Rushing fluid sound in back of neck by base of skull

I have a 7mm mca aneurysm and I am waiting for my second meeting with a neurosurgeon. Over the last six weeks I have had a fluid rushing sound in the back of my neck at the base of my skull. No vision changes, no headache at that time just a sound I hear that makes me nervous and lasts for between 1 and 3 seconds. I have also been getting headaches for about three weeks now and have never had headaches in my life but did recently start taking 10 mg of Lexapro. I am 26 years old and have no symptoms except for the headaches. They are sometimes extremely short and painfull and some are long and dull. Should I see someone before the 30th which is my next appt. or wait. The aneurysm was found after I had a splitting headache while at work that only lasted about 30 seconds and that was 2 days after I started the Lexapro so the aneurysm may not even be causing the symptoms. What questions should I ask this neurosurgeon that I am going to see. I was referred to him after another neurosurgeon said that coil embolization is something I should look into brfore a clipping. I would greatly appreciate any help you can give on this subject.

[J_C]

I have always had that too and was interested to see your description. It really is like a rushing sound/feeling at the back of the neck, unaccompanied by any other symptom. I would say it usually occurs when I am lying down. Anyone out there know something about this?

[misty1105]

I have that happen to me alot and is usually when Im laying down. I haven't really thought much about it untill lateley I have been having headaches alot, but I also have been taking prozac off and on so I always thought the headaches were related to the deppression. There is also days when I feel very dizzy and disoriented and extemely tired. Im not sure if the noise is related to any of my other problems, but it  good to know there are other people who have had this happen also. I thought i was crazy.

[brandx]

I'm 47, 6'5" and 250 lbs and I've had a headache going on two years.  

I have a similar problem....  when sleeping or laying flat, I sometimes hear fluid squirting noises at the base of my skull.  It last several seconds and doesn't hurt inmitially.  I typically get (hours later) a worsenening dull headache at the back of my skull that works its way down my neck to between my shoulder blades. My vision starts acting up and when it is real bad is accompanied by numbness on the left side of my face and slurred speech.  Seen several doctors, which diagnosed it from everything from ear infection (becaue of fluid sounds??) to parasites in my stool (test came back negative but the doctor saw several cases of parasites that day).  I've seen two neorologists.  The first one did a lumbar puncture and an MRI and diagnosed me with psuedo tumer cerebri.  He thought the fluid sounds were caused by CFS (??) fluid rushing past a narrow areas at the base of the skull.  The second one Dr. diagnosed it as depression and/or tension headaches--she told me a story about beating hooves, zebras, and horses..."always think horses" she said!!    In short, she thought the PTC diagnosis a long shot.  I told her that after working in the yard for an hour of so I would get the shakes/tremors and feel weak and have a bad headache.  She told me about the horses and zebras again and told me to drink more fluids.    

[beewilson]

I too have this noise in my neck but I now have what I can explain as a hollow sensation in my neck and back of skull.  I don’t know what to do as my health is dwindling.  I have been getting moving sensations under my skin, unable to walk for long periods of time without my muscles killing me.
Then I just happened to realise the soft cartilage in me right ear around my eardrum had totally gone. Also my lip has started to fade.  I am very stressed about this as nobody seems to think much of it but I feel really lousy. Also when I blow my nose in has blood in the content.

[ssar]

Wow. I have felt the sensation and heard the sound of fluid movement in my neck for several years. I usually happens soon after waking while I am still laying in bed. Then each time, a few moments later, I feel movement and hear gurgling in my stomach. When I shared this sensation with a doctor, he could barely hide his amusement.

I have experienced severe fatigue, usually following short bursts of moderate physical activity. I have experienced weakness and mild tremors in the extremities, side-to-side tremors of the eyes, aches in the neck, shoulders, and upper back, difficulty recalling nouns, and intermittent constipation.

A more sympathetic doctor has been helping me. We ruled out multiple sclerosis by MRI. We are now looking at hypothyroidism.

[elitetech]

Just curious, anyone with  the rushing fluid symptom... ever take the test for H. Pylori?

[ssar]

Update: thyroid levels ok. Blood pressure high. Started on an ACE inhibitor. Eight hours later, symptoms of weakness, mild tremors in the extremities, aches in the neck, shoulders, and upper back disappeared. I feel like I got my strength. I have been self-checking blood pressure with an Omron monitor and I average 160/105 since starting on the ACE inhibitor. The sensation and sound of fluid movement in my neck has recurred twice since then as well.

elitetech: I never got checked for H. Pylori. If I do have it, it hasn't developed into an ulcer. What kind of connection do you suppose?

[murseindallas]

ssar,

What was your BP before beginning the ACE and which one are you on?  Your BP shoud be lower than 160/105.  That is still in the Stage II HTN range.  It's great that the other symptoms have subsided, but what about your BP?

[singdontswing]

I experience the same thing. It doesn't hurt a bit. It is like I have pop-rocks lodged in the base of my skull at the connection of my spine and someone is simply pouring soda internally while it travels down it sizzles or crackels, it doesn't hurt in the least bit, but sounds far from healthy...I am very worried. I am only 20 years old, but I have a friend of 40 who has M.S. and told me of a similar experience when he was my age. I also get a very tight pain in my right arm occasionally.
Any information please e-mail me: ***@****

[jonesy78]

quick survey -- how many of you have gone in the past or presently go to a chiropractor or osteopathic physician for cervical (neck) spinal manipulation?  if so, did your symptoms begin then or shortly thereafter? if you had both of these experiences i do believe it might be a minor CSF leak after a dural tear from a cervical spinal manipulation...

[Wanjo]

I am a 57 yr. old female and about 50 pounds overweight. I was just diagnosed with a 3mm aneurysm in the central cerebral artery. I have only seen my primary care doctor and he has told me we should watch it and follow-up every 3-4 months with a CT Brain Scan.
Recently I have noticed at night my limbs, (arms and legs) feel very heavy and sluggish when I try to move them. It seems to get better if I get up. Does anyone know if this could be another symptom of my aneurysm. Also, do I need to see a neurosurgeon even though my aneurysm is small?

[sarahin]

Supersketch
I have two aneursyms and had no symptoms. There is normally a wet whoosing sound for a couple months after getting an aneursym clipped, but haven't heard of an aneursym itself causing a problem. Of course there can be different symptoms depending on what area of the brain is affected. Best of luck with getting it taken care of. I recommend writing down any questions you have for your surgeon because it is easy to get "brain freeze" when your discussing brain surgery  and forgeting what you wanted to ask.
Wanjo
I have two aneursyms- one treated and one not. From my understanding cerebal aneursyms usually aren't treated until they are slightly larger- 5 to 6 mm. I would make sure they monitor yours and look in to finding a good neurosurgeon now. There's no huge hurry, but even a year from now it might be larger. A neurosurgeon will be able to tell you at what point the aneursym should be treated and explain your options for treatment. I had one clipped and the surgery wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, but recovery is slow.      

[liv9x]

I've had this whooshing/pop rock noise like many of you described in my neck since I can remember. It seems to happen when I get too hungry. I'm getting worried about it because its worse now that I'm pregnant. I'm not even sure how to bring it up to a doctor to find out what's wrong.

[DCW66]

I've had this rushing sound in the back of my neck for as long as I can remember.  I really want to get to the bottom of it and find out what it is.  I've consulted a Chiropractor and a Doctor and I get the same sideways look!

It usually happens when I'm lying in bed hungry first thing in the morning.  The best news is that my partner can hear it too!  Up till now I thought no one could hear it other than me.  

I've had the test H. Pylori and it was negative although I have previously had a stomach ulcer (now gone).

So, anyone with any information would be appreciated!

[Cath278]

Hi everyone.I really hope most of you have got the correct help by now! i have been sick over a yr now but have finally got to the bottom of it. I have IIH or Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertention.or Pseudo Tumor Cerebri. ( nothing to  do with blood pressure.)It is a very rare illness and drs really dont know a lot about it. Some of the symptems are very bad headache and the "popping sound you have discribed. You will have to see a neurologist and have a lumber puncture to confirm and some other tests to rule out. I was misdiagnoised for 9 mths and I would hate to see any body go thru that. Im just a person who has this illness not an expert. Here s hoping you are all better by now! Cath278

[Zestabelle]

I have to say that I am relieved that this is somethat that other's are experiencing, not just me. I am 24 years old.  I just decided the search for it today on the computer because because I asked other's if they hear it and they had no idea what I was talking about, so I got a little scared until I found all of this!  When I hear it, often it is when I am lying down.  It sounds like something is fizzing or flowing in the back of my neck, at the bottom of my skull.  I do not have any other symptoms that I find related to it.  It just happens, then goes away after about 5 seconds. It just feels awkward and uncomfortable because I don't know what it is.  I wish there was more of a clear answer on what exactly it is, because everyone seem's to have slightly different reasons or explanations.

[Carol in PA]

I have had fizzing at the back of my neck since I was a child.
I later developed migraines and joint pain, and was diagnosed with fibromyalgia.
My symptoms were consistent with Lyme Disease, and the Western Blot test showed an active infection.
Feel free to contact me if you want to discuss further.

Carol

[BackOut]

It is extremely uncommon, but for those with aneurysms, there is a phenomenon called a "Bruit" where you hear a whooshing sound.  This is typically caused by an AVM, which are usually harmless, but may be worth investigating, especially if the sound is accompanied by other symptoms.  Having had an AVM in my spinal cord, I did not experience it but have come accross this in my own research.  But, I do know firsthand how seemingly mundane symptoms can be the warning signs of something much bigger.

[Maxine326]

how many people have been in a car accident and these symptoms started after therapy?  

[ssar]

Never had neck trauma or car accident. I still get the sensation in my neck when I am lying flat on my back in bed shortly after waking. Then my stomach gurgles a bit and I start to feel hungry. This sequence is very consistent.

[sally1990]

I too hear the sound. Mine is like the sound of soda fizzing only I hear it more in my head {center ] above the eyes.Ionly seem to hear it when laying down and not consistently.I think my doctor will tell me I'm crazy. Anyone else hear it there? It scares me.

[lkcty873]

finally! I'm not the only one. I have held a stethascope to the back of my neck and made my husband sit and wait until he finally heard it. Mostly I have had the noise at night, but I found it actually gets better for a while if I go to the chiropractor. I do get bad headaches sometimes, but they don't necessarily seem related. I do get kinda quizy sometimes when I hear the noise, but I think it's just couse it freaks me out. I have alway told people that I can hear my spinal fluid moving in my neck, but I get the same stange look, especially from doctors, when I have told then. One told me "i guess your just really in tune with your body" What? I have had an MRI/CT and they say everything is normal, except my neck was straight were it should be bent. That's when I started seeing the chiropractor.

