflammatory diseases.
• Head injuries.
• Tumors of organs such as the brain and hearing organs.

Pressure

The pulse in the ears is heard both at high and low pressure. As a rule, it is felt on the left. When the flexibility of the vessel wall decreases and its tone is disturbed, the thickness of the capillary becomes overfilled or, on the contrary, does not receive enough blood. This biological process must occur in accordance with established standards. Blood rubs against the walls of blood vessels, causing the symptoms described in this article. When comparing the pulsation in the ear with the same indicator on the wrist, a coincidence of rhythm may be noted.

Condition of the vessels of the head

When a heartbeat is heard in the ears, this may indicate a condition where the carotid arteries are narrowed or there is a brain aneurysm. In such cases, an unpleasant appearance is also possible. The secret to explaining the cause of pulsation lies in the cerebral vessels. They are the culprits:

• Constant pain.
• Bad memory.
• Pulsation in the evening, which is worse when lying down.
• When your ears ring.

About atherosclerosis

Sometimes there is a knocking sound in the ear because the cavities of the blood vessels are clogged. This phenomenon is most common in people over 50 years of age. After all, their blood vessels have been repeatedly exposed to the harmful effects of poor nutrition, water, and bad habits. But young people should also be wary of a similar condition when there is a pulsation in the right ear. Atherosclerosis is also familiar to people under 50 years of age.

The pulsating noise in the ear is most noticeable at the following moments:

• Climbing the landing.
• Tilts.
• Lifting heavy objects.
• Sleep with your ear to the pillow.

The medical name for this symptom, which is caused by the phenomenon of atherosclerosis, is called “pulsatile tinnitus.”

About osteochondrosis

With cervical osteochondrosis, the disc on the spinal column in the cervical spine protrudes, and the nerve root is compressed. Hence the feeling of many symptoms that are quite unpleasant:

• Neck pain.
• Numb limbs.
• Headache.
• Pulsates and rings in the ears.

Possibility of inflammatory diseases

Many inflammatory diseases that occur in the form of purulent otitis, labyrinthitis or tubo-otitis are typically accompanied by such an unpleasant symptom as palpitations in the ears. What is so remarkable about this condition? A range of symptoms may occur:

• Feelings of pain.
• Decreased hearing.
• Feeling like liquid is overflowing.
• Pressure.

An explanation for why a heartbeat is heard in the ears may also be the presence of cerumen plug if it is close to the surface of the eardrum. This plug puts pressure on the vessels and a noise is heard.

Consequences of head injuries

The reason to undergo an MRI procedure is any traumatic brain injury that occurs due to a fall or a blow to the head received from a blunt object. It will be most important to undergo an examination when the patient:

• My head is spinning.
• Be sick.
• Vomit.
• My head hurts a lot.

Tumor of the brain or hearing organs

The presence of symptoms may indicate the presence of malignant tumors.

You should sound the alarm if you notice:

• Weight loss.
• You feel sick.
• Symptoms of neoplasms.

It is imperative to undergo diagnostics to accurately identify the problem.

Pulsation in the ear is also observed with long-term use of drugs of medicinal origin.

Only if a specialist excludes the above symptoms can the idiopathic nature of the disease be confirmed.

Treatment

Pulsation in the ear is not the main disease, but just a symptom. To get rid of pulsating tinnitus, you need to find out its cause. Treatment of pathologies manifested by pathological pulsation is carried out by otolaryngologists, neurologists, angiosurgeons, and oncologists.

Experts recommend that patients follow these rules:

• Keep your ears clean, remove wax plugs,
• Avoid drinking alcohol and smoking tobacco,
• Massage the neck and head to quickly relieve pulsation in the ear,
• Listen to music without headphones and at low volume,
• Take sedatives and psychotropic drugs if necessary,
• Take long walks in the fresh air
• Eat more fruits and vegetables
• Exercise,
• Carry out neck exercises
• Wear hats in the cold season,
• Normalize blood pressure levels,
• Avoid colds, get treatment on time,
• Always have a good mood.

These general recommendations, together with drug therapy, will alleviate the condition of patients and help prevent the recurrence of pulsation in the ears.

Medications

To relieve pain, and thereby alleviate the patient’s condition, the specialist prescribes non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that relieve swelling, are easily absorbed into the blood, removing congestion in the tissues.

Medicines belonging to this type effectively combat the problem, removing pain and swelling, but they cannot cure the disease. Only comprehensive treatment will help cure the disease and prevent the development of complications.

