Pulsatile tinnitus occurs when the ear becomes aware of a change in blood flow in nearby blood vessels. Neck injuries – Whether caused by head or neck trauma or by some other issue with the neck and TMJ (the jaw joint), neck problems are a common source of tinnitus. My neck tightens up during the day and at times completely eases up.

Tinnitus remains though, even at times very soft but always there.

Fortunately I mostly don't notice it. I've had tinnitus since a bike accident.
Another cause of Pulsatile Tinnitus can be benign tumors of the head and neck. A 40-year-old female with a history of hypertension and pulsatile tinnitus developed left-sided neck pain and drooping of her left eyelid following a chiropractic manipulation. Among the objective tinnitus types is pulsatile tinnitus, which is normally caused by irregular blood flow in the arteries. Pulsatile tinnitus is caused by blood circulating in or near your ears. Another cause of Pulsatile Tinnitus can be benign tumors of the head and neck. Hearing is fine, been tested. But with the pulsatile form of this condition, the noise comes from inside your body. Your doctor may be able to hear it, too, if she listens with a stethoscope. Hurt my left jaw, and the tension spread through my neck and low back.

Basically, you are hearing your heartbeat as manifested in the carotid artery.

Just because someone has neck pain and pulsatile tinnitus does not mean they have carotid dissection. There are many kinds of tinnitus, sometimes falsely distinguished as subjective and objective tinnitus. We need to look inside for the source of sound. What about imaging? As you can see, the neck is one of the main players when it comes to tinnitus. "I was diagnosed with Pulsatile Tinnitus 18 months ago and no cause has been identified despite MRI,MRA and CT. Depending how I open my jaw, clench it, or move my neck, the noise will increase. Imaging is essential. A full evatuation and usually imaging is required.

Pulsatile tinnitus can be caused by problems in the arteries or veins of the head, neck, or both. The approach is geared towards vascular causes. I at times almost feel as if lower frequency sounds trigger the Neck pain (uneasiness), not sure if its related to Tinnitus. These include the arteries and veins in the neck, base of the skull, and in the ear itself. Neck pain and tinnitus frequently go hand in hand.

A 2013 review of the current literature indicated that about 28 percent of pulsatile tinnitus cases were due to venous causes, 23 percent were arterial, 18 percent were arteriovenous, and 31 percent were due to other or unknown causes. Turbulent Blood Flow Causing Pulsatile Tinnitus: This happens when the inner part of the blood vessels become irregular thus causing turbulence during blood flow which results in production of a sound causing Pulsatile Tinnitus. Turbulent Blood Flow Causing Pulsatile Tinnitus: This happens when the inner part of the blood vessels become irregular thus causing turbulence during blood flow which results in production of a sound causing Pulsatile Tinnitus. A stethoscope may be used to listen to the neck and skull–if the doctor can hear a pulsatile noise through the stethoscope this is referred to as objective pulsatile tinnitus.


Pulsatile tinnitus that cannot be heard by the doctor is called subjective pulsatile tinnitus. I have had T now for 18 months accompanied by intermittent neck pain.