sound of heart beat in right ear -- is it tinnitus?

[Guest [vi...]]

i haven't started tapering my benzo but on occasions i have the sensation of hearing my heart beat in my right ear. as if the ear drum is resonating with my heart beat. is it tinnitus or a precursor to tinnitus?

 

should i seek medical help?

[[On...]]

That's not the real definition of tinnitus. The sound of a heart beat is actually a reflection of the heartbeat through a vein that passes very close to your inner ear. The sound is likely caused by a couple issues, one being an elevated blood pressure and increased pulse, due to vasoconstriction of veins and vessels from excess adrenaline and the other from hypersensitivity in hearing.

 

Clinical tinnitus is in the form of ringing, hissing, roaring or even the sound of crickets that is perceived to be heard from the ear, when no actual sound outside the body is producing it. It's considered a "phantom" sound caused by the brain.

 

It's believed that the brain expects to hear all the frequencies of a normal hearing range. When a particular actual range or ranges of hearing are absent within the ears hearing nerves and its ability to send it to the brain for interpretation. The brain then will automatically fill in the "missing range" with the phantom noise or tinnitus sound in the form of ringing, etc.

 

Basically it's a withdrawal symptom, that should mostly clear if not entirely, but it may be one of the most persistent of the bunch.

 

[Guest [vi...]]

wow on the mend. that is such a beautiful explanation. i do take BP medications and it might be 'cos of that or 'cos of it's effect waning till my next dose. but you make sense: this sensation is not to be confused with tinnitus

[[an...]]

Hi Vineet. I also hear my pulse in my ears a lot of the time, and I feel my pulse in my upper body. I don't know if it's a withdrawal symptom or if it has to do with high BP. Maybe withdrawals raise BP? Just wanted to say I've experienced this too since I got into my taper.