[ctak]

I have had the same sensation (sound of fluid moving in the back of my neck) for at least 2 or 3 years now. It is becoming much more frequent. It used to be once a month or so and now it is like almost every morning when I'm lying flat on my stomach shortly after waking up. The only other symptoms that I have are generally mild but increasingly frequent heartburn and occasionally the inability to burp (like some sort of blockage in my sternum area) which both probably have nothing to do with the sound in the back of my neck. I to have not gone to the doctor about the sound in my neck because it sounds crazy and I am free of any pain or other symptoms. If anyone else has any insight as to what might be causing the sound in the back of the neck I'll check this post in the future but after reading all the other comments, it doesn't sound like a doctor's visit will do much good and lacking any other symptoms, I'm not going to worry too much about it for now.

[Weaver394]

I have had the same thing for probably 5 years, it used to be very infrequent, but recently, with coupled with my diagnosis of Eustachian Tube Dysfunction (had EDT for a year), it seems to have increased.  I talked to my doctor about it, and she talked to several of her colleges, none of them ever heard about it, and my doctor said so long as there are no other symptoms it's probably not bad to just leave it.  She also mentioned the possibility that perhaps my blood vessels are just formed in such a way I can hear them.

I have a question for everyone here though, and PLEASE answer. Do you spend a lot of time on the computer or have a job which would crane your neck?  I have HORRIBLE posture and have spent probably half the waking hours of my life on a computer (that really isn't an exaggeration), so my neck is a bit weird.  Also, such rigorous computer usage has only been prevalent since the early 90s.  If my conjecture holds any ground, that would be why doctors are so puzzled about this; it could be a new condition result from our modern lives which they don't know anything about.

Please respond, I will check back frequently.

-Weaver

[lkcty873]

I do spend a lot of time on the computer or on the phone. I have been going to the chiropractor for a couple of years now and the noise does seem to be less frequent if I keep my visits regularly. I think it may be from some sort of blockage due to my neck being out of alignment. The PTC symtoms (symptoms) seem very similar, I looked it up on WebMd. Good Luck

[Shona199]

I am 24 F, hypothyroid, and have experienced the, what I call, drainage, leaking feeling/sound since my experience with post partum pre eclampsia. I was on a diaretic (sp?) for my swelling in ICU when I remember feeling it for the first time, I told my sister who is a nurse, "I can feel my face draining"... Its been over a year, and I hear it daily. The drainage feeling/sound mostly occurs in the morning when and mostly when I am laying down. Sometimes I notice it occurs when my stomache growls, usually 5 -8 seconds. Only one time when I was dehydrated, it caused a sharp pain and lasted longer than 10 seconds. I still haven't asked a doc about it. I was raised: no pain, no problem. This really doesn't cause any pain. Just annoying, and makes me curious. Does anyone know what this is?

[SPatrick]

Yea, I'm only 19, and Ive had this "noisy problem for about a year. It started at the base of my neck( the bone that sticks out the furthest on your neck) and since I have graduated it has moved to the base of my skull.  I too hear it in the morning mostly, when i wake up, and i too have the stomach growl sometimes before and sometimes after the sensation.  It doesn't pain me or anything, and everything seems to function well. I've been told by a few sources that it is do to a major amount of stress.  although it IS annoying because you don't know what it is, but has anyone ever felt the sensation itself to be kind of reliving?  going back to the part about a lot of stress, I became depressed right after high school because I was out of my NORMAL routine.  Because before i graduated I had the same routine since I was a child.  seems to me, that if everyone that is experiencing the sensation has a load of stress, anxiety, depression, etc. then that might be the source.  THE STOMACH GROWLING MAY BE AN UPSET STOMACH DUE TO STRESS, THUS TRIGGERING THE SENSATION.  last time i went to the doctor, I got in debt 500 $ to find out the doctors had no clue what i was talking about. sounds to me like its a stress related sensation. ; ) cheers.

[SPatrick]

P.S. I AM NOT A DOCTOR! ha ha, so I would suggest you have it checked out anyway, but I had it checked out and ended up in debt. Now I just have to tough it out and simply ignore it, that actually seems to be workingfor me , the less I think about it, the less the sensation actually happens. hope I helped.

[gidget1967]

Wow, this is very interesting and a relief. Hmmm, My family thinks I am nuts!  ( 0 ;  

It is hard to explain, but you all have pretty much explained the same things I am feeling/hearing. At night while trying to fall asleep (or even nap times when I get a chance) it feels and sounds like a trickle of bubbles moving through the center of my skull, more toward the back side. It's like those little gurggles you get in your throat sometimes where you feel and hear it. So "fizzing" is also a good description, however, I am usually not hungry and have not found a correlation to the rumblings in the stomach.

I am a Fibromyalgia patient and have had many head traumas from playing soccer for years and have been in a few car accidents. I have arthritis in my neck, but have not seen the Chiro. in a while as each adjustment seems to be painful to my kidney and rib areas. So I haven't asked him about it. It's been over a year now since it has started. Have any of you had multiple surgeries as well?

One thing to say to those of you taking Prozac or other meds of that nature, wean off, not cold turkey. I stopped completely and had also had almost like electric shocks on the front sides of my head, around the temples mostly. That was much more scary and seemed to happen as I was drifting off.  20/20 did a show about this and I felt good to know there was a reason for that. This fizzy, bubbly, gurgly thing however is bothersome. Sometimes it comes from the base of the skull and seems to rise up around or between my ears and mid skull. I have absolutely no pain, just annoyance!
I'll be asking my doc about it now that I know others are experiencing the same types of symptom.
Thanks!
Gidget

[Frankie71]

It is somewhat a relief to read that I'm not alone. I've had this sensation for many years. The sound is actually audible enough to where my wife and kids have heard it without me saying anything. It seems to be in the base of the skull and sounds like fizzing. It lasts for a few seconds, then stops. It happens when I'm laying down or sitting up. I have a history of minor trauma to my head and neck, but it may have occurred before that. I'm a w/m, 37, weight is normal.

[craznes]

First off I just wanna say that I am amazed that I actually found people that are going through this just like myself.  I have been having this fluid like sound at the base of the back of my skull/neck for almost 4 years now.  I am 26, I'm 6'5 and I weigh 265 so I am overweight.  The reason I am posting is because I am having other problems also and Im just wondering if they are in any way connected.  About 6 months ago I started waking up with the feeling like I have not been breathing so I would wake up just feeling like I was dying really and would then have a anxiety attack cause I don't know whats wrong with me.  My worse episode ( this is all I can think to call them ) Is When I woke up just gasping for breath feeling like I was near death, the left side of my stomach was spasming painfully and I felt like I had to **** soooo badly but could barely go for almost 2 hours, it was horrible.  My doc has tried anxiety meds and sleep meds but none of those worked.  All the docs now Say it is Gerd that comes up in the middle of the night when I sleep, But I never have heartburn.  I am on a antacid that is helping but not that much.  So I am just wondering if the sound in my neck and stomach kinda like butterflies or whatever it is, plus my sleep issues are connected.  I also went through horrible back issues they told me I have 3 ruptured discs and I have sciatica for almost 3 years but now thats alot better and no more sciatica but I am just wondering if I have some permenant nerve damage.  Well I know i just spilled a lot but I can't help it with having people who might know, thx.

[craznes]

Ok I have to fix it, its the right side of my belly that was spasming, and now It sometimes just does it and makes this popping sound which is very weird and when it happens I get very tired, or weak very quickly.  Idk what all is going on with me or if its in my head which I have mostly come to accept because no doctor seems to think anything is really wrong.  also the blanked out word above is urinate

[fizzyvonfizz]

I have had this "fizzy sound" in my neck (base of my skull) for quite some time too.  I can recall having this feeling for quite some time.  It comes and goes with no warning and the feeling only last a brief second or so....It truly sounds like pop rocks with soda being poured on it, and feels exactly like fluid moving by the spinal column.  

As far as headaches, I've never really been one to have those.  I have had my share of small headaches, but not on any consistent basis.  I believe that only once. have I had a headache that was enough to make me sit down and stop what I was doing....  I think that was just an irregular headache and nothing to worry about.  

I was in a pretty severe car injury in high school and my head hit the roof of my car when I slammed into a ditch.  I heard all of my neck crack and pop when it happened, but thank God I walked away unscathed and uninjured.  I should have been dead as hard as I hit, but I was perfectly fine.  

As far as the fizzing sound is concerned, though....I have had that feeling for well before my accident.  I am a 28 year old male, who is healthy, active and experience no other medical issues.  

Does anyone have any insight to this "fizzing" sound?  I have to think that it's not a good thing, but it could just be natural....I've also always been able to hear high pitched sounds.  For example, in Oregon, at a state park there were these bird alarms that were meant to keep the birds from hitting the windows, that let out these amazingly ear-piercing chirps.  My girlfriend at the time couldn't hear them, but they were driving me crazy.  Maybe some people just hear things differently, but that's just a guess...

What scares me is all of the people on here talking about aneurysms, chronic fatigue and headaches.  I admit, I am tired from time to time, but I don't think these things related.  I look forward to people's responses?  

Has anyone ever gone to a doctor and gotten a legitimate response not involving Zebras, hoovebeats and/or bacteria in your stool?  Some doctors are just kooks and I have yet to speak with one about this issue....

Just looking for feedback......

Thanks,
FVF

[armani222]

Hi, I'm 15 and I've had that feeling since I was 8 when I was diagnosed with a minor case of MS. I just get it randomly on days, although I tend to get it more often when I'm stressed.

It sounds exactly like 'pop rocks with soda' in the base of my skull/top of spine and have always been curious about it. I'm glad to see I'm not the only one by far here that isn't crazy!

