A Woman Heard Something in Her Ear for Six Months. Then Came the Diagnosis

U.S.NewsPoliticsAI PoliticsTechFact CheckSportsGlobalIran WarRussia-UkraineMiddle EastChina And AsiaLive BlogBetter PlanetAll World NewsLifestyleFamily & ParentingEntertainmentTravelPetsAutomotiveRelationshipsScienceHealthPersonal FinanceBetter WorkplacesReaders ChoiceOpinionMy TurnAll OpinionRankingsHealthCorporate ResponsibilityFinanceProductsEducationWorkAll RankingsWatchThe 1600The Royal ReportUnconventionalFrom The PaddockNewsmakersSocialFacebookInstagramYouTubeRedditTikTokTwitter/XExtraNewslettersDare to DreamEventsEssaysPodcastsVantageInsightsMagazineCEO CircleAnnouncementsLeadershipDev Pragad For months, a 28-year-old Ph.D scholar and program manager tried to ignore a "whooshing" sound in her ear. Now, after six months of searching for answers, Nitika Singh, from Madhya Pradesh, India, finally knows what was causing the symptom that many medical professionals dismissed as stress or anxiety. "It turned my entire life upside down…both physically and mentally," Singh told Newsweek. The problem began back in April of this year. During one of her favorite evening rituals, sitting on her balcony with a cup of tea, she noticed an unusual sound in her right ear. "At first, it was so intermittent that I joked about it with my partner, and he teased me back," Singh said. "We quickly brushed it off. But over the next few days, the sound intensified and became constant." An early visit to an ear, nose and throat specialist led to a diagnosis of sinus issues and a prescription for antihistamines and nasal sprays. Singh said the treatment made her drowsy for days but did nothing to stop the noise. Another doctor later helped identify the symptom as pulsatile tinnitus, a condition in which people hear sounds that synchronize with their heartbeat. “Relief of symptoms upon temporary manual neck compression of the ipsilateral internal jugular vein (IJV) detects venous pulsatile tinnitus (VPT) with 93 percent sensitivity.” This is according to a 2024 study in The Laryngoscope, whose authors include specialists from the University of North Carolina. Yet, despite multiple consultations, MRI scans, hearing tests, ear ultrasounds and other evaluations, doctors repeatedly reassured her that nothing serious was wrong. "The MRI came back completely clear," Singh said. "That 'normal' result was heartbreaking; the uncertainty only made things feel worse." Meanwhile, her symptoms worsened. Any stress, anxiety or physical exertion amplified the sound, and headaches became a daily occurrence. She began experiencing blurry vision and struggled to concentrate on both her doctoral research and her remote job with a U.S.-based education technology company. At the same time, her family was coping with her father's critical illness, adding further emotional strain. "Friends and family assumed I was just burnt out, eating poorly or overwhelmed by work stress," Singh explained. "I was zoning out during conversations because the whooshing overpowered whatever anyone was saying. I felt unheard, isolated and completely incapable of communicating what was happening to me." Determined to find answers, Singh began researching her symptoms herself. Using AI and medical literature, she discovered that she might need a neurologist, a specialist who focuses on neurological disorders affecting the ear. The appointment proved to be a turning point. After reviewing her lengthy medical history, the specialist gently pressed on the jugular vein in her neck. "In an instant, the sound vanished," Singh said. "I can’t even describe the flood of emotions in that room. It was an instant, physical confirmation: this is not in my head, I am not going crazy, this is a real biological problem." The doctor suspected a vascular rather than ear-related problem and ordered a series of specialized tests, including magnetic resonance venography (MRV), magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) and a high-resolution CT scan. Those tests revealed signs of idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH), a condition caused by elevated pressure around the brain. According to Singh, the pressure had begun affecting structures near her optic nerves and blood vessels, producing the pulse-like sound she had been hearing. A neurologist later confirmed the diagnosis and prescribed acetazolamide, a medication commonly used to reduce intracranial pressure. Within days, she said, the noise noticeably decreased. Today, as she continues treatment, Singh hopes sharing her experience will encourage others with pulsatile tinnitus not to dismiss symptoms that feel wrong. "Research your symptoms, bring your records, get second and third opinions, and don’t stop until you find a clinician who listens," Singh said. "You deserve to have your pain acknowledged, you deserve the correct diagnosis and you deserve your peace of mind back." Newsweek’s reporters and editors used Martyn, our AI assistant, to produce this story. Learn more about Martyn here. Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Marc Vargas and James Debens10Loading video…By Daniella GrayReporter

0ShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberSee more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.For months, a 28-year-old Ph.D scholar and program manager tried to ignore a “whooshing” sound in her ear.

