Night-time sign you should never ignore

A doctor has explained a sound that as many as 70 per cent of us hear when we get into bed — and the sign it may be a problem.

A doctor has explained why you can hear your heartbeat while laying on your side — and the sign it may be a problem.

Dr Anthony Youn, a board-certified plastic surgeon, explained that while it was a fairly common experience it could also be a warning sign something more sinister is going on.

“If, every once in a while, you’re lying on your side and you hear your heart beating, it’s most likely your carotid artery basically sitting against your pillow,” Dr Youn said on TikTok.

“But if you’re hearing your heart beating all the time when you’re lying on your side, or especially when you’re standing up, then it could be pulsatile tinnitus.”

Pulsatile tinnitus is the rhythmical whooshing or throbbing in one or both ears, the New York Post reports.

Pulsatile tinnitus occurs when there’s a disturbance in the blood flow in the arteries and veins near or around the ears.

In Australia, two in three people will experience tinnitus at some point in their life. But, 10 to 20 per cent have tinnitus that severely impacts their quality of life.

“Although it’s usually benign, there are some potentially concerning causes, so it’s best to see your doctor,” Dr Youn said.

Dr Anthony Youn explained the answer. Picture: TikTok/@doctoryoun

Pulsatile tinnitus can be caused by an ear blockage, high blood pressure, narrowed veins or arteries in the head and neck, an abnormal connection between arteries and veins, benign head or neck tumours, elevated pressure within the brain, and less commonly, anaemia and pregnancy, which make the heart work harder.

The condition is typically diagnosed with an examination of the ears, neck and head, hearing tests and imaging scans to see what’s going on with the blood vessels.

Why you can hear your heartbeat in bed. Picture: iStock

Treatment depends on the underlying cause — the good news is that up to 70 per cent of patients figure out the reason for the noise.

“Most of the time, pulsatile tinnitus is nothing to worry about,” Dr David M. Vernick, an otolaryngologist and head and neck surgery specialist, told Harvard Health earlier this year.

“If it doesn’t go away on its own after a few weeks or becomes really bothersome, talk with your doctor about it,” Dr Vernick added.

This story originally appeared on the New York Post and reproduced with permission

Originally published as Night-time sign you should never ignore