I was reading something about that IIH and I seem to fit most of the symptoms, including headaches/queasyness.. any help or more ideas are appreciated!

xjx

[GAJewel]

I am SO glad (but sad for you) to hear that others experience this phenomenon.  I get the gurgling, swelling, vision problems, numbness in face, corresponding growls in stomach immediately followed by gurgling at skull base, etc.  I have NEVER mentioned this to a doc because I could guess at the reaction as I was a Medical Assistant for 10 yrs.  However, one night, my brother shared he had the same problem.  I've never sustained a neck injury, but this has been going on most of my life.  I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia in 1999 which can be associated with Chiari malformation (tonsil-like organs located near base of skull).  THIS has never been accessed. I did have an epidural that got messed up in 1985 and wondered if it is somehow associated with this (wouldn't explain my brother) as I have heard of "tethered cord syndrome"  and thought there might be some involvement/obstruction.  I KNOW IT IS THERE!  If anyone gets an answer, PLEASE share with ALL of us.  Have a great day.  Jewel

[cgracealways]

Hi, I have the same problem. I was in an anatomy class and we were talking about the brain. Not being shy, since I was sitting next to friends, I bluntly asked the professor in front of the whole class "Mr. Capehart.... so do you know what it is when you like hear a weird fuzzy sound in your brain? Kind of like the sound of eggs being cooked in the kitchen?" The WHOLE ENTIRE CLASS, INCLUDING MY FRIENDS, SLOWLY TURNED THEIR HEADS AND LOOKED AT ME LIKE I WAS CRAZY. My professor who is a really funny and humorous kind of man responded "Whatever type of drugs you're on, THAT could be causing it.". I really thought at least someone in the class knew!

I'm glad I found this site. I've also asked my doctor about this 2 years ago. She gave me a weird look and couldn't think of what it could possibly be. It does happen more so when I lay down at night.
This started happening since I was 24 yrs old. I'm 27 now. I am more than 40 lbs overweight. I do have stress from work and juggling with children's activities/appointments and I have a hard-headed husband. I am a smoker, I smoke about 4 to 5 cigs a day. I have had high bloodpressure in the past, not too high though.

WEIRD THING THAT HAPPENED TO ME TODAY: (which is why I had to google this up and finally find something about it!)  I was walking around a high school running track, after about 20 minutes of walking, I noticed that everytime I stepped my left foot forward while walking, the fizz would come, but only for 1 second at EVERY STEP that my left foot took forward. This continued for the whole 3 miles of walking and did not stop. I thought maybe "Okay maybe my brain is overflowed with air and I need to do this more to help clear it up?"

I hope someday, one day, Doctors can come to a conclusion on knowing exactly what this is!

[HongKongPhooey]

I would say stop worrying about it, it’s very normal everyone gets it, because everyone has spinal fluid.  It's a bit like the momentary ringing in your ears that disappears when you yawn or swallow.  That is just the way we are built.  Enjoy your life!

[nikki0617]

I'm 29 and experience the same fizzing sensation at the base of my skull.  This happens as I'm laying down and usually lasts about 5 seconds or so.  I've experienced the sensation for about a year and a half now, I think.  Recently, I've experienced uncontrollable twitching of my right eyelid; and I occasionally get woken up with intense headaches in the same area as the fizzing sound.  I'm not sure what's going on, but I'm thinking about seeing a doctor.  

[MrChicken]

I am a 37 year old male who was diagnosed w/ MS two years ago. That was about the same time I noticed the fluid sound at the base of my skull. My initial attack was a lesion on my c-spine so I thought that maybe the lesion was somehow restricting the flow of spinal fluid. I mentioned it to my neurologist and he felt it was more likely nerves misfiring or something to that affect. Still sounds like fluid to me. Hope for everyone's sake on this page that it's not related to MS but the timeline was coincidental for me.

[coocoo30]

i was wondering if any of you have any stress going on in your lives. i have an extreme amount of stress. i find myself cracking my neck alot because of it. about a year ago i started to hear the squirting noise. it happened only once in awhile but just recently i have been hearing it more standing up sitting down driving. i get no other symptoms from it just the noise. the heavier i got from the stress and the more my neck hurts and i crack it the more i hear it. i am also out of shape and gained some extra weight i don't really want so i was just wondering if it could be stress related. i have as well said something to the instructors at the medical school i was going to and they looked at me like i need to go back to sleep. oh yeah thats another thing i go to sleep at like 3am and wake up around  any wheres between 8-10am. i am a single mom of four and my kiddies can be a handful. everyday they have me stressed(everyday). do anybody think it can be related to stress..

[KayJayFour]

I am 24 yrs old. I have had the same sound/feeling at the base of my head since i was 15. I started noticing at after i had a real bad cough and the back right side of my head hurt really bad after a violent cough. I kind of just assumed the sound was normal until asking a few friends. I never really thought too much about it. Lately it has been a lot more "active" i guess. I too can hear a little "squirt" every time i take a step. I am more concerned about it now because the pain in the back right side of my head is increasing and has lasted for 3 days now. I've had an MRI done when i was 18 and they said I was ok. I didn't think to mention the fluid sound at the time though.

I'm not surprised to find other people with the same thing. I am however surprised that some Doctors don't take it seriously or don't know what it is.

I have no insurance. If this persists I am going to the ER. I just don't want to get the funny looks like I'm crazy

[gjschultz]

Wow. Amazing how many other people feel this. I have since I can remember. I also have controlled hypertension and always a lot of stress but to be honest, this symptom seems to stand alone. Looking at all the people here and what they have commented about it really does appear as if it may be unrelated to any of our other symptoms.

I am really baffled. If anyone ever figures out what this is, please make sure you post here.

Thanks and good luck all! Bright Blessings!

[selmaS]

Hi...what this may be for many that post here is a CSF blockage and the fluid sound is CSF fluid......

There r several conditions that could cause it and unfrotunatley many NS and radiologists do not recognize the condition or feel the finding an incidentail one.

If u had MRI's ask for copies of the films and the reports and get a second opinion......especially if u have increasing symptoms.

I pray it is nothing serious, but if u feel the dr that u were to did not hear ur concerns it may be best to get a second opinion and make sure it is a specialist in the head and neck conditions of syringomyelia and or chiari .

Good luck
"selma"

[emin997]

arthritis....

[arunquist]

This has been happening to me. I found this site a few weeks ago and have been concentrating on when I hear the sound. I MOSTLY hear it when I am hungry (no matter what time of day). But I have heard it throughout the day too. I even had the same thing happen as someone mentioned... every time I took a step I heard the noise.

I was wondering if anybody with diabetes has experienced it. I don't have diabetes but I think I might be pre-diabetic. I am overweight and have been getting funny dizzy spells when I am hungry or after I've eaten certain foods.

[selmaS]

Hi...it is possible that u r hearing the CSF fluid in ur head and neck.....sometimes people produce too much and can hear it.

There is a condition called Pusedotumor cerebri or intercranial hypertension....it is an increase of CSF.....

U should see ur dr about this or the pre-diabeties and make sure it is nothing to be concerned with.

Good luck and please post an update

"selma"

[bamagirl32]

by bamagirl32

i have only had this feeling for a few months.  i have tried to explain to everyone, they think im crazy.  mine does it when im in the bed and my stomach growls, but i can hear it n my ears.  i dont have any other health problems, headaches, etc.  

[operationivy]

I am a 19 year old female, have experienced this sensation periodically over the past year or two. I have no major health problems that would seem worth mentioning here. I think a few other commenters are similar in that they have no other major noteworthy problems- I would say don't worry, I doubt there's anything deathly wrong with you.

The fizzing (best description I've managed) sensation occurs at the back of my neck at the base of the skull; it is always either towards the right or left, never the middle. I do find that it often coincides with hunger, which is...odd.

Worth noting: I noticed a few others were on reuptake inhibitors of some sort? Like SSRIs (except none of mine hit serotonin, so I'm goin with the broader description).
Also- I do crack my neck a lot, heh, so perhaps something's a little loose up there? It just being the sound of CSF would make total sense...if it weren't for the coinciding with hunger/stomach growling thing. What on Earth could connect *those* two? Any ideas, medical professionals? (or medical students...anyone, really).

[Fother]

I just woke up and experienced this (having had it all my life), and decided to look it up out of curiosity of how many other people have this.

It may sound like it's in the back of your neck or skull, and like a rushing, almost lumpy sound. You might even hear an odd squirt sound in your chest a few minutes later too. Many of you likely have had some nerve damage or tremors (I've been a shaky man all my life), and you've probably had some history of sinus issues as well.

It's not CSF fluid escaping, it's actually you shifting your head slightly when waking up and allowing your parotid glands next to your ears to drain (and it's quite loud).  This is increased when you have neural damage, since those early morning brain signals when you wake up that says "time to eat!" are firing sporadically.  You may not even notice the increased saliva right after, but after you experience this, try not to swallow for 1 minute and see what I mean!

Get some breathing strips so you won't dry out your mouth as much while you sleep, and your poor saliva glands won't have so much on reserve, and don't eat before you go to sleep this will cause extra saliva the next morning too.

[RB1979]

Wow...I have had this bubbling movement noise for about 4-5 years...I mostly hear it when lying down at night (particularly when sleeping on my left side). It only last a few seconds and if I shift it usually stops. I have studied quite a bit of neuro; my biggest concern is an aneurysm. It definitely sounds and feels like CSF moving. I haven't told my physician about it, but plan to soon after reading all of this. I noticed the noise around the same time I began taking Lexapro a few years ago. I now take a different SSRI for anxiety. Not sure about the correlation. Pretty creepy. I do have a fair amount of neck aches / tension; I just associated this with stress and lots of it. I only have minor headaches...nothing debilitating. Never noticed the stomach gurgling, but will pay more attention next time. Other info...I am 30 yo WF with 1 child. Sounds like I just bought myself an MRI.

RB

[operationivy]

Well Goddamn, Fother, that makes a lot of sense. One of the most prevalent symptoms of the meds I'm on is dry mouth and this started up around the time I first began taking them. If possible, I would love to know where you got your information.

I do wonder though why the sensation seems very distinctly to be coming from the back of the neck, at the base of the skull. Illusion?

[Tynesha]

I have the same fluid sounds in my from the back of my neck, base of my skull, and popping in my ears. I have a lot of pain in my shoulders and my neck. I suffer from migraines, the docter called them walking migraines because I have them in the base of my skull, the center of my forehead, and my temples. I use to have a hard time walking for a long period of time, or a hard time walking up stairs. Exercising helps out alot, but I still know that something is going wrong with my health. I went to my docter and they just blame everything on depression and stress. I'm 27 years old, and this started when I was 23 years old. Instead of things getting better they have only gotten worse. I have a hard time remembering things and I don't have the patience I use to have. I scared because no one can tell me why I'm having these symptoms. If someone know's something please help me understand what I'm going through, and what I should ask of from my docter.

[Robert_J423]

I think there are at least two different things we're talking about here. I agree that one of the sounds I'm hearing is related to (possibly) hunger or some other event.  

