I have not been diagnosed with an aneurysm. However, for the past 7 months i have a whooshing sound in my left ear. it goes along with my heartbeat and it is worse when im bending over or laying in certain positions. if i do anything to increase the pressure in my head for example yawning or pushing while going to the bathroom...(sorry kinda grosss i know) it is a very loud whoosh. im so scared this is a sign of an aneurysm. i went to the doctor and they gave me an mri/mra with contrast and said it came back normal and told me there was nothing wrong with me which i find hard to beleive because this does not feel normal to me. can anyone relate to what i am experiencing and does anyone know how accurate mri/mra scans are and if its possible it missed an aneurysm in my brain that is about to burst. i am scared everyday im just going to drop into a coma.
Please don’t worry - if they say the scan is clear, you have to trust them. If you worry, your blood pressure will go up! I had that whooshing sound in my ear too, after my surgery for the aneurysm. Apparently in cases like mine it’s quite common and it has in fact gone. Because the carotid artery is close to the ear, you can sometimes hear your heartbeat like this. I know Dr Google says it can be a sign of aneurysm, but in the page I read it said “in RARE cases”! Again, you have to trust that the scan is clear so there must be another reason. It can sometimes be a sign of thyroid problems, or a weight problem can push the carotid closer to the ear… The problem is, once you are aware of it, you kind of listen out for it (I know I did!!), and that makes it seem worse. Please relax 
I had an MRI and a cat scan when I was hospitalized, and they are the best tests available. If you have an aneurysm in the area they looked at…then surely it is very tiny. Why not try not to worry it and consider having it tested again in a year or two?
thank youuu for your insight it makes me feel a little better. it just worries me because it is only in one ear and can get pretty loud especially if i bend over. also it cant be a weight problem because i am actually underweight for my age! (i dont have a eating disorder just a really fast metabolism) but you mentioned a cartoid artery close to the ear…could it be possible mine is closer to the ear then most peoples and thats why i can hear it?
Jen Rigg said:
Please don’t worry - if they say the scan is clear, you have to trust them. If you worry, your blood pressure will go up! I had that whooshing sound in my ear too, after my surgery for the aneurysm. Apparently in cases like mine it’s quite common and it has in fact gone. Because the carotid artery is close to the ear, you can sometimes hear your heartbeat like this. I know Dr Google says it can be a sign of aneurysm, but in the page I read it said “in RARE cases”! Again, you have to trust that the scan is clear so there must be another reason. It can sometimes be a sign of thyroid problems, or a weight problem can push the carotid closer to the ear… The problem is, once you are aware of it, you kind of listen out for it (I know I did!!), and that makes it seem worse. Please relax
Hi Melissa,
How are you? I am orginally from Rochester, N.Y. and I have survived three aneurysm’s. All three were found by Cat scan or MRI/MRA. Please set your mind at ease. These are very good tests, MRA is really good.
If you want to talk contact me at anytime
Ken
Melissa:
In my case, I had an MRI/MRA that did not show what my angiogram revealed 3 weeks later. I am not saying that you have an aneurysm just that you have to be an advocate for yourself. You can get a copy of your films or CD and have your MRI / MRA reviewed by another physician unless your ordering doc has already done this. Another thought is pursuing a diagnosis for what you are experiencing. You know, what causes a whooshing sound in your ear?
how would i get a copy? does it cost money?
Donna Mignone said:
Melissa:
In my case, I had an MRI/MRA that did not show what my angiogram revealed 3 weeks later. I am not saying that you have an aneurysm just that you have to be an advocate for yourself. You can get a copy of your films or CD and have your MRI / MRA reviewed by another physician unless your ordering doc has already done this. Another thought is pursuing a diagnosis for what you are experiencing. You know, what causes a whooshing sound in your ear?
and what made them give you the aniogram after the mri/mra showed nothng? they wont give me the test because they said nothing showed up
Melissa said:
how would i get a copy? does it cost money?
Donna Mignone said:Melissa:
In my case, I had an MRI/MRA that did not show what my angiogram revealed 3 weeks later. I am not saying that you have an aneurysm just that you have to be an advocate for yourself. You can get a copy of your films or CD and have your MRI / MRA reviewed by another physician unless your ordering doc has already done this. Another thought is pursuing a diagnosis for what you are experiencing. You know, what causes a whooshing sound in your ear?
I had an aneurysm coiled in August, 2006. My physician’s six month follow-up is an MRI/MRA and angiogram. My MRA was fine but my angiogram was not. You can request your films or cd from the facility where your scan was done. There is no charge where I have my scans but it depends on policy of the facility.
Melissa said:
and what made them give you the aniogram after the mri/mra showed nothng? they wont give me the test because they said nothing showed up
Melissa said:how would i get a copy? does it cost money?
Donna Mignone said:Melissa:
In my case, I had an MRI/MRA that did not show what my angiogram revealed 3 weeks later. I am not saying that you have an aneurysm just that you have to be an advocate for yourself. You can get a copy of your films or CD and have your MRI / MRA reviewed by another physician unless your ordering doc has already done this. Another thought is pursuing a diagnosis for what you are experiencing. You know, what causes a whooshing sound in your ear?
