Understanding tinnitus
Describe the sound you hear, explore tests for pulsatile tinnitus and follow venous blood flow on imaging.
Episode 1 · English video · 2:42
How can I describe the sound I hear?
Seven simulated sounds help you put tinnitus into words. Describe where you hear it, when it started and whether it keeps time with your pulse. Mention any changes in hearing, headaches or visual symptoms.
Start at low volume. The examples help describe the sound. A hearing assessment and your other symptoms help guide the search for a cause.
Watch in Chinese ↗Episode 2 · Chinese video · English guide · 4:19
What tests help when the sound follows my pulse?
Follow a hearing assessment, scans and angiograms to see how clinicians investigate the arteries, veins and bone near the ear. In selected cases, measuring the pressure across a narrowed venous sinus helps assess its significance.
At 2:05, compare MRI, MR venography and MR angiography. At 2:28, see the venous images. At 3:17, follow a pressure measurement. To compare the rhythm with your pulse, use your wrist. Avoid pressing on your neck.
Episode 3 · Chinese video · English guide · 3:08
Why can a narrowed venous sinus make a sound?
Trace venous blood from the transverse sinus through the sigmoid sinus to the jugular vein. Animation shows how flow can accelerate through a narrowing and how vibration may reach the ear. People with similar scans can hear different sounds.
At 1:12, explore why a sound stands out in quiet surroundings. At 1:35, compare an arachnoid granulation with external compression. At 1:57, see examples on imaging. Symptoms, vision and test results all inform treatment decisions.