The one I think most of us are discussing is something different.  I can replicate the experience, somewhat, by letting the water from my showerhead hit the back of my skull.  I have it set to pinpoint needles of water. Its 'similar' to what I've experienced. Along with this rushing water sound/feeling I have other symptoms, a feeling of pressure behind my eyes and back of head at the top of the spine, up inside the skull. This also hits when I have a sinus infection that spreads to my ears.

I'm ignorant on the subject and rely on my doctor to give me his opinion. However, it takes a long time to get an appointment with my primary care doctor, try to convince him to send me to a Neurologist, get approval from my insurance company, make an appointment with the Neurologist and actually see him.  In the weeks or months it takes for that to happen the problem clears up because of the massive doses of antibiotics, cold meds, and anti-inflammatories I'm taking. All the neurologist does is talk about puncturing my spine to measure CSF pressure. I feel like the pressure is in my head and the sound/feeling of rusing fluid down the back of my neck I'm experiencing is caused by a swelling of tissue around one or more of the ventricles in my head,  from the sinus/ear infection, narrowing or temporarily blocking their normal function. One of the ventricles is located up under the skull near the top of the spinal column, exactly the area where this fluid movement feeling is originating from.

I may be totally wrong but it seems to make sense to me. The hard part is getting to a doctor fast enough for them to catch it while its happening.  During my worst case, during a period of a week where I started having double vision, difficulty finishing a sentence and a feeling of a lot of pressure behind my eyes and head in general I suddenly started to have this feeling/sensation of fluid running down the back of my neck. This feeling came and went several times over the course of two days (it tapering off during the 2nd day) and the pressure and other problems faded away. I've since felt a similar fluid sensation on occasion, but never to the degree I experienced at my worst.

My fear is this happening again and before I can get someone to believe me and order some tests I'll suffer some sort of brain damage, a stroke, or something just as bad.  All I want is for one of my doctors to figure out what's going on. (and fix it or tell me what to do when it happens again.)

[sandy9705]

i have the swishing sound in my neck also, but i also have been getting headaches. i went to the hospital for chest pain and told the er doc this and he told me i was crazy and that . i dont even have headaches. that its just that i think i do . so be careful who you say this to people.

[kiki2323]

Ok, here are my symptoms: I have Chiari malformation, surgically fixed. I have reverse spinal curvature. I hear whooshing sounds in my ears and I feel increased pressure behind my eyes. I have recently started getting more sinus infections. My migraines are in the base of my neck and shoot through my upper jaw. I have fizzing going down my throat (not in my neck like most of you have mentioned) and I AM NOT HUNGRY! IN fact, recently, I detest eating. Makes my stomach turn. I have constant neck pain/ache and any thing that makes my heart rate go up, even just the slightest bit increases the whooshing sound and PRESSURE in my neck and my head. Doc told me it was not CSF pulsating or leaking. Asked my neurosurgeon about Pseudo tumor cerebri and he giggled and said no. So what's left???? I am so frustrated and am tired of hearing this pulsing/whooshing sound ALL DAY LONG! I am tired of being in constant pain/aching in my neck and jaw. Am now on Loratadine for "allergies" and I think it is helping a tiny bit with the pressure, but am not sure. Any other ideas?

[MickeyZ]

This is amazing. The reason I am here is because I have this fizzing/squishing at the base of my skull where my neck connects and I happened to Google the symptoms and found this. I also have the stomach gurgle that follows immediately after the squish. Now I have a few theories - I'm noticing that many of you seem to also suffer stress and anxiety (as do I).  Stress tends to be linked to the Amygdala which is, you guessed it, at the base of the skull. Could there be some minor issue there that makes affects the Amygdala, or the Amygdala is the cause of the squish, hence why those of us with squishing also suffer anxiety?

[EricDallas]

I have a history of anxiety and panic attacks.   I came here because I am having these same symptoms you all describe.  Today I felt faint after lunch and it scared me, so all day I have been paying close attention to every little action my body made.  I feel like something is wrong with me and I spend most of my time worrying about my health.  I have this sound quite often and I'm thinking it is a gland releasing its load: kind of like the gallbladder squirting bile.  I think this is a normal function. but for whatever reason we are just so in tune with our bodies that we notice it while others may not.  I have had an MRI and of course they found nothing.   I think stress, mine cause from worrying about my health, causes me to notice this.  It has been happening for years and seems to be normal for me.  I hope you all come to peace with your bodies. I know you too are scared about your health.  Good luck.  I've been crazy for about 15 years so far and still haven't fell over dead yet.  

[happyhealthy]

I have the same problem for about 2 months sqirting down back of neck, I had pain in neck and Dr said take antinflammatry then it squirted up to nose and behind eye. Now i think it is a blockage in vein and started taking vinegar to help disolve as neurologist appointment was a month and ahalf away. Of course all docs smile and think i am a fool but its my health and so there has to be some sort of reason it aches when i havent drunk water in a short time and my neck throbs when thirst and hungry . Don' t give up people alot of docs don't like being told so ask ,plead for help.

[AllMessedUp75]

I've read every single one of these posts and the one thing that sticks out that I notice in a large percentage of the posts is 'overweight & 'stress'.

Same thing here... I explain it as the sound an air compressor makes when the air, mixed w/ some water is released.

I've heard this sound from time to time for as long as I can remember. However, the last few months, it has become VERY frequent. I can pretty much guarantee that every time I lay flat on my back, I will hear it. Sometimes it's louder and the sound lasts longer and sometimes when its really loud & 'active', I can kind of feel it. The sound is always in the same place. At the top of my spine/base of my skull, exactly in the middle.

My fiance listens to it w/ a stethoscope & can hear it it also. With the stethoscope, we can also hear fluid like sounds about a 1/4 ways down my spine.

My 'sounds' don't seem to be related to hunger at all and I've never noticed them when I'm in any position except flat on my back.

I'm not diabetic & have never been diagnosed w/ hypertension. My BP is usually normal... though under periods of high stress, it does tend to get high, along w/ my pulse getting into the 120's... though my 'sound' doesn't seem to correlate.

However, I have been eating more sugary/fatty foods than normal (correlation???)

I have been sitting at a computer pretty consistently since 1990.

I have also been noticing vision problems & have a host of other symptoms that have been 'diagnosed' as CFS & Fibro (I strongly disagree).

About 3 yrs ago, I was also diagnosed w/ a 1.5 cm tumor on my pituitary gland, which has also displaced the pituitary stalk & hypothalamus. I've been told this has nothing to do w/ my symptoms & since all of my "pituitary" hormones are normal (except slightly elevated prolactin '39'), I have no reason to be concerned.

Just months prior to being diagnosed, I began having numerous health issues (over 100 symptoms) that popped up out of no where, after experiencing a terrible headache for 3 months straight. These issues included gaining over 100 lbs in less than 8 months & severe anxiety attacks - that I had never experienced before.

Since this 'fluid' sound' has gotten much worse in the last few months & has been accompanied w/ neck pain and the re-emergence of my headaches and vision problems, I too, recently mentioned it to my GP. He said that it was impossible to hear sounds in your head... noticed a very minor bit of damage to my right ear drum and said it was most likely tinnitus and I just 'thought' the sound was coming from the back of my head, when it's most likely really coming from my ear -- that's when I came up w/ the stethoscope idea.

Prior to my symptoms that lead to the diagnosis of the pituitary tumor, I've always been 10-30lbs overweight. With the excess weight that I gained just before the tumor was diagnosed, I'm currently about 120lbs overweight.

Just before the sounds became much more persistent a few months ago, I had put on about 10lbs & several life changing events in the past year has skyrocketed my stress level.

I don't have health insurance so an MRI is out of the question & even when I did... I found that the medical community in and of itself is a joke. If they don't hear about it everyday, it doesn't exist & you become the the joke to them... and don't even try telling them that you 'read something on the internet'... that's even funnier to them.

Good luck to anyone. Wouldn't it be nice if a caring Nero read this and actually did some research and posted it for us? Just joking, of course.

[jleu3482]

Hello there. I'm JJ - and here is my solution and story. Firstly, I have had this problem for around 10 years or more and have found some solutions via trial and error and many years of research:

Symptoms you may feel (or not feel) are as follows:
-Double vision
-Unable to sleep
-High rise in short sightedness
-Squirting sound somewhere on the neck
-Hard to string a sentence
-Constant tireness
-Constant blinking of the eyes
-Feeling cold
-Bad tempered
-Blackouts
-Really fat or thin
etc.

Possible causes are as follows:
-Lack of sleep - due to bad temperature control, humidity control, O2 control and sleeping late
-Blood flow constriction - due to sleeping on your stomach, lack of movement during the day (e.g. studying and working on the com)
-Damaged viens - due to over excitement ...

Solutions I have found are as follows.
-Deep breathing - bend your head back then breathe really deep until you feel blood/O2 gushing into your brain -> hold your breathe then repeat.
-Normally, keep chest relatively full with O2
-Do a on the spot jog every 10min to loosen the blood
-Change sleeping positions everytime you wake up i.e. bent legs/arms to not straight legs/arms
-Drink orange juice - contains micro fibres to clear out the blood constriction on micro viens
-Sleep more - get 0.5 years holiday to reorganize your sleep time
-Aerobic exercise - basketball or running and concentrating on mouth opening movements and deep breathing. Do for 10min to 30min
-Roll your shoulders backwards (and also forwards) to physically move the blood

These are some of my tips I have used and worked for me - now I am 90% healed after so many years. You may contact me if you want more advice ***@**** or send a thanks if it works or send a 'that's ****' if it does not work (maybe I did not explain well).

Best regards,
JJ
PS: I had a brain operation in the past and I don't want people to go through what I did. My theories are based on the fact that your bodies are not designed to self destruct - there must be something you are doing that is not-natural and causing side effects which you cannot guess the root cause :D

[enkafy]

My explanation to it does not involve any glands or liquids. I think what's going on in the back of the neck is that there is a build up of charge in miniature cavities near the cerebellum. Consuming caffeine products such as soda, coffee will most likely promote the overall firing activity of the neurons cells in the brain and occasionally gather up enough electrons in one cavity. one sudden move or twist of the neck could spark the discharge of the charged cavity by short circuiting it with nearby nerves. the cavity will be brained(grounded to the brain potential) in no longer than 10 to 15 seconds, the cavity will be losing its electrons until its neutral and the noise you hear in the back of your neck/head is the jumping of excited electrons from one part to another in your brain!!!