Among the anti-inflammatory drugs, the most effective and inexpensive are:

1. Analgin. This drug can always be found in the home medicine cabinet due to its popularity. But it has a number of disadvantages: it cannot relieve severe pain, it lowers blood pressure and has a detrimental effect on the condition of the gastric mucosa. You can take it up to 3 tablets per day.
2. Ketorolac. This is a fairly strong pain reliever that can quickly cope with painful symptoms. But you shouldn’t get carried away with it: for adults the course should not exceed 7 days, and for children no more than 2 days. Take 1 tablet no more than 4 times a day.

For bacterial infections, broad-spectrum antibiotics are recommended:

1. Biseptol. This drug effectively stops the growth and development of bacteria. The drug is available in tablets of 120 or 480 mg. Children are recommended 120 mg 2 times a day, and adults 480 mg. The course of treatment is no more than 10 days.
2. Amoxicillin. This remedy quickly relieves the inflammatory process, kills microorganisms that cause pain and improves the patient's condition in just two days of taking the drug. Children are recommended 250 mg 3 times a day, and adults 500 mg. The course of treatment is no more than a week.

The article discusses the main reasons why there is shooting in the ear on the left side. Corticosteroid hormones will effectively help stop the inflammation. But they are prescribed only in emergency and complex cases, because these drugs have a lot of undesirable manifestations.

The doctor may prescribe the following medications:

1. Dexamethasone. This drug effectively relieves inflammation and is not addictive. In pharmacies, the drug is sold in powder form, which must be diluted with water. By dripping Dexamethasone into the ear, after a quarter of an hour you can notice how the pain has gone away. This medicine is also good because it fights allergies. During an exacerbation, the drug is instilled every 2 hours; in case of a mild form of the disease, it is enough to instill in the ears 2 times a day. The course is selected individually.
2. Hydrocortisone. These are excellent anti-inflammatory and antibacterial drops. Drops are instilled up to 4 times a day. The course is individual depending on the severity of the disease.

The ear canal is connected to the nose, so if ear pain occurs, a specialist may prescribe vasodilating nasal drops. They will help reduce the amount of mucus and prevent blockage of the Eustachian tube. The doctor may recommend Nazol drops, which are dripped into the nose three times a day, or Naphthyzin, which is also used three times a day.

Therapy tactics

The choice of treatment for patients who complain of pulsatile noise in the left ear, background noise in the right ear, or bilateral localization of acoustic phenomena should be determined by the primary disease.

It should be remembered that pulsating noise in the ear is only a symptom and not an independent pathology.

Even if the appearance of an intrusive sound is the only symptom, it is necessary to search for the disease that acts as a provocateur. Sometimes you can influence the noise level by compressing the carotid artery on the affected side - this is one of the clinical signs characteristic of the presence of a carotid-cavernous anastomosis in vascular pathology of the brain. However, this is just a symptom that cannot be considered as a way to improve the condition; Only a doctor can apply pressure to the vessel as part of an examination for a limited time.

Thus, the causes and treatment of pulsating tinnitus are concepts inextricably linked with each other. To rid the patient of the “background sound”, it is necessary to find out what causes its appearance. Before using any therapy methods, it is necessary to conduct diagnostics, including both laboratory and instrumental methods.

General restorative therapy

1. Drugs that improve microcirculation of cerebral vessels - Vinpocetine, Cerebrolysin, Piracetam,
2. Medicines that normalize heart function - “Korglikon”, “Strofanthin”, “Digoxin”,
3. Sedatives – “Novopassit”, “Persen”, “Tenoten”,
4. Physiotherapeutic procedures - magnetic therapy, ultrasound, solux, UHF heating, microcurrent therapy, intra-ear laser treatment.

How to be treated without medications?

Diet helps improve your overall condition.

1. It is usually advised to reduce the amount of fatty foods in the diet, foods that contain cholesterol, and, if possible, give up sweets and spicy seasonings that stimulate the nervous system.
2. It is recommended to balance the work and rest regime, spend more time in the fresh air, and engage in physical therapy - a set of exercises is selected taking into account the underlying disease.
3. If the occurrence of pulsation in the ear is associated with impaired functionality of the auditory nerve, physiotherapeutic interventions are used: electrophoresis, massage of the tympanic membrane, acoustic massage. In some cases, choosing a hearing aid can help get rid of tinnitus. Surgery may be required.

