Pulsatile tinnitus

[ANTONISH]

I acquired this condition a few months ago - it's a bit like a clock ticking, fairly quiet and not noticeable with any background noise - initially I just thought it was an inevitable consequence of old age, but I looked up tinnitus on the internet and found that this form of tinnitus was unusual and could be indicative of something more serious.
I got a GP appointment - two week wait - not unusual for my practice.
I saw the GP yesterday and he referred me to the local ENT clinic.
Gave me a sheet outlining process in making online appointment
I went through the process and was informed that there was a 27 week wait - I didn't mind being on a waiting list so I then I attempted to make an appointment and was informed that no appointments were available - one suggestion was try another clinic - did that and was informed that there was no other clinic available.

I've tried contacting the practice but I can only discuss referrals on Monday, Wednesday or Friday ( jam yesterday etc)
Is anyone on this forum able to give advice?

[Nearholmer]

Try booking a free hearing test at a place that sells fancy hearing aids, as many opticians do, which will almost certainly result in them finding “dead spots” in your hearing due to the tinnitus. They then refer you to the ENT bods at the nearest hospital. My experience is that results in an appointment being offered fairly swiftly, although I decline them because my tinnitus is an ancient and stable condition.

Of course, if your local ENT place is totally overrun, it may not work!

[bikepacker]

Both my brother Geoff and me suffer with tinnitus, his is more in keeping with your symptoms. Both of us have been to ENT tinnitus clinics in different NHS trusts and have found them to be a waste of time. Geoff also sought private consultations which proved to be a similar waste of time and money. He had spent his life as a musician, standing on stage with high sound levels being the cause of his. Mine was a result of concussion from an accident and it got dramatically worse after my first coved injection.

The only advice either of us received was to either get hearing aids to amplify outside sounds or play music on headphones louder than the tinnitus, to drowned it out. I was told outright there was nothing else they could offer by way of a cure, something confirmed by my sons partner who is a audiologist in the NHS.

[Nearholmer]

Yes, another reason I don’t bother with the ENT consultations: they can do nothing except offer not-very-helpful advice!

Basically, once you’ve eliminated the possibility of some sinister underlying cause, one consultation, you just have to get used to it.

Mine did begin with a somewhat sinister underlying cause, in the form of a growth in the ear canal when I was about 35yo, which fortunately turned out to be benign, and what I’m left with is largely a product of the surgery to remove that growth, although things weren’t in a good place even before that, due to motorcycling, gunfire, and work-related noise.

[ANTONISH]

Thank you for the replies.
I have a feeling that this is going nowhere.
The worry is that pulsatile tinnitus can indicate a serious condition (or not) - never mind, at 83 I've had a fair innings.
I've just returned to the clinic booking site and my appointment is being "reviewed" , I should get in touch if I don't hear from them by 21st January.

[axel_knutt]

Mine did begin with a somewhat sinister underlying cause, in the form of a growth in the ear canal when I was about 35yo, which fortunately turned out to be benign, and what I’m left with is largely a product of the surgery to remove that growth, although things weren’t in a good place even before that, due to motorcycling, gunfire, and work-related noise.

You don't swim, do you?

I used to swim 5 days a week, and had surgery to remove a growth in my ear that was caused by the swimming. At the time I was told it was "swimmer's ear", but Dr Google says that a growth is surfer's ear, and swimmer's ear is just an infection. (The growth used to prevent the wax escaping, and that then got infected because it was perpetually wet.) I don't think my tinnitus started until quite a few years after the surgery though, and it's noticeably linked to blood pressure.

[Nearholmer]

You don't swim, do you?

No.

[millimole]

Yes, another reason I don’t bother with the ENT consultations: they can do nothing except offer not-very-helpful advice!

Basically, once you’ve eliminated the possibility of some sinister underlying cause, one consultation, you just have to get used to it.
.

My local NHS Trust do not offer any treatment or therapy for tinnitus - I've heard unofficially this is because there's nothing useful that can be done.

I have it and do my best to just get on with it.
I've tried every sort of masking sound and nothing works *for me* - although many people find them useful.

There is the Tinnitus UK (search) helpline which I've found helpful in the distant past.

[ANTONISH]

Yes, another reason I don’t bother with the ENT consultations: they can do nothing except offer not-very-helpful advice!

Basically, once you’ve eliminated the possibility of some sinister underlying cause, one consultation, you just have to get used to it.
.

My local NHS Trust do not offer any treatment or therapy for tinnitus - I've heard unofficially this is because there's nothing useful that can be done.

I have it and do my best to just get on with it.
I've tried every sort of masking sound and nothing works *for me* - although many people find them useful.

There is the Tinnitus UK (search) helpline which I've found helpful in the distant past.

The noise itself doesn't bother me unduly. It's only apparent in a quiet room and it doesn't stop me sleeping.
I've had this problem for several months and did a google search where I discovered that it was less common than most forms of tinnitus.
There is actually quite a lot of information online.
The problem is that pulsatile tinnitus may indicate something more sinister.
It's getting a diagnosis that concerns me and the diagnosis can be long and complex.
I suspect that the NHS don't want to put more people on a waiting list - hence my request for an appointment ( basically a request to be put on a waiting list) is "under review".

[CliveyT]

I'm another sufferer of pulsatile tinitus, also not a problem in itself and for me I only think I get it while lieing in bed first thing in the morning, not noticeable even when very quiet anytime else in the day. I also attend annual checkups for high blood pressure and when I mentioned it to the nurse there she certainly didn't dismiss it, told me that while it's only for a very short period it's not a problem, but absolutely to raise it if it extends or becomes noisier. If yours is more persistent then mine then I do think you do need to find out what the cause is, although how you go about it is anyone's guess.
Mine has been going on for several years now without apparently changing in nature so I have to assume whatever isn't go to kill me immediately

[ANTONISH]

I'm another sufferer of pulsatile tinitus, also not a problem in itself and for me I only think I get it while lieing in bed first thing in the morning, not noticeable even when very quiet anytime else in the day. I also attend annual checkups for high blood pressure and when I mentioned it to the nurse there she certainly didn't dismiss it, told me that while it's only for a very short period it's not a problem, but absolutely to raise it if it extends or becomes noisier. If yours is more persistent then mine then I do think you do need to find out what the cause is, although how you go about it is anyone's guess.
Mine has been going on for several years now without apparently changing in nature so I have to assume whatever isn't go to kill me immediately

I would definitely like to find the cause - but it's unlikely that I will from the NHS - at least in my lifetime.
I notice it in a quiet room - so I guess it's slightly more obtrusive than your own.