[sewisch]

I have some similar symptoms as well:

The distinct sound of fluid draining in the back of my neck (starting when I was a child), especially if I'm lying on my back and a particular slightly metallic/salty taste in my mouth that accompanies the sound (no hunger/saliva/burping).  I have insomnia, a racing mind, mild tinnitus, tiredness (from not sleeping), brain fog, scoliosis (since childhood), excessive sensitivity to noise and physical stimulus, numbness in my pinky and ring finger on both hands, particularly after lying down (the past year).  I have worn glasses for nearsightedness since I was nine.

I seem to feel stronger emotions than other people, both good and bad, especially anxiety, and I am strongly empathetic.   I have ongoing and constant mild congestion and feelings of pressure in my head.  Experiences which involve strong stimulus, such as intense roller coasters or any kind of spinning whatsoever make me completely nauseous.  My father has vaso-vago syncope, and I have never been tested, but often wondered as to whether I had something similar.  

On hearing, I have "tested" perfectly by doctors in all ranges.  However, in reality, I have great difficulty in interpreting speech if there is any kind of background noise.  A person can be right next to me, and while I can hear that they are making sounds, my brain will not interpret it.  If there is true silence, I can hear a whisper from many rooms away.  I can hear many subtle machine and device hums and vibrations that no one else seems to be aware of.

One last thing:  I have moments where I simply stop breathing, usually when I am beginning to relax to fall asleep, but sometimes when I am fully awake, too.  It is really unpleasant and weird, as if I have forgotten to breathe. (I think that it is a central nervous system apnea.  For a fact, it's not the loud and snorty kind of apnea.) When I do sleep, I grind my teeth (or so I'm told).  I finally reach deep sleep in the mornings, which is very poor timing, and have quite vivid and often bizarre dreams.

For the record, I am a 37 year old wf, mother of two.  I am overweight currently, but that is recent, whereas the majority of these symptoms have lasted for many years longer.  Even though I am overweight, I also have really great physical strength and a good amount of endurance.  

Also, many of my symptoms I found to line up with copper toxicity symptoms, as described by Ann Louis Gittleman, so that may also be a factor.  I gained weight not during, but AFTER my second daughter was born, quite rapidly and coinciding quite perfectly with getting a copper IUD at the same time.  When I got the IUD removed five years later, I immediately dropped 10 pounds without effort and immediately felt somewhat happier and less sluggish.

Anyway, hope that this info helps someone out there!  Recently, I have heard about Chiari syndrome and tethered spine syndrome online and many of these things seem to line up with my experience.  Good luck to everyone!  Hope that we all find what we are looking for!!!!

[deehope]

guys, I do experience the fizzy, draining sensation in tha base of my scalp as well and its so scary. Spoke to my doc about this issue today and she was baffled. She didnt tell me outright that she thought I was crazy but she did ask me "If I was hearing any voices in my head", can u believe it"

Anyway I am so relieved to realise am not the only person going thru this and to know that I am not crazy. And like someone said, I hope some medical experts will realise the reality of this situation and try to find a solution or at least an explanation. Anyway my doctor finally said the sound culd be from my ears and since it is not associated with any other symptoms, it was nothing to worry about. I really hope so.

[geewizz2010]

Ive had that liquid squirt sound in the back of my neck most of my life. Last a second or two, but you can hear/feel it. But I also used to have a rocking disorder since birth, rocked myself/neck to sleep each night for many many years. I thought that caused it but I still have the ozzing sound/feel in my neck now and then, also mainly when I lay down. I did overcame the rocking and stopped as an adult, after my left leg went numb and I lost use of it for a few months. That was enough to make me quit, twisting of the spine seemed to have damaged nerves/disk. Anyway recovered most use of the leg back, tho I walk in alot of pain, and if I walk to long I must sit as the leg will go numb again and the pain starts. You might say I hobble a bit these days. So back to the point, the liquid in the neck thing, Ive had it so long I cant remember when it first started, but I dont think its anything serious, not saying that applies to all, but hope that eases someones mind. I have even noticed a liquid/oozing/fizzling or whatever you want to call it sound/feeling from my left chest, like a fluid squeezing to get through a tube, when say I stretched, that seems to have all but gone away. Not sure anyone ever had that as I did not read it. But seems there is alot of fluid in our bodies squeezing/oozing moving around in tubes and things. Must be just being human I guess, tho oddly not so many seem to know about such.

[betzy203]

Wow!!!    finally i don't feel crazy about this. this has been happening to me since i can remember the poprock candy sensation and sound in the back of my neck under my skull, that comes and goes usually in the a.m  while lying down. as a young adult my mom took me to the Dr.  and i was told i was making this up.  Now im a 29yr old female suffering severe headaches, nausea and the bothersome sensation on my neck. still cant get a Dr. to take me seriously when i explain this.

[Fannibal]

Hey, I am not a doctor yet, but I'd like to weigh in with my insight as a person who experiences this, and a person who has had many years of medical education.  I am a 6th year MD PhD student, my wife is a medical student as well and we've both had these symptoms for a while.  

We also noticed that it frequently happens after we just wake up, and we would hear a hissing sound like fluid rushing through some narrow space and causing turbulence.

I have a few thoughts about this phenomenon.  I think it might have something to do with dehydration- not drinking water while you are sleeping.  Because you are dehydrated, your CSF fluid and/or systemic circulation might be lacking in volume, so when you stand up, there might be a redistribution between the CSF in your brain, to the CSF in the spine.  I believe that it is similar to orthostatic hypotention- feeling dizzy if you stand up suddenly after sitting down.  your body's blood rushes away from your brain, and you feel faint.  So basically I think that maybe your CSF when you are sleeping, is pooled equally between your brain and your spinal cord.  When you stand up, some of this CSF rushes from your brain to the spine through a narrow corridor(aquaduct) in your spine.  Perhaps this is the cause.

Now for the cause of why this happens, I think this is a subclinical manifestation that might in the future develop into normal pressure hydrocephalus.  This is where you get a blockage in your CSF and your brain swells up, leading to serious symptoms.  I suspect that this might be similar to the progression of stable angina(chest pain on exertion from narrowing of coronary arteries), as a precursor to unstable angina(chest pain on rest), that eventually might lead to a full blow heart attack(myocardial infarction- blockage of coronary arteries).  Perhaps this is a symptom that a lot of people have, that in a minority in people might result in hydrocephalus(like the minority of people who have angina that end up having a heart attack).

My final thought is that since many people have complained that they experience this during the same time as their stomach growling, it might be related to autonomic nerve activation that might cause some kind of spasm that leads to a constricting  of these aquaducts.

Anyways hope my hypothesis is able to help someone out there figure it out.  medical research still has not gotten around to dealing with causes and treatments for minor symptoms that don't affect your life too much so I am really glad there are online forums like these that help us people with symptoms to pool our ideas together.

[gcwjr85]

I think we're on to something...
I don't think Doctors are always full of crap.  There have to be some good ones.  The problem is most PEOPLE are full of crap and ALL doctors are people.  So yeah, most of the doctors I've dealt with; completely full of it.  When they can't explain something, they like to pretend it doesn't exist or it's normal.  The fact is, if you are uneasy or worried about something, then something is wrong.  Even if it's "all in your head"  That should be addressed as THINKING something is wrong can often be MORE harmful than actually having the problem you think you have.  But I honestly think most of us who doctors joke about during lunch with their snooty, stuck-up receptionists are ACTUALLY unhealthy, not crazy.  Alright, I'm ranting.
I have very similar symptoms.  I have the feeling that there are atleast 2 separate symptom sets being talked about here though.  I get the pop-rock/soda sound in my neck right under the skull usually in the morning accompanied by stomach growling and hunger.  I also get it sometimes when my neck is under stress, like when I'm sitting on my bed w/ my head against the wall playing a video game or watching TV.  I'm overweight, I have Depersonalization Disorder, Anxiety, Panic Attacks, constant slight pressure in my head, I can hear many high-pitched noises that only one other person I have ever met can hear (TV whine is best example) oh and I was in the river the other day and when my neck (where the sound happens) is under water and there is a boat going by, I can hear and FEEL the boat in that spot.  I eat alot right before bed which is terrible for you.  Lots of stress.  Diagnosed with supraventricular tachycardia, (SVT) recommended to get an ablation proceedure which I declined, only to find my symptoms (heart "jumps") went away on their own.  I think it was stress.  I have taken prozac, clomipramine, clonazepam, zoloft, and a couple other anti-depressants, probably SSRIs.  I also have splotches on my skin from my wrists to my biceps.  Basically little misshapen dots from the size of a drop of water to the size of a fly which are noticably lighter in pigment than the rest of my skin in the area.  Oh it's all over my palms too.
Solution?  I don't know of one and my medical only gets me to crap-doctors (free medical through the government) so I'm not likely or hoping to find an answer there.  So far, with any of my medical issues, I've made much more progress figuring this stuff out for myself and faced many more setbacks going through conventional paths (doctors and their pills)  My personal medical philosophy is this:  If you're not doing everything right, then something will always be wrong, and you wont know if one bad thing you're doing, or one good thing you're not doing, is the reason you're unhealthy until you change it.  One gentleman on this post mentioned that he has no idea where this problem could be coming from as he is a healthy person.  Wouldn't it be nice if I wasn't overweight?  Then I'd know it's not because of that.  Or if I was physically active and eating "right".  Then I'd know it's not that.  But because I am living such an unhealthy lifestyle, it should be no surprise that I'm so unhealthy with so many problems.  I'm sure atleast one or two of them would clear up if I got off my *** and changed my lifestyle.  I know how frustrating it is to hear that the solution is "diet and exercise" or "deep breathing" and I'm not saying that life-style change is the ultimate solution b/c I don't think it is.  But while you're googling and wikipediaing and letting your doctor do the equivalent of defecating in your ears, just be aware that this world wants you to be unhealthy, fat, sad, and lonely.  That way you will go out and work your *** off to earn money to spend on "health" foods, doctors, nutrisystem, antidepressants, and the almighty bar tab.  When you're born, they put you in a box, they send you home in a box, your house is a box, you eat from a box, and when you die, they'll bury you in a box.  It's called the "Box Life"  GET OUT OF IT!  Don't eat "health" food, eat a damn banana every now and then lol.  Don't get a gym membership, you spend money on that and you have to drive there, back and then it takes time to work out, just walk somewhere every now and then.  Your car is killing you and your wallet.  Ranting again; sorry.
I don't know what is going to fix this or any other problem, but I do know this: Doctors aren't going to fix you and neither are pills.  YOU are the only one who can fix you.  You know you're not living right.

