4. Blood flow changes.
In some cases, ringing in the ears is the result of changes in blood flow; for example, anemia and high blood pressure are two conditions that are known to cause tinnitus. When blood flow causes ringing in the ears, the type of ringing or buzzing that occurs in the ears is referred to as “pulsatile tinnitus”, which sounds similar to a heartbeat, or whooshing in the ears that is followed by a rhythmic beat.
Pulsatile tinnitus is rare, and though it’s similar to other types of tinnitus in that a phantom sound is always present, it differs in that the noise is generated from within the body. The pulsating, whooshing sound may also be heard by others; for example, a doctor who is using a stethoscope might hear it. Because of the rhythmic, heart-beat-like sound it creates, it’s also referred to as vascular or rhythmic tinnitus.