This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

Hi,

I have have always (i think) had the annoyance of a heartbeat sound in my ears - Only when laying on either side when trying to sleep.

I have never thought much about this as i presumed some people have this.
Its not painful or unpleasent, just a bit annoying when trying to sleep and this heart beat stops when i lay on my back as my ears aren't pressed to anything.

So after reading a thread here mentioning the heartbeat in ear i was curious whether this could suggest CCSVI.

I done bit of research and found this:

In our body, there are two large blood vessels intimately associated with the middle ear and the inner ear. These two are the jugular vein and the carotid artery. These are the major blood vessels supplying the brain. Sometimes, there is an increased blood flow in these two specific artery and vein. This is the situation wherein when we seem to hear heartbeat in ear. When the blood flow increases, the jugular vein and carotid artery thickens its walls. This in turn makes these blood passages closer to the auditory parts. Thus making us seem to hear the blood flow through a pumping or beating sound in our ear. This situation is called as pulsatile tinnitus.

http://tinnitus0.blogspot.com/2008/12/h ... n-ear.html


I dont have Tinnitus as my hearing is fine , if anything its too sensitive, and i never get common tinnitus symptoms like ringing/buzzing in ear.

So does anyone know if this heartbeat in ear would indicate CCSVI?

thank you

I don't have the answer but have the phenomenon you describe, though I also have regular tinnitis (just monotone background ringing in the ears). So post procedure I will be looking to see if this is one of the symptoms relieved.

No tinnitis, but the heart beat for sure here (I also do not know whether this is because of CCSVI)

I would not say that either tinnitus, or hearing ones heartbeat are signs of CCSVI, but they are not signs of MS, I don't think. My Grandpa used to tell me about listening to his heartbeat at night, and he did not like it, as he was always waiting for it to stop (I have heard mine stop). He did not have MS. I have no idea if he had CCSVI, but he did have CVI in his ankles. He also had Macular Degeneration.

I have a screaming six-tone tinnitus in my deaf ear, and I have CCSVI/MS in a big way.

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My name is not really Johnson. MSed up since 1993

I'm not sure if hearing your heartbeat while trying to sleep has anything to do with CCSVI. But I can remember being very young. Under 5 years old and having trouble getting to sleep. It sounded like footsteps to me at that age. Not having any Idea it was my heartbeat keeping me awake.

thanks for the replies.

I was thinking the in ear heartbeat when trying to sleep could be related to CCSVI due to the extract i posted:

Sometimes, there is an increased blood flow in these two specific artery and vein. This is the situation wherein when we seem to hear heartbeat in ear. When the blood flow increases, the jugular vein and carotid artery thickens its walls. This in turn makes these blood passages closer to the auditory parts. Thus making us seem to hear the blood flow through a pumping or beating sound in our ear. [/i]

after my balloons I had no ringing heartbeat until I apparently restenosed

Pulsatile sounds can come from either your jugulars or your artery. If they come from your jugulars you probably have pulsatile reflux. I would think that is very dangerous, for it to reach the ears. But it could easily be the carotid, so it would be a good idea to have a knowledgeable person Doppler your veins.

Might want to tell them you want this to get how bad your atherosclerosis is, but then they might only measure your carotid. Best to be honest, I guess. They don't seem to be saying 'don't get tested' anymore, just 'no surgery outside of trials.' They could spend years on this. Do *you* want to wait?

"A carotid Doppler machine (the same ultrasound machine used to evaluate the fetus in pregnant women) is a device which can be used to measure blood flow velocities within the cervical carotid arteries, as well as the vertebral arteries and sometimes the subclavian arteries by means of non-invasive ultrasonic scanning in which the Doppler effect is utilized. This can be useful for estimating the effects of atherosclerotic disease on the lumen in late stages; specifically the level of compromise in blood flow caused by reduction in arterial lumen diameter.

Using B-mode scanning (imaging) and very careful technique, the same ultrasound machine can also be used to measure the arterial wall thickening within segments of the carotid arteries non-invasively. This can be useful for detecting and tracking atherosclerotic disease in early stages. This has been used in clinical research since the early 1990s and is occasionally used by some clinicians."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carotid_Doppler_machine

...and just for another point of view...it just may be as simple as the tight real estate of your neck. Jeff never had pulsatile sounds until AFTER he had his jugular veins opened. There is no reflux, great flow. He never had real jugular drainage before his procedure...he had curly collateral veins instead. Now that he has open jugulars, he can hear his blood whoosh in his ears. Dr. Dake has looked at him, nothing wrong with his veins--but he commented that Jeff's neck is very tight, and his veins are up against his auditory canal. So, hearing sounds from your veins may indicate something or nothing...only an ultrasound will sort it out. Best!
cheer

_________________
Husband dx RRMS 3/07
dx dual jugular vein stenosis (CCSVI) 4/09
dual stents placed 5/09
CCSVI in MS

I agree. I need to put it in my signature. I am just another MS patient and unqualified to give any kind of medical advice. Please do not act on anything I say. Consult a doctor.

thanks,

so hearing a heart beat in the ear when trying to sleep would indicate i have stenosis/CCSVI?

I just wanted more signs that i have CCSVI before i travel to Poland.

Weirdest thing - I've had that heartbeat thing for as long as I can remember. Several months ago I started on Niacin (vitamin B3) because it dilates your bloodvessels. Al of a sudden I had no more heartbeats in my ear. It freaked me out the first night!

So, I quit taking Niacin for awhile as you built up tolerance, the heartbeat came back. Now I have only started again last week - my heartbeat's gone again. Now what to think of that?

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dx 2002,RRMS,  suspected begin of MS 1978 (age 10)

i get heartbeat in the ear on and off. for as long as i can remember. i can't recall the last time i noticed it though. when i was little, it was midget soldiers marching down the hall outside my room. adamt, i think the answer you got was 'we don't know for sure'.

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my approach: no meds so far - just balanced whole foods (partial 'paleo', much less outright elimination), science, supplements, & bloodwork
my regimen - www.thisisms.com/ftopict-2489.html
www.whfoods.com, www.nutritiondata.com

we don't know for sure, definitely don't know about audible heartbeats.

but if all these phrenologists no make that neurologists don't stop exploiting poor, crippled, dying people, they are going to lose any confidence the MS community ever might have had in doctors, medicine, science and the rule of law. that's what i know.

No. The answer is no, hearing your heartbeat doesn't imply CCSVI. I hear my heartbeat, and don't have MS. The only way to know is by being tested. Sorry we can't be more definitive.
cheer

_________________
Husband dx RRMS 3/07
dx dual jugular vein stenosis (CCSVI) 4/09
dual stents placed 5/09
CCSVI in MS