Pulsatile tinnitus is a rare form of tinnitus where the sound is synced with the rhythm of the heartbeat and is often described as a rhythmic swooshing or whooshing noise inside the head. It is caused by blood pulsing faster than normal through a variety of veins and arteries located near the ears, including large arteries or veins in the neck and at the base of the skull, and smaller arteries in the ears. The sound can be loud and distracting, sometimes even unbearable. Pulsatile tinnitus is not a condition but a symptom of other disorders, and it may be the first sign of a serious medical condition that affects blood flow. The sound of pulsatile tinnitus is different from regular tinnitus, which often sounds like a ringing or clicking in the ears.