[gcwjr85]

almost forgot, I also have a small bump that looks like a zit w/ no whitehead right below my neck, just above my back I guess.  Just off to the left.

[haller]

I have this too! I am freaking out because I really thought I was crazy until now.

At first I thought it was from Celexa (for both depression and anxiety), but I've stopped taking it and still have the weird sound and sensation. It's almost like a fizzy waterfall at the base of my skull. The weirdest part is that I can actually hear my brain. The noise doesn't seem to be going through the ear, it's from the brain itself. Ugh I hate it. I fear that my doctor a. won't take me seriously or b.  I'll be subjected to endless tests with no answers.

I've been diagnosed with labyrinthitis in the past, but it seems that most people here have no history of inner ear problems. I had thyroid cancer and a thyroid removal. I now take 125 mcg of Levoxyl. Not sure if the thyroid hormones have something to do with it. I am massively overweight. I was a thin person most of my life but I'm now up 50 pounds that I can't seem to shed. I am always hungry but I eat healthy and I still gain weight! There is no end in sight. I've also had boughts with Irritable Bowel Syndrome, although I believe that is a catch all diagnosis when docs are too lazy to find the real cause. My skull fizzing does seem to occur the same time as stomach gurgling- which I get all the time! My stomach makes these ungodly noises, even worse than my skull.

I am so scared of MS or something really serious. Does anyone think maybe it's cortisol thing? I was in a very bad relationship for a long time and also dealing with my cancer gave me a lot of daily stress. Now my stress is lessening, but the fizzing is still there. My doctor refuses to test my cortisol because excess or deficiency is tough to measure and allegedly "rare."

I just don't know what to do.

[Florch36]

Well it feels a little better to know that is not just me and I not crazy.However, I am still nervous about it since no one seems to really have an explanation for it.  I also suffer from anxiety and mood disorder which, according to most of our postings, is a shared condition; I wonder if there is a side effect of anxiety meds?

Regardless I feel better by reading all your posts and especially the ones about people who had this for years with no mayor complications....

[OrdealByFire]

I've experienced this for quite a few years as well... for as long as I can remember. It doesn't happen often, so I didn't really think to look it up. It really only happens to me when I'm hungry. Some times it happens randomly, but that's when it tends to happen.

I have no idea what to think this could be. I don't do drugs, I'm not on any medication... I'm clueless. I haven't thought to ask a doctor about it either.

I'm paranoid it could have something to do with a brain aneurysm.

That's like my biggest fear in the world.

So I guess you could say I have problems with anxiety... maybe people that HAVE anxiety get this.

[Monyx]

well i 27 white male...and ive been experiencing the same thing now for im gonna guess around a year....i have never really taken alot of medications but i did use to smoke alot weed back when i was younger like 20-23...i actually stopped smoking well obviously cause its not healthy at all. and 2 i did start to suffer from anxiety when i would be high and now very rarely i suffer from it when im not. other than i took zoloft when i was 20 but only for a couple months then i quit using it. I do have a history of allergy problems mainly lots of sneezing and sometimes a stuffy nose around the season changes. i think i stay a bit stressed out but i dunno really if i do compared to other people....i think most ppl have harder lives to me... Anyways lately ive been getting headaches too..which i wanted to write off as sinus problems. my nose will feel "slightly" cloggy but not necesairly like its closed up or anything....i also feel pressure within my head....kinda in the back around where i hear the noise coming from and sometimes i can hear a ticking sound. lately i feel like im getting slight pains too which i dont really care for at all....i mean sounds arent a big deal but these headaches really need to go. Im really hoping its just something to do with sinuses. Other than what ive told u all thats left is the fact that yes i do use the computer a whole lots as well and i also crack my neck alot which i saw one person mention. lately typically i will lay in bed to use the computer...on my stomach with my computer at the head of me so my head is turned up since im laying on my stomach. Mainly the reason why i came here is my headaches which i never had at younger ages only recently do i have these.....have started to happen more often.....while they arent really painful they are more annoying.....its just like a dull aching really....ive felt pain before and its not like the same kinda pain really as i said its more of annoying aching....i really hope its normal these sounds im hearing and maybe the pressure and headaches is just sinuses...the only other thing i even had go thru my head is osmething like a tumor or aneurysm which i dont even like to think about.....i am also overweight as many of u said u are...lately ive been tryin to do a lil bit about it.such as exercising more often...cause i dont wanna get diabetes or anything. what amazes me is there are so many ppl here with the same problem yet there is no basic understanding of it.......if i could go to the doctor im sure i would have already but i have no dr and no insurance so i dunno really what im suppose to do in that case. Also one more thing i live in a house where ppl smoke and my house is really old/dirty so i thot this might be contributing to my sinus problems if that were what it is.

[mosh358]

I consciously move fluids around in head and spine all the time. Around the brain, in between the brain parts, along the neck, and along the spine until roughly halfway the spine, just under the heart. I use the muscles of the neck and around the spine, and gravity (by positioning head and body), and physical force on head, neck or spine (e.g. by pushing with my hands) to apply pressure on the brain/spine fluids into any direction, as needed. I litterally always feel my brain/spine fluids flow everywhere. I also always know where is a blockage. I do not tolerate even the smallest. With my manipulations, I often generate pops that others can hear. The pops can come from anywhere, from deeply inside my head, from the periphery of the head, or from anywhere along the spine. Wherever there was a blockage.

If I do not do my manipulations, I cannot function at all. Slurred speech, concentration problems, vision problems, all kinds of sensations. If I remove my blockages, I do function. Notably, my former severe head aches have gone completely.  My manipulations of myself look weird to others, but I have chosen to not care. My health is more important to me.

[englshivy]

SO glad I'm not alone!! I always forget to mention this to my doctor, because 1) it doesn't really bother me that much except out of curiosity I'd like to know what it is (it's been going on so long I assume if it was going to kill me, it would have) and 2) they'd think I was nuts.

My personal theory on this, since it always happens at the EXACT same time as a stomach growl, is that it's my brain releasing some kind of hormone or substance that stimulates my hunger. I have an overactive hunger response anyway and am super fat. (5'5 and 260) I hadn't even thought of it being CSF- why would CSF squirt at the same time my stomach growls? I mean EVERY TIME.

[Steveinfla]

  I have had this problem for years Untill 6 months ago I had no clue (as many doctors did) as what the cause was.

  I am not overweight 6"2 190 run daily my resting pulse is around 60 I am 47 years old no blood pressure problems on average 110/60 but I have had this leaking sound in the back of my head that dates back to high school.

In my case it was and has always been CSF this is how I found it last year I herniated a disk lower spine L-5 PT offered no relief so I opted for surgery and was refered to a nero who (I found out later) was the best thing to come along.
  He would not operate untill I had a CT-mylogram this involves injecting the spinal canal with a dye and tilting the table to follow it's by luck I was in a staging area LAYING down for an hour and a half and the noise started.

I said nothing about it they put the dye in and guess what they saw when they tilted my head toward towards the ground a shot of spinal fluid squirting to the right near C-1 C-2 there was no disk damage there.

After talking to the neuro about this everything fit growling belly is caused from my body absorbing the fluid also causing mild right shoulder pain am he decided it was realy nothing to worry about considering how long I have had it unless It causes other problems..............Well now it maybe and trust me on this you never want a sex headache been getting them the last month also have noticed THE LEAKING SOUND more often just before this started am sure the two are related will let you know...

[betsy1313]

I always describe my symptom as feeling like there's something leaking at the base of my skull, like little air bubbles in a liquid.  Like you had stuck a dropper in a liquid and squeezed the air out of it. And there's a sound with it that I can't really explain. I always get a snicker too when I explain.  I've started snickering too, just because I know what ppl are going to do after I "TRY" and explain it.  I get a really bad headache and it's normally if I'm hungry but not always.  I get a lot of numbness and tingling in my feet and hands.  I am assuming this has something to do with it, although this symptom doesn't always happen at the same time as the leaking feeling.  I hurt my neck in the c3 area about 15 years ago, but haven't had any problems until a couple years ago.  Now it's frequent.  I have visual changes a lot.  Often actually when there's no other symptom.  I also have a really of something oozes out of my ears, but I always have passed that off as earwax and never associated it with csf until reading some things on here tonight.  So maybe that is all tied together.  I have neck pain and sometimes my neck locks.  So I am just curious to see if anyone has the exact symptoms and if you got a diagnosis.

[davidstu]

I had a bad car accident 7 years ago and have chronic neck pain. I experience this sound often and my wife can hear it clearly sometimes when it's quiet. It happen more laying down, but I've heard it sort of slosh around while walking.  Guessing spinal fluid??

[finite_infinity]

I Have been diagnosed as having a skull base tumor, it is located under my right jaw bone and extends up to my cranial cavity - so far as I know. Now I don't have the same type of problem as you, but while reading up on different types of skull base tumors I found one type with symptoms that sound a lot like you are experiencing - including the bloody nasal discharge and the various facial effects you have mentioned.

[ssaunders95]

I have had this "noise" for 3 years now. Things I have noticed that trigger it are: laying down, stomache growling, and walking. Sometimes just a random movement will cause it. Sometimes it sounds like a small click and most of the time is a fluid like sound. When I hear it, I usually feel it too, between my neck and head. I do have sinus problems and usually have at least one large swollen lymph node, that has never raised concern to my doctor. I did have bad blood work once for about 6 months but suddenly went ok and was the result of "stress".
The skull base tumor idea sounds scary. What prompted an investigation, MRI, CT? Was it the "noise" alone?

[andyrax]

I've had the exact same thing since I was about 19 (I'm 34 now). I worried about what it could be, got friends to listen to the back of my head, etc etc... but finally figured out what it was a few years ago. In my case it's something churning or bubbling in my intestines, and the sensation seems to travel up my spine. Perhaps on certain occasions the intestines touch a nerve or something. Anyway I proved to myself that this is what it was by listening with a stethoscope to my lower abdominal area when this sensation occurred. It's definitely something bubbling in my guts, and transmitting the sensation up to my head so it feeld like it's actually happening in my head. At least that's what it seems to be for me. Maybe you should try that?

[ladeedah286]

Amazing that there are so many people who have seemed to experience this yet doctors seem totally baffled (though admittedly, the 100 or so comments on this page is probably not "so many" in the grade scheme of things!) I am 28, female, have had this spinal fluid crackly "pop rocks" feeling for quite some time...don't remember hearing it as a kid, but it seems to happen with some frequency. I feel like the "whooshing" noise must be something different, because mine does not sound at all like blood rushing...it sounds/feels similar to cracking your neck, but not as loud, and it only happens when I'm still, and laying down as many have said.

