Differential Diagnosis for Swooshing in the Ear
- Single most likely diagnosis
- Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV): This condition is characterized by brief, episodic vertigo triggered by head movements, which can cause a swooshing sensation in the ear due to the movement of otoliths in the inner ear.
- Other Likely diagnoses
- Meniere's Disease: A disorder of the inner ear that affects balance and hearing, causing vertigo, tinnitus, and a feeling of fullness in the ear, which may be perceived as a swooshing sound.
- Eustachian Tube Dysfunction: A condition where the tube that connects the middle ear to the back of the throat doesn't open and close properly, leading to a sensation of fullness or swooshing in the ear.
- Palatal Myoclonus: A rare movement disorder that affects the muscles of the palate, causing clicking or swooshing sounds in the ear.
- Do Not Miss (ddxs that may not be likely, but would be deadly if missed.)
- Acoustic Neuroma: A rare, slow-growing tumor on the nerve connecting the inner ear to the brain, which can cause tinnitus, hearing loss, and balance problems, including a swooshing sensation in the ear.
- Stroke or Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA): Although rare, a stroke or TIA can cause sudden vertigo, tinnitus, or hearing loss, which may be perceived as a swooshing sound in the ear.
- Rare diagnoses
- Superior Semicircular Canal Dehiscence: A rare condition where a thin layer of bone over the superior semicircular canal is missing or abnormally thin, causing sound and pressure to be transmitted to the inner ear, leading to a swooshing sensation.
- Perilymphatic Fistula: A rare condition where there is an abnormal connection between the inner and middle ear, causing hearing loss, vertigo, and tinnitus, which may be perceived as a swooshing sound.