Head pulsating sensation ......

[jill]

Brilliant site! Wish it had been around 13 years ago when I had my SAH. I made a good recovery although I still have problems with my memory, concentration, tiredness and hearing problems in my left ear. However, I’ve had a constant problem which I’m still concerned about and wondered if anyone else has had the same problem? I get a pulsating sensation in my head, my head feels 'full' and my hearing fades in and out lasting for anything between a few seconds to several minutes. Mostly it happens when I’ve been sitting for a while and stand up although it occasionally happens when I’m just sitting. Over the years my doctor has passed it off as an ‘age problem’ (I’m now 56) but I am convinced it still has something to do with my brain. I am particularly concerned as this sensation started three months before my brain haemorrhage and, in fact, immediately preceded the almighty headache when my SAH occurred.

Has anyone else experienced this or can anyone help?

Thanks, Jill x

[Karen]

Hi Jill and welcome!

I'm 5 years on and experience similar .... I still have a neck left on the coiled aneurysm and discovered this year, that I have a small bulge on an artery on my left hand side of the brain, which seems to be giving me pulsatile tinnitus, can hear the blood pumping (original annie was post right comm artery, but this is left right comm artery) .. I also get a fullness in my head and I can often hear what I describe as "white noise" ... where the frequency changes. I'm still following this up with the GP.

I personally, would go back to your GP and ask him to refer you for a head scan, as you need some peace of mind.

xx

[garyolly]

Hi Jill,

When you say a pulsing sensation, can you feel your heart beating or is it a banging?

The reason that i ask is because before i had my SAH, i went to Cardiology because of a feeling very similar to these. I was put through a battery of tests but never got the official results, as i had my SAH.

I used to feel it more at night when everything was still and i could feel my "head" beating! Sometimes, i would be sitting reading or the like and have a very strong beat in my head, that fazed me out for a second or two. Excuse the pun but " ring any bells"?

Edited August 4, 2010 by garyolly

[jill]

Hi Karen & Gary,

Thank you so much for your replies. My problem does sound similar to yours, Karen and I do hear the "white noise" as you do.

I don't think it's anything to do with my heart, Gary, as I don't feel it beating or banging when I have this feeling in my head although the fazing in and out you describe does sound familiar.

After many years of visiting my G.P. and getting nowhere I've learned to live with it but it does still bother me. I'll have to try and push him a bit more.

Thank you both so much for your help.

Jill x

[goldfish.girl]

Hi, I also still get 'white noise' and a feeling in my head as though I can feel the blood pumping through it. I also get a feeling like an electric shock (or buzz) to my brain where I feel like the earth has just tilted for a second or two. All of this happens slightly less now (2 years post SAH) but it's still a bit disturbing when it does happen.

Mel x

[JayKay]

Hello there. I've had this for 20 years, since having my daughter... a bit like a pressure cooker in the head, and muffled noise. I always assumed it was blood pressure going up or something, but they've never managed to find anything, either taking it while I stand up or with a 24h monitor. With the SAH I felt like I was in a pressure cooker too, but in a totally different way. As long as you have mentioned it to your doctors, and they haven't found anything, I expect you'll just have to "live with it". Annoying, but... what can you do?

[jill]

Thankyou Mel and Jay for your replies.

Like you Mel, in the first few years I also used to get "a feeling like an electric shock (or buzz) to my brain" where I felt like the earth had just tilted for a second or two. This disappeared over time but the other problem I mentioned is different to this.

Thanks Jay for your message. Yes it does feel like pressure but my blood pressure is o.k. My G.P. has not sent me for any other tests as he's convinced it's 'an age thing'.

Jill x