It actually feels kind of good, if a little bit unsettling. It feels as though I should not move my neck or I will hurt it, but I don't know if that part is in my head or not (har har.)

I don't have any other related symptoms as I can tell, but I grew curious because my dad had a spinal cord injury in a pretty strange way, and the MRI showed that he had stenosis (narrowing) in the spinal column. My dad's uncle also had a spinal cord injury so it's hard not to wonder if this is all somehow genetic.

[MarilynJk]

I also get this feeling I my neck when laying down. The only difference is that mine feels like its fluid and/or air bubbles squeezing through a small space up the back of my neck to the base of my head. I also have had some problems with my short term memory and I also get some twitching in my left leg and sometimes my whole body when falling asleep at night. And feeling like I have less energy lately :(

[JOEY127]

I also have this symptom, best explained by air bubble movement, possibly caused by the draining of a fluid. Easiest to hear when laying down.

BG INFO

24 MALE 6'1" 190-195lbs Asian/Caucasian

FAMILY HISTORY
Mother has Vestibular Schwannoma  
( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vestibular_schwannoma )
Grandfather has had multiple Strokes and multiple Heart attacks
Grandfather is also has had glaucoma


I have had this bubbly symptom going on 2 years now, most recently accompanied by stiff neck and multiple (3-12) sharp and extremely short (1 sec) head aches. All head ache epicenters are located towards the back left, nearest to the occipital lobe, roughly 2 inches behind left ear. These head aches sometimes cause a more wide spread dull head ache, though it is still subject to the left side of my head.

I intend on going to the doctor as soon as possible, though i am momentarily between insurances. I will keep everyone updated, but please try to REFRAIN from using these comments as a way to diagnose yourself. And i urge everyone to still seek professional medical diagnosis even though previous posters have been unsuccessful.  

                                                -joey

[venomx92]

Hello everyone, I'm 18 years old now and I have experienced the same thing for about 2 years. It all started when I was staying in front of my monitor for many hours straight. I felt a warm fluid in the left part of my skull (top) rushing inside and I was really scared. The worst part was that I've felt a constant pressure for about 3 months on that spot. Then every night when I was laying down trying to sleep I felt the fluid popping inside the base of my skull down to my neck, but this time it was cold. I did MRI's,CT's and a lot of investigation and they have found nothing wrong except a vascular malformation (the 2 arteries that enter my brain are not identical, the left one is a bit deformed) but the neurologist said I can live with it and that he doesn't know what causes this fluid sensation. Even today I feel the fluid popping, sometimes for about 2-3 sec and it feels good because it releases the tension in my neck/left shoulder. I do push ups and weightlifting at home (3 times a week) and every time I feel a fluid sensation going to my spine area, and I feel better after that. The strange part is that it has a weird connection with the stomach growl. I feel really weak and tired most of the time and I think that it's connected with this fluid problem. (could it be? :-(  ). I had a calcium deficiency when everything started and I always ask myself if this fluid popping is related with the lack of calcium inside my body. (my calcium results were always bad) And in the end what could this fluid be? A nerve sensation / CSF leak? Does anyone know?

Sorry for my English mistakes.

[jodyc65]

I have the same symptoms....I believe doctor's know what this is. Conspiracy?

[ballen0420]

I have been having the draining type noise in my neck. I have an extremely tight right side of my spine 99.9% of the time in my middle back. I used to see a chiropractor and mentioned it to him he laughed and said it was probably something inner ear. I mentioned it to my doctor he blew it off like it was nothing. I mentioned it to my physical therapists they just looked at me like I had totally lost my mind. I mentioned it to my new therapist and he said probably weather changes. When it occurs I am usually laying down but it does happen in the sitting position and shortly after I notice some relief in my back pain. It doesn't happen every day but last night I tried the sleep number bed and almost the instant I laid down on it I started hearing the draining/popping noise that I can't even explain. Last night laying there I was hearing it over and over and over again. Today I woke up with very little pain although it started tensing up again and I have been hearing it again today and my back is tight again. This has been going on for at least 10 years but got significantly worse when I had a car wreck 4 years ago. Doc said I had whiplash and PCS(post concussion syndrome) which are both hard questionable to many people. No idea what it is but I keep looking on the web and found this posting. I guess I will keep bringing it up to Dr.'s until someone tries to diagnose it.

[Cywarriro13]

My "sympots" started 2 months ago. At 1st it was once a day but now i can hear it thru the day quite a few times. It is more profound when i wake up in the morning, when i eat, or when i go to the toilet and sometimes not always when i walk and its more profound when i m stepping on right leg (there is a small crackling sound). I dont know if this is relevant but was treated 2 n half months ago for gastroisophageal acid reflux, but which still persists. I dont know if the two are connected. Havent been to a doctor but i am planning to. I have no headaches no vision problems, just the sound

[aero_engineer]

I too have the "poprocks," fizzing sound in the back of my neck/base of skull. I am a 24 year old female and had this symptom for about a year now. It started off only happening maybe once or twice a month. Now it happens every day, sometimes every few minutes. Doesn't hurt, but is very annoying. It happens when I'm laying down, sitting up, or standing. It does not coincide with hunger. Nothing seems to trigger it. I have been taking Lexapro, however. But I miss many doses and don't take it regularly. I've been on anti-depressants for many years, though (5+). And have had anxiety for 5+ years. I am now starting to get headaches, which I don't normally have. And recently had back strain/pain, which may not relate. I have tried exercise, but it does not stop the "fizz" from happening. I do sit in front of a computer at least 8 hours a day for my job. I refuse to bring it up to doctors because i don't want to end up in debt, missing work, doing tons of tests and getting no answers.

[BeccaLynn71]

Just passing by and saw this topic of discussion. We all have a lot of vasculature in our heads and necks. Depending on position of body, time of day, activity when "heard" and BP as well as heart rates, we can all experience these sensations/sounds and not necessarily be the same for anyone. Pay attn to the, "when", "where" and "why" of when you experience it. Like, sitting up after being in supine postion for awhile. Any ear pain or discomfort, after exercise, when does it happen most frequent, etc., etc.  Relax, if it has been happening for quite some time, there's no pain or discomfort, no neuro symptoms accompanying it and you feel fine?  Leave it be, you are most likely just fine. :)

[musicbabe83]

I have experienced these symptoms.  The first person mentioned Lexapro.  That is a drug that works witht he seretonin in the brain correct?  I go to music festivals and take part in the splethora of seratonin manipulating substances there... I started experiencing the sound of fluid in the back of my neck, random sharp pains in other parts of my skull, knumbness in hands, face and tongue, hazy memory... At any rate, I started taking 5-htp.  It is the amino acid receptor for seratonin in the brain.  I took some of that for a couple of months and all of the symptoms go away.  Exericse and yoga also help.

[alijarreau]

Okay so don't have blood pressure or anything just insulin resistant. I been having a head ache for about two weeks. I get the dripping sensation down the back of my neck sometimes.  My eyes get blurry imo vision from January to now has gotten worst.  I wear glasses now the.king it was contacts.  Doeas anyone know what the actually finding noise is.

[Andul89]

I also have this running liquid sensation on the back of my neck and is very uncomfortable, I usually get headaches or like little stabs on some parts of my brain, it happens hen I am laid down or sitting down, the matter is that like all of you I felt the nessecity to look up some info about this. I want to give you all this information so you can look throu and get you own conclusions.
What Are Arteriovenous Malformations?

Arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are defects of the circulatory system that are generally believed to arise during embryonic or fetal development or soon after birth.
One of the more distinctive signs indicating the presence of an AVM is an auditory phenomenon called a bruit, coined from the French word meaning noise. (A sign is a physical effect observable by a physician, but not by a patient.) Doctors use this term to describe the rhythmic, whooshing sound caused by excessively rapid blood flow through the arteries and veins of an AVM. The sound is similar to that made by a torrent of water rushing through a narrow pipe. A bruit can sometimes become a symptom-that is, an effect experienced by a patient-when it is especially severe. When audible to patients, the bruit may compromise hearing, disturb sleep, or cause significant psychological distress.

Symptoms caused by AVMs can appear at any age, but because these abnormalities tend to result from a slow buildup of neurological damage over time they are most often noticed when people are in their twenties, thirties, or forties. If AVMs do not become symptomatic by the time people reach their late forties or early fifties, they tend to remain stable and rarely produce symptoms. In women, pregnancy sometimes causes a sudden onset or worsening of symptoms, due to accompanying cardiovascular changes, especially increases in blood volume and blood pressure.
***HERE IS THE WEB PAGE IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO READ MORE ABOUT THIS*** HOPE THAT WE ALL FIND A CURE TO THIS MATTER ON OUR LIVES, BUT ALWAYS SMILE, JESUS IS WITH US NO MATTER WHAT. :-)
http://www.medicinenet.com/arteriovenous_malformation/article.htm

[girtaxticgrl]

Yea I have had this sound to! never knew how to describe this, thought I was the only one. Glad I'm not the only one. I started hearing it after an hitting the back of my neck on a porch rail, this occured as a child. Also, I usually only hear it when im really hungry. weird.

[Andul89]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spontaneous_cerebrospinal_fluid_leak

MAYBE THIS COULD HELP...

[Alwand]

I aslo experienced that thing... I am lying down when suddenly my stomach is crumbling then after a while a kind of fluid rushes through my brain... I dont know the heck is this...

[davidchipps]

I have the same thing.  The best way to describe the sound is if you've ever been in an old house...you're downstairs and the person on the second floor flushes the toilet.  It is the sound of water going through old pipes carrying sentiment that you hear through the wall on the first floor for about the same duration of time. Only the sound is in the back of your neck and you hear it when you lie down for 2-5 seconds.  I'm not sure what it is.  I've been also currently suffering from depression and exhaustion.

[davidchipps]

I have the same thing.  The best way to describe the sound is if you've ever been in an old house...you're downstairs and the person on the second floor flushes the toilet.  It is the sound of water going through old pipes carrying sentiment that you hear through the wall on the first floor for about the same duration of time. Only the sound is in the back of your neck and you hear it when you lie down for 2-5 seconds.  I'm not sure what it is.  I've been also currently suffering from depression and exhaustion.

