Whooshers.com is an online forum and information
center for sufferers of pulsatile tinnitus and the medical professionals dedicated to treating them. Pulsatile tinnitus
is not tinnitus.
We 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, pulsatile tinnitus can sometimes
be remedied (some doctors even use the word CURED) when the underlying cause is identified.
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 are campaigning for an official diagnosis code. Please sign, share and support us.
Here
is our story: This site was inspired by the friendship of three whooshers, 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.
WhoosheR continues to
have medical tests in hopes of finding the cause of her whoosh. WhooshEr has had the cause of hers identified, but doctors
are still trying to figure out how it can be fixed.
With the help of incredible doctors, WhoosherS
has been cured. That's right -- no more whooshing! Her story, along with medical case reports (written by doctors) about
many other cured whooshers and their determined underlying causes, can be found on our Cured Whooshers page.
So take a look around and leave comments if you'd like. Sharing our stories is
the first step towards recovery!
Please write whooshers@gmail.com with any ideas, comments, questions, or just to say hello.
Emma Greenwood FounderWhooshers.com