Why Is Pulsatile Tinnitus Worse When Lying Down?
This has to do with the sigmoid sinus, a large blood vessel behind your ear that leaves your brain and drains into your jugular vein, Adunka says.
“If you turn your head or hold it in a certain way, you basically change the position of the sigmoid sinus and how much blood is going through that vessel behind your ear,” he says.
For instance, when you push into your neck (right next to your larynx), you can make the vessel smaller. For some people, this can decrease (or increase) the thumping in their ears, Adunka says.
Likewise, when you lie down, especially on your side, you can affect the position of the sigmoid sinus, and this can result in a louder pounding noise.
Plus, you’re more likely to hear your heartbeat in your ears at bedtime because it’s quiet and there are fewer distractions, Adunka adds.
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