How to treat this disease

If a person complains: “I hear a pulse in my left ear,” then you should definitely seek advice from a specialist such as an otolaryngologist. When there are definitely no diseases of the ENT organs, it is better to consult a neurologist and angiosurgeon.

Depending on what the diagnosis is, if the ear is pulsating, treatment is determined. If osteochondrosis is detected, when there is a heartbeat in the ears, the patient will receive prescriptions in the form of:

• Taking certain medications.
• Acupuncture.
• Massage warm-ups.
• The need to stretch the spine.
• Magnetotherapy.
• Hirudotherapy.
• Manual therapy.
• Therapeutic physical education.

If there are problems with blood vessels that provoke a sensation such as a pulsating noise in the ear, coinciding with the heartbeat, such a patient will be prescribed:

• Drugs that promote vasodilation.
• Muscle relaxants.
• Anti-inflammatory.
• Vitamins B - groups.
• Blood thinners.
• Medicines to improve brain activity and soften cholesterol plaques.
• Taking venotonics.
• Sedatives.
• Antidepressants.

When your heart is pounding in your ears, you can try using folk remedies, which should also be prescribed by a doctor.

Potential Complications

Ignoring a symptom can cause serious complications and consequences!

If you do not pay attention to noises for a long time and do not identify their true cause, the patient faces numerous complications:

• If there are problems with the organs of hearing, he risks partially or completely losing the ability to hear.
• Aneurysms, angiopathy, and other vascular pathologies and cardiac dysfunction threaten extremely dangerous consequences, including disability or death.

Even noise that is not life-threatening can lead to serious mental disorders. The inability to “isolate” from intrusive sounds leads patients to severe forms of depression, and in exceptional cases, patients try to take their own lives because they cannot tolerate such conditions. Chronic insomnia and constant irritation lead to the same sad consequences, when a person is simply unable to control his negative emotions.

Tumors of various types pose a particular health risk. Only timely seeking medical help can protect the patient from negative influences and save him from both the cause of the disease and its consequences.

What preventative measures will be required?

To protect yourself from such an unpleasant phenomenon as pulsation in the ear, you need to take the following preventive measures:

• Maintain good ear hygiene.
• Use headphones with caution.
• Organize daily walks.
• Protect your ears from infections.
• From autumn to spring, wear a hat and scarf.
• Protect yourself from drafts and hypothermia.
• Give up bad habits.

Following these recommendations will help you maintain your health.

Forecast

The prognosis for recovery when pulsation appears in the organ of hearing can be both positive and negative.

The first option should be considered only by those who promptly sought medical help and began therapy.

Otherwise, there is a high risk of developing serious complications, which aggravate the person’s condition and force him to take potent drugs that have a negative effect on the body.

If the pulsation is caused by age-related changes in the body, then it is unlikely that it will be possible to cope with it. The doctor will select a therapy that will reduce the discomfort, but it will not completely eliminate it.

Recommendations

Pulse in the ears, when a patient comes with the complaint: “I hear a pulse in my ear,” can be caused by serious disorders in the body. Such symptoms should not be ignored so that treatment is prescribed in a timely manner.

So, first, visit the lore. He will be able to tell why the ear is pulsating and confirm the presence of a disease that will be subject to his competence. If this specialist does not reveal his signs, then you should visit a neurologist.

To understand why there is a pulsating noise in the ear, it is important to strictly follow all the doctor’s instructions, starting with a whole range of tests. Only after this will it be possible to accurately talk about the diagnosis and prescription of medications.

Symptoms and diseases

If your ear begins to pulsate, your head hurts, or noise constantly bothers you, the symptoms indicate a pathological change in the circulatory system.

Dangerous signs that require you to see a doctor

Does the pulsating noise occur very often? - We need a doctor!

The condition when a person has a knocking in the ear, pulsating without pain, can have various causes, some of which pose a direct threat to health and life.

A visit to a doctor should be mandatory if the noise is accompanied by an intensifying or frequently recurring headache, dizziness, fainting, attacks of nausea, double vision, pain in the ears, discharge from them, signs of intoxication of the body, disturbances in perception, hearing, vision and speech, which may indicate the presence of tumors.

A sharp deterioration in health with loss of consciousness may be a sign of a developing stroke or rupture of an aneurysm, and this can be fatal. If tinnitus persists after inflammatory diseases have been treated, they may indicate the development of complications that threaten the quality of hearing.