Tinnitus is the presence of a ringing or other sound in the ear that is not in the person’s environment. The sounds people with tinnitus experience vary greatly. Some people with tinnitus report a tone or buzzing sound, while others report crackling, the sound of static or radio interference, or any repetitive sound.

Pulsatile tinnitus is a condition that causes the person to hear their own pulse. Hearing your own pulse is a rare form of tinnitus. Unlike many forms of tinnitus, the cause of pulsatile tinnitus can often be identified by a physician. The common causes of pulsatile tinnitus are high blood pressure, tumor, heart murmur, or Eustachian tube disorder. Pulsatile tinnitus can have other causes such as a condition affecting a vein or artery close to the ear.

With most cases of tinnitus, the physician has to rely on the patient’s description of the symptoms. In many cases of pulsatile tinnitus, the physician can hear the pulse sound that the patient hears by placing a stethoscope or microphone at the effected ear.

Treatment for pulsatile tinnitus begins with identifying the cause and treating that condition. Pulsatile tinnitus is often successfully treated this way. For example, if the individual has high blood pressure, the pulsatile tinnitus will often disappear after the person is treated for the high blood pressure.

If the pulsatile tinnitus does not stop after medical treatment of the suspected cause or if the cause cannot be identified, the physician may recommend treatments that are used for other types of tinnitus. Some medications have been used successfully for the treatment of tinnitus even though there are no medications specifically designed for tinnitus. Some antidepressants, anticonvulsants, and anti-anxiety medications have proven to be medical treatments for tinnitus.

Other treatments for tinnitus include biofeedback and masking. Biofeedback teaches people to relax and reduce stress. This stress management technique often helps to reduce tinnitus. Masking is the use of background sound to reduce the tinnitus. A white noise generator or fan may create a less intrusive background noise that covers the sounds of tinnitus. Another possible treatment for tinnitus is alternative therapies such as hypnosis or acupuncture.