Condition Lookup
Sub-Category:
Objective Tinnitus (Can Be Heard by an Examiner)
Number of Conditions: 2
Vascular Tinnitus (e.g., Pulsatile Tinnitus)
Specialty: Ear
Category: Tinnitus (Ringing in the Ears)
Sub-category: Objective Tinnitus (Can Be Heard by an Examiner)
Symptoms:
rhythmic whooshing or pulsing sound in the ears; sound synchronized with heartbeat; hearing fluctuations; dizziness or balance issues in some cases
Root Cause:
Caused by abnormal blood flow or turbulence in nearby blood vessels; common causes include vascular malformations, carotid artery stenosis, or increased intracranial pressure.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Clinical history and physical examination; auscultation of the ear; imaging studies such as MRI, MRA, or CT angiography; Doppler ultrasound for vascular flow assessment.
Treatment:
Addressing the underlying vascular condition, such as treating stenosis or malformations; sound masking; lifestyle changes to improve vascular health; surgery in some cases.
Medications:
Medications to address underlying conditions may include antihypertensive drugs (e.g., beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors) for blood pressure management, or antiplatelet drugs (e.g., aspirin ) to improve blood flow and reduce vascular complications.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Relatively uncommon compared to subjective tinnitus; estimated to affect less than 10% of tinnitus cases.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Hypertension, atherosclerosis, arteriovenous malformations, tumors, or increased intracranial pressure.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Prognosis depends on the cause; resolving the underlying vascular issue often improves or eliminates symptoms. Untreated cases may lead to worsening symptoms or other complications.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Potential complications include hearing loss, progressive vascular conditions (e.g., aneurysm), or significant impact on quality of life due to persistent tinnitus.
Muscular Tinnitus (e.g., Palatal Myoclonus)
Specialty: Ear
Category: Tinnitus (Ringing in the Ears)
Sub-category: Objective Tinnitus (Can Be Heard by an Examiner)
Symptoms:
clicking or popping sounds in the ears; intermittent or continuous noises; sounds associated with muscle movements, such as swallowing or talking; twitching or involuntary movements in the soft palate or middle ear muscles
Root Cause:
Caused by rhythmic contractions of muscles in the soft palate, middle ear, or surrounding areas; common causes include neurological disorders, trauma, or stress-related myoclonus.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Clinical observation of muscle contractions, patient history, and audiological tests; imaging (MRI) to assess neurological or structural issues.
Treatment:
Management includes reducing stress, addressing underlying neurological or structural issues, and sometimes using botulinum toxin (Botox) injections to relax the muscles; surgical intervention in severe cases.
Medications:
Muscle relaxants (e.g., baclofen ) and antispasmodic drugs (e.g., clonazepam ) may be prescribed to reduce involuntary muscle contractions. Botulinum toxin injections may be used to specifically target and relax affected muscles.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Rare; accounts for a small fraction of objective tinnitus cases.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Neurological disorders (e.g., multiple sclerosis), head or neck trauma, prolonged stress, and excessive muscle tension.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Often manageable with appropriate treatment, though chronic cases may persist. Early intervention improves outcomes.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Impact on quality of life, persistent symptoms, or progression of underlying neurological disorders if not treated.