Now, after six months of searching for answers, Nitika Singh, from Madhya Pradesh, India, finally knows what was causing the symptom that many medical professionals dismissed as stress or anxiety.

“It turned my entire life upside down…both physically and mentally,” Singh told Newsweek.

The problem began back in April of this year. During one of her favorite evening rituals, sitting on her balcony with a cup of tea, she noticed an unusual sound in her right ear.

“At first, it was so intermittent that I joked about it with my partner, and he teased me back,” Singh said. “We quickly brushed it off. But over the next few days, the sound intensified and became constant.”

An early visit to an ear, nose and throat specialist led to a diagnosis of sinus issues and a prescription for antihistamines and nasal sprays.

Singh said the treatment made her drowsy for days but did nothing to stop the noise.

Another doctor later helped identify the symptom as pulsatile tinnitus, a condition in which people hear sounds that synchronize with their heartbeat.

“Relief of symptoms upon temporary manual neck compression of the ipsilateral internal jugular vein (IJV) detects venous pulsatile tinnitus (VPT) with 93 percent sensitivity.” This is according to a 2024 study in The Laryngoscope, whose authors include specialists from the University of North Carolina.

Yet, despite multiple consultations, MRI scans, hearing tests, ear ultrasounds and other evaluations, doctors repeatedly reassured her that nothing serious was wrong.

“The MRI came back completely clear,” Singh said. “That ‘normal’ result was heartbreaking; the uncertainty only made things feel worse.”

Any stress, anxiety or physical exertion amplified the sound, and headaches became a daily occurrence.

She began experiencing blurry vision and struggled to concentrate on both her doctoral research and her remote job with a U.S.-based education technology company.

At the same time, her family was coping with her father’s critical illness, adding further emotional strain.

“Friends and family assumed I was just burnt out, eating poorly or overwhelmed by work stress,” Singh explained. “I was zoning out during conversations because the whooshing overpowered whatever anyone was saying. I felt unheard, isolated and completely incapable of communicating what was happening to me.”

Determined to find answers, Singh began researching her symptoms herself.

Using AI and medical literature, she discovered that she might need a neurologist, a specialist who focuses on neurological disorders affecting the ear.

The appointment proved to be a turning point.

After reviewing her lengthy medical history, the specialist gently pressed on the jugular vein in her neck.

“In an instant, the sound vanished,” Singh said. “I can’t even describe the flood of emotions in that room. It was an instant, physical confirmation: this is not in my head, I am not going crazy, this is a real biological problem.”

The doctor suspected a vascular rather than ear-related problem and ordered a series of specialized tests, including magnetic resonance venography (MRV), magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) and a high-resolution CT scan.

Those tests revealed signs of idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH), a condition caused by elevated pressure around the brain.

According to Singh, the pressure had begun affecting structures near her optic nerves and blood vessels, producing the pulse-like sound she had been hearing.

A neurologist later confirmed the diagnosis and prescribed acetazolamide, a medication commonly used to reduce intracranial pressure.

Within days, she said, the noise noticeably decreased.

Today, as she continues treatment, Singh hopes sharing her experience will encourage others with pulsatile tinnitus not to dismiss symptoms that feel wrong.

“Research your symptoms, bring your records, get second and third opinions, and don’t stop until you find a clinician who listens,” Singh said. “You deserve to have your pain acknowledged, you deserve the correct diagnosis and you deserve your peace of mind back.”

Newsweek’s reporters and editors used Martyn, our AI assistant, to produce this story. Learn more about Martyn here.

Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Marc Vargas and James Debens