Over the years we've heard from a handful of Whooshers who reported experiencing pulsatile tinnitus right after or soon after having a grommet inserted.

The insertion of a grommet, also called a tympanostomy tube, is a common procedure for children with persistent ear infections, but many adults get them as well. 

Here is a story from a Whoosher (she prefers to remain anonymous, and we respect her wishes) who recently reported that her pulsatile tinnitus was a direct result of a grommet, despite the doctors believing that could be the cause. She didn't experience pulsatile tinnitus before the procedure, but began experiencing it soon after.  Though she met resistance, she persisted and she was cured when the grommet was removed.

Thanks for sharing your story! We'll be adding it to the Cured Whooshers page. 

I want to let others with pulsatile tinnitus know about how my PT stopped. I had a tube (grommet) placed in my right ear due to an infection in May 2017. The pulsatile tinnitus began intermittently in the fall, and became much worse by April 2018. By fall of 2018 it was almost without stop. I had a full diagnostic work up and no cause was found. A friend who is involved in sound production suggested it might be related to the ear tube. All of my doctors told me that was not possible. The ear tube didn’t come out on its own, though it did migrate. 

I had it removed in outpatient surgery on January 24, 2019. My pulsatile tinnitus stopped when it was removed. I read online about another woman with the same experience i.e with PT while an ear tube was in place, relieved when it was removed. I just want to be sure that this possibility is on the radar for others suffering from this disorder. I got my life back from that simple procedure.

February 10, 2019:  It’ll be two weeks tomorrow since the tube (grommet) was removed and NO pulsatile tinnitus!!! I had one episode where noises sounded very loud that lasted for a few hours. Very scary, but then it stopped. Based on another’s experience, some strange sounds aren’t unusual after the grommet is removed.

Thank you. Whooshers was a great resource and comfort to me while I was going through this. 

We here at Whooshers.com have been busy as ever (hence the rather long period between posts here).  Emails continue to pour in, many from patients who are new to pulsatile tinnitus and need guidance.  We routinely receive success stories as well, from patients who find a diagnosis and treatment. We haven’t been sharing enough of these stories, which are so important to share as they encourage members of our community to be our best advocates! 

Below is just one, from a patient in London whom we will call “Laura.”

Laura, good for your for being your best advocate.  Please keep us posted on your progress!

Thank you for setting up your amazing site! I first noticed a whooshing sound in my left ear around Christmas time and thought we had a faulty central heating radiator. Then I realised it was me! I saw a doctor who gave me a sinus decongestant, but I knew something was wrong with my ear so I went back again and asked to be referred to an ENT. He did hearing tests and told me it was likely to be Eustachian tube dysfunction, as I fly quite a lot internationally with work.  

After a week and the noise driving me mad, I went back again to the ENT and he referred me for an MRA. I was diagnosed last week with a DAVF (Dural Arteriovenous Fistula) in my sigmoid sinus. I saw a Neurosurgeon this week and he has now involved a Neuroradiologist.

I have an angiogram booked on 1 March to assess the DAVF and decide on treatment.

Your website has been a life saver. When I searched DAVF on the Internet I was just stuck with lots of complicated medical articles written for other medics. I felt so relieved when I found Whooshers.com and saw others have the same condition.

Thank you again, and I’m keeping my fingers crossed I can have my DAVF treated and eliminate my PT! I’m based in London and although DAVFs seem quite rare I’m hoping it can be resolved by someone here!

For more info on DAVF see neuroangio.org.