# Pounding in my head

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pounding-in-my-head/427421>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 22, 2007, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pounding-in-my-head/427421 "2007-11-22T13:41:29Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2007, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pounding-in-my-head/427421/1 "2007-11-22T13:41:29Z")

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The past few nights I’ve awakened—in the middle of the night or at normal get-out-of-bed-time—to hear my head pounding. It must be arterial because it syncs with heartbeat. Sometimes it sounds like there’s a car stereo outside pumping away in the bass registers.

I sit up and after a short while the pounding stops.

No pain, no other symptoms.

Any thoughts?

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**Author:** ![Staggerlee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/staggerlee/32/3134_2.png) [@Staggerlee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Staggerlee)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2007, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pounding-in-my-head/427421/2 "2007-11-22T14:32:32Z")

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I used to have this happen as a kid, and it often ruined my sleep. I have rather slender ear canals, prone to blocking, and I think this was related. It was specifically a low pitch whooshing blood pumping noise. IANAEarNose&ThroatSpecialist…

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**Author:** ![phouka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c5a1d2/32.png) [@phouka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phouka)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2007, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pounding-in-my-head/427421/3 "2007-11-22T15:58:03Z")

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Could be sleep apnea. You stop breathing for a moment, and perhaps your blood pressure goes up. If it keeps happening, I’d suggest going to a doctor.

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**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2007, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pounding-in-my-head/427421/4 "2007-11-22T15:59:18Z")

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There are a number of possible answers. Some are simple, some are dire. ask your healthcare provider.

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**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2007, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pounding-in-my-head/427421/5 "2007-11-22T16:20:08Z")

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[QUOTE=picunurse]  
There are a number of possible answers. Some are simple, some are dire. ask your healthcare provider.  
[/QUOTE]

Kinda thought as much. I will give my doctor a call tomorrow. Thanks **picunurse**.

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**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\
**Post date:** [November 23, 2007, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pounding-in-my-head/427421/6 "2007-11-23T01:40:44Z")

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[QUOTE=BarnOwl]  
Kinda thought as much. I will give my doctor a call tomorrow. Thanks **picunurse**.  
[/QUOTE]

That’s the best strategy.

With that, I’m going to close this thread.

Colibri  
General Questions Moderator