Have you been checked for Fibromuscular dysplasia,? thats how they found my aneurysm, during an angiogram to get a look at my renal and carotids arteries, that are affected by my FMD. They saw the aneurysm. Swooshing in the ear is a common symtom of FMD.*
OK,
this is very scary for you… Also have had the same thing whooshing sound in only one ear and i have had it checked out years ago… my ent did hearing tests i do have a hearing loss in my right ear…but i started having bad vertigo and doc’s did mri & mra i found out i had 2 annies but a new dr from the annie center in ny is did a cat scan with contrast I get test results thur…
I feel if you are unsure please go to a new dr…you can ask them to look at your films and make sure its a dr who is able to tell…ask for a cat scan…
good luck
Hello…
I just got back from my 2nd opinion for my 2 annies…he had me go for a cat scan last week I walk in today and he says I have NO Aneurysms I almost fell of the chair how could this be…he said the cat scan is much better and what they seen on the mra mri is just my blood vesicles?? Anyway he is sending me to his partner to have a look with my old films and the new cat scan to see if anything is there…3rd Dr…I’m shocked…Has anyone told they have one or two and not be there??? I truly hope for this to be true…
Roseanne
If this were me I would not stop here. I would have both sets of films reviewed. Was the cat scan a CT angiogram?
roseanne petrozzino said:
Hello…
I just got back from my 2nd opinion for my 2 annies…he had me go for a cat scan last week I walk in today and he says I have NO Aneurysms I almost fell of the chair how could this be…he said the cat scan is much better and what they seen on the mra mri is just my blood vesicles?? Anyway he is sending me to his partner to have a look with my old films and the new cat scan to see if anything is there…3rd Dr…I’m shocked…Has anyone told they have one or two and not be there??? I truly hope for this to be true…
Roseanne
I hope your 3rd opinion is the same as the second,then maybe you can feel a little relief from the fear. Carol.
roseanne petrozzino said:
Hello…
I just got back from my 2nd opinion for my 2 annies…he had me go for a cat scan last week I walk in today and he says I have NO Aneurysms I almost fell of the chair how could this be…he said the cat scan is much better and what they seen on the mra mri is just my blood vesicles?? Anyway he is sending me to his partner to have a look with my old films and the new cat scan to see if anything is there…3rd Dr…I’m shocked…Has anyone told they have one or two and not be there??? I truly hope for this to be true…
Roseanne
Donna,
I’m freaking out…But my cat sacan was a cta?? i had die put in my hand…
Donna Mignone said:
If this were me I would not stop here. I would have both sets of films reviewed. Was the cat scan a CT angiogram?
roseanne petrozzino said:Hello…
I just got back from my 2nd opinion for my 2 annies…he had me go for a cat scan last week I walk in today and he says I have NO Aneurysms I almost fell of the chair how could this be…he said the cat scan is much better and what they seen on the mra mri is just my blood vesicles?? Anyway he is sending me to his partner to have a look with my old films and the new cat scan to see if anything is there…3rd Dr…I’m shocked…Has anyone told they have one or two and not be there??? I truly hope for this to be true… Roseanne
Hi Jim,
I’m gonna do that your right…the Dr said he was so unsure that he called the dr who read the cat scan…I’m going to the Aneurysms Center here in NY they are a whole team that only deal with annies but I’m gonna take it a few steps froward like you said the more eyes the better…
Roseanne
Jim Fitzpatrick said:
there is no need to freak out…I would try a different location…Call the Mayo clinic, call Dr ogilvy at Mass General…The important thing about the tests are the person (s) reading the exam, not the actual exam…I bet you could have your results sent to one of them…
roseanne petrozzino said:Donna,
I’m freaking out…But my cat sacan was a cta?? i had die put in my hand…
Donna Mignone said:If this were me I would not stop here. I would have both sets of films reviewed. Was the cat scan a CT angiogram?
roseanne petrozzino said:Hello…
I just got back from my 2nd opinion for my 2 annies…he had me go for a cat scan last week I walk in today and he says I have NO Aneurysms I almost fell of the chair how could this be…he said the cat scan is much better and what they seen on the mra mri is just my blood vesicles?? Anyway he is sending me to his partner to have a look with my old films and the new cat scan to see if anything is there…3rd Dr…I’m shocked…Has anyone told they have one or two and not be there??? I truly hope for this to be true… Roseanne
Hi Donna and Melissa,
It is different once you had a coiling because it can cause an artifact (big burry black spot) where the coiling took place. I have that same problem. They are pretty accute if you haven’t had something already done in your brain.
Take care
Ken
Take care
Ken
Donna Mignone said:
I had an aneurysm coiled in August, 2006. My physician’s six month follow-up is an MRI/MRA and angiogram. My MRA was fine but my angiogram was not. You can request your films or cd from the facility where your scan was done. There is no charge where I have my scans but it depends on policy of the facility.
Melissa said:and what made them give you the aniogram after the mri/mra showed nothng? they wont give me the test because they said nothing showed up
Melissa said:how would i get a copy? does it cost money?
Donna Mignone said:Melissa:
In my case, I had an MRI/MRA that did not show what my angiogram revealed 3 weeks later. I am not saying that you have an aneurysm just that you have to be an advocate for yourself. You can get a copy of your films or CD and have your MRI / MRA reviewed by another physician unless your ordering doc has already done this. Another thought is pursuing a diagnosis for what you are experiencing. You know, what causes a whooshing sound in your ear?
Hello Melissa,
MRA/MRI/CTA/CT’s usually provide sufficient information to direct treatment, but sometimes convential angiography is needed to provide even more detailed brain images. On another note, anuerysms measuring 6mm or larger are the ones that usually rupture or bleed. Good medical care and adequate patient education helps a lot in this process. An excellent source of information is the book titled :Stroke and the Family: A New Guide", by Dr. Joel Stein.
Good luck,
Harold Fernandez
Hey this is old! I’m closing it.