Suddenly.   60% (18 votes)

Gradually.  30% (9 votes)

So long ago I can't remember how it started.  10% (3 votes)

When I was born, I think. I have always heard the whoosh.  0% (No votes)

Total Votes: 30

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"The Tinnitus Research Consortium, supported by private philanthropy, invites applications for the support of a clinical trial of therapy for individuals who suffer from tinnitus.  The goal of this Request for Applications is to add to the clinical options in the treatment of such individuals."

Whooshers.com has confirmed that applications addressing pulsatile tinnitus WILL be considered. 

Letter of Intent Receipt Date: December 15, 2009
Application Receipt Date: February 1, 2010

Whooshers, please encourage your doctors and medical institutions to apply!

Click HERE for more details on eligibility requirements, application procedures, and more.

I remember the first time I heard my whoosh.  About 9 months ago, I heard a faint heartbeat sound in my ear and I asked people around me whether they heard it, too.  I thought it was external.  After a few weird looks, I thought maybe I just had a stuffy head from a cold.  But when the sound didn't go away, I looked to the Internet for some answers.

The Internet is a great place to find information, but it can be a scary place when you use it to find answers to health issues.  I'm convinced that if you do a search for even the most minor problem, you can find a message board somewhere that concludes you have cancer.  Only months to live.  It's difficult to find accurate health information online. 

It's key to remember that the Internet is not the right place to be diagnosed.  That's what doctors' offices are for.  But we can increase our chances of a getting a prompt and proper diagnosis, especially as sufferers of a rare condition, by going in with an open mind and enough information. 

Be your best advocate.

Effectively communicating to our doctors -- describing our symptoms and how they are affecting our lives -- is also very important.  It's okay to ask for help. 

Whooshers.com was created to help you. 

If you're a new whoosher, welcome.  Many of us have been whooshing for months, years, even decades.  Some of us have had the cause of our whoosh identified and even "fixed." Others are still on the path to silence.  The road to diagnosis can sometimes be frustrating, but it's important not to panic and to remember that there are many, many possible causes of pulsatile tinnitus. 

A lot of new whooshers ask, "I hear my heartbeat in my ear, should I see a doctor?" The answer is YES, but not because you probably have cancer and just months to live.  In fact, there are many benign causes that can be treated effectively.

Under the "Resources" section in this site, you'll find links to articles about real pulsatile tinnitus patients all over the world.  This is not a medical site, but links to medical organizations are posted to help guide you towards making the call for your first doctor's appointment. 

Perhaps the best content here is written by fellow sufferers.  There are a lot of us and we come in all shapes and sizes.  Our stories are different, and the causes of our whooshes come in many varieties, but many of our experiences are the same.  As a sufferer myself, there's probably nothing more comforting than knowing I'm not alone in this.  

If you're interested in sharing your experience or thoughts about pulsatile tinnitus on this site, or just want to say hello, please write in to whooshers@gmail.com. 

Sharing our stories is the first step towards recovery!

WhooshEr

Total Votes: 11

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