Whooshers.com is an online forum and information center, managed by The Pulsatile Tinnitus Foundation, Inc., for pulsatile tinnitus patients and the medical professionals dedicated to treating them. 

Pulsatile tinnitus is not tinnitus. 

Whooshers hear a constant and rhythmic whooshing, swooshing, pulsing, pulsating, clicking or other sound that is in sync with our heartbeat. Pulsatile tinnitus is not a condition; it is a symptom of an underlying condition.  The list of possible underlying conditions is long and is not isolated to one medical speciality.

Pulsatile tinnitus is not the same as regular, nonpulsatile tinnitus.  Most of us do NOT hear a ringing sound.  Unlike the "regular," common form of tinnitus, the causes of pulsatile tinnitus can OFTEN be identified and remedied.

Our symptom often warrants extensive diagnostic testing... we shouldn't be told to "live with it" before this testing is exhausted.  In short: pulsatile tinnitus is a symptom that should not be ignored. 

We successfully campaigned for official pulastile tinnitus diagnosis codes! Read more here. 

Here is our story: This site was inspired by the friendship of three whooshers, on opposite sides of the planet, whose names start with the letters E, R, and S.

Out of the blue, each whoosher began hearing a heartbeat sound.  And each started the frustrating, difficult, and often lonely journey of figuring out what was causing their whooshes.

One day, WhoosheR blogged about her experience.  Then, WhoosherS found the blog and wrote WhoosheR to tell her she wasn't alone.  Others did, too.  WhooshEr found their stories online and friendships were born.  Stories needed to be shared and documented, and medical reports needed someplace to be compiled, so, in July 2009, Whooshers.com was launched to help make all that happen.

Soon all three whooshERS were emailing each other to compare their stories.  They told their doctors that see, they weren't alone.  There are many of us, and we live all over the world.  They found others' stories.  By 2012, tens of thousands of people have visited Whooshers.com, and many stories from all over the world have been shared among patients and their doctors.  We help patients find other patients, patients find doctors, doctors find patients and doctors find other doctors. The Internet helps unite us and makes all this possible.  It gives many of us hope.

Hearing a constant heartbeat sound is strange to experience.  It sometimes is debilitating.  Whether you're a new whoosher or you've been whooshing for decades, we hear you. 

This site is not intended to provide medical advice, but you'll find:

• Links to articles about other whooshers and their paths toward proper diagnosis.
• Links to medical Web sites with information about pulsatile tinnitus and explanations of possible causes.
• Tips from other whooshers about how they cope with the constant heartbeat sound, day and night.
• Support from people who understand what you're going through.

So take a look around and leave comments, if you'd like.  Sharing our stories is the first step towards recovery!