[REALLYUKNOW]

I have the same problem and have had it from as far as 17yrs old . I am now 48 and was told that I have what is called Chiari Malformation. What this whole discussion here is about are symptoms of this problem....I encourage everyone who is having these symptoms to please look into this. Chaiari Malformation is a congenital problem and can be corrected with surgery. I read that it can be the cause of strokes....

[REALLYUKNOW]

http://www.ask.com/web?q=chiari%20malformation%20surgery&askid=eae1e2a2-5b18-4e58-b651-e2361997caed-0-us_gsb&kv=sdb&qsrc=999&o=102629&l=dir

[Sir_Tony_Montana]

It's a symptom caused by hunger, just like you feel it in your stomach and you feel it only if you are lying.

[Diego-Biom]

FINAL EXPLANATION FOR RUSHING SOUND IN THE BACK OF THE HEAD.

I also experience this sensation every now and then. Although nobody is gonna design a study to scientifically prove the following hypothesis, I think it is pretty reasonable, as imaging studies have not shown much on people with this sensation. So, here we go:

Cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) is the fluid that is produced inside the brain to protect it, as the amniotic fluid protects the baby during delivery, grossly. It is mainly produced in the ventricles and moves across the brain, to the spinal cord and back to the top of the head, where it is absorbed in arachnoid granulations (protusions of one of the brain covers).
In the back of the head, just below the occipital protuberance, there is a huge reservoir of CSF in a place called cisterna magna, which is a space cover by one of the brain covers called duramater. For some reason, in some people, there may be a noticeable displacement of the fluid in this region, probably due to a more pronounced drainage of it. This displacement of fluid may either stimulate pain receptors in duramater causing mild discomfort or pain, or produce vibration that can be detected by vibration receptors elsewhere, telling our brain that something is moving there.
If you suffer from Panic disorder or any other anxiety or mood disorder, you are more likely to notice this sensation, because these disorders low your threshold to few pain and other internal or external stimuli.

Therefore, if this sensation is fast and intermittent, no big deal. However, if it is constant, or pulsation-like, you should see a doctor to evaluate for other causes.

Best,

Diego

[BrookeR85]

I just googled-" i hear fluid in the base of my skull/back of my neck" I am, so relieved to see everyone on here talking about it. It has been freaking me out! Your post is particularly helpful because I too do not have a curve in my neck and I was wondering if that was somehow related to that trickle/drainage sound I hear! Do your doctors think there is a connection?

[Jennlynnev]

I have the same symptoms, rushing fluid sound at the base of my skull near my neck behind ny right ear BUT I've only experienced it twice in life....after each time  I gave birth. Usually I hear it worse when I bend over. Bp is great, usually around 115/60. I do suffer from migraines, 28 years old, 5'10", 275lb. I know this is an old post so if anyone has insights or updates, that'd be great!

[Kippy36]

The fizzing/gurgling started about a month ago. Two weeks ago the tingling in my hands and feet started and progressed up arms and legs. I just went to my doc this week and had several blood tests done. I am waiting for results. Did you experience the tingling also with the gurgling?

[hankjr18]

it sure is a little relief to no im not the only one. i've been hearing these sounds every since my bp started acting up 4 months ago. i just got put on bp medication and havent heard it since, atleast not yet!!!!

[Wolfmoon2682]

EXACTLY, i get it when im hungry and sometimes when i walk like you said every second step it's like a dam bubble releases! I am 29 i have had this crap my whole life. I recently developed anxiety and with it came static in my field of vision, especially when looking at a plain white surface, the sky, or in the dark. Like snow on a screen. Ringing in one ear from time to time, sometimes a high pitched noise then slight deafness. VERY strange! Also i have been diagnosed with mild arthritis in my spine.

[TA123]

I just had this happen last night for the first time.  It was like a draining feeling right at the back of the head, upper neck area.  I thought maybe it could be drainage from inner ear or sinus????

[mysteriousdeath]

I can hear as well a sort of waterfall sound at the back of my head and feel some vibrations going down through my spine too, but rarely these sound come up by themselves, I produce them, I sense I move a kind of muscle inside my head and all these water and vibrations start to flow down and around, I have been trying to figure out where is the exact location of that "muscle" I move but so far I haven;t been able to do it, the only thing I perceived is that this "muscle" moves as well when I yawn.

[JT12690]

im 22 years old and this has just started happening to me not to long ago i woke up about 20 min ago but mine takes forever to go away for a while i have made a appointment with the Doctor, any news i get ill give to you right away,i made a appointment after i had a really bad headache and now my veins in the right side of my temple are all Black and Huge looking,

[atjs5]

if so many of us are experiencing this phenomenon then why hasn't it been looked into more? Maybe because so many of us are afraid of sounding crazy. The people who do mention it are not really enough to raise interest. I have the same stories as so many of you. Doctors look at you crazy. I had a 5 slice MRI to no avail.

[JustCommenting]

I looked up this symptom for someone I care about who has this sound come from their neck like many of you describe. I can hear it when it happens. He describes it as a "lemon-squeazing sound." He hasn't gotten his MRI done yet, but I haver found some interesting things. There is something called Chiari Malformation. It can be genetic, or you can get it from an injury. It is where the back of the brain goes down a little too far, into where the spinal chord starts. The most common symptom is headaches, and there are many different symptoms that vary from person to person. Some people don't experience any symptoms. It can obsturct the normal flow of spinal fluid. This can cause problems with the spinal chord. Few doctors know about this disorder because it is rare. There are different types, some are fatal, but most Chiari Malformations are not fatal. There is a srugery to treat it that is usually effective. Not everyone with the disorder needs surgery. The disorder is more common in people of Celtic descent. Symptoms don't present themselves untill adulthood for many people beause that is when the brain reaches its full size. An MRI can detect it. An MRI can also detect any problems with the spinal chord that the disorder may cause. This may not be what plagues many of you, but now you have some information. There are websites on this disorder. The American Syringomyelia and Chiari alliance Project has information on its website, under the 'disorders' category. Good luck to all of you.

[keepthefaith403]

I have the same thing and recently my husband even heard it. At first I was wondering if I was imagining it but since the day he heard it happen I have been nervous. What is it does anyone know?

[keepthefaith403]

YES! Me however I have no idea what it is. I have noticed the same thing and recently my husband heard it. I was wondering if I was just imagining these strange symptoms but when he heard it I started to get nervous.

[keepthefaith403]

I have and normally it helps me for a few months so hopefully it is a CSF leak it really concerns me. I also have large breast so don't know if that has anything to do with it.

[paulaty]

You are smart in your way of thinking but make sure you go to the www.spinalavminfo.com before you do anything else. I have 14 things wrong with my neck and back and a tumor on my spinal cord so I think it is spinal cord issues myself. So you would be correct about sitting at a desk, it is going to hurt all of us in the long run.

[prawny]

WOW!!!!!!!!! i cant believe so many people have experienced this...however to me it doesnt sound like liquid being rushed....it sounds more like sand from a sand clock timer being poored on the inside of the back of my neck...usually only lasts like 1 to 3 seconds. it sounds really weird. p.s. i dont experience any other symptoms mentioned above. tho i do have pre-hypertension.

[MadSteve1960]

Hi, i'm 52 yo and  I also get These noises that appear to be coming from the base of my neck, i actually describe them a little different than most, in the begining of the sound is like if you pressed your fingers across the back of your neck pressing the hair against the neck and sliding while applying pressure for about 1 to 2 secs then i hear a squishing fluid sound as if the fluid has built up enough to go past a restriction. I do get chronic migraine headaches since i can remember. I also have a Benign Tumor on the cerebellum. I hear these when i lay down, this can be at night mostly, but i do hear it while sitting.
Ok i do use a computer a lot..also one point i saw above was described was hearing things most people don't hear, that happens with me , i hear very high pitched sounds like Tv's and electronics or newly hatched birds of all things. I have told my Dr about the sound and he checked my ears..very blocked he said. so..maybe the sound i hear is because of blockage..its like covering your ears and singing or humming, you hear it better. i am going to the city for a balance test and i am going to get to the bottom of this, i will keep you posted. Cheers Madsteve1960

[tylinious]

Cfs is cerebral spinal fluid. I also have that strange noise in the back of my neck. I'm twenty years old and i have had bad migraines since I was eight and just last year I had one bad enough to lose feeling in my left side of body and also sight. My mum told me to get an mri but i am currently without insurance. I also have fatigue as well as I can sleep for hours on end and still be tired when I wake up. I have no apetite either. I was thinking it might be a dysfunctional hypothalamus or my thyroid as thyroid problems are a symptom of a dysfunctional hypothalamus.

[buster2012755]

I also experience this 'Noise' and have done so for many years now always wondering what it was. It wasn't until today after it happened again for the first time in some time (at least a month or more since the last occurrence), whilst I was laying in bed that I decided to google it and see what it was. I do remember my stomach gurgling at thebsame time as i was very hungry at the time. I have always been curious about it and at times, not at the same time as the noise, but randomly, i get sharp pains in my head which is like an intense stabbing headache that only lasts moments before passing and its generally in my temple region, which I was always worried may have been an aneurism (aneurysm) or something sinister and that it may be associated with the sound I hear fom time to time.
I would describe the noise i hear in the base of my skull region as similar to what most people hear, a sizzling, fizzing noise, but mine also sounds a bit like grinding metal...it's so unusual. It generally happens to me when I'm laying down in the mornings after sleeping.
Ive noticed that I'm always tired and lethargic. Get a lot of ear aches and headaches. Have recently experienced extremely high blood pressure and my pulse is VERY high which is unusual for me.
I have recently been experiencing extreme mood swings and find myself feeling very down and stressed often. Although I'm very blessed and have so much to be thankful and happy for, I find myself very emotional and empathetic and seem to take on others pain more than what i would consider as is normal. I really let others pain get me down its as though its my own, and i have never been this way until recently, but now everything is really getting me down and i think its lead to slight depression now..im Slightly over weight (recently) with high-ish cholesterol and a fatty liver but even when I was slim and healthy I had this noise occur so I'm assuming it's not weight related? I too had a car accident several years ago and experience short term memory difficulty at times, but I cannot remember whether I experienced this noise before my accident or if it only started after it..be interesting to know if it is a result of head trauma? I'm also interested to know if it has links to stroke or MS as they both have affected my family and am wondering if it's hereditary? So many unanswered questions. So anyway, I had a dr appointment today, so thought I would ask her since it was so fresh in my mind having experienced it earlier today, and much the same as all of the replies above, she had no idea and gave me a bizzare look as though I was making it up. But basically put it down to my nerves sending signals or fluid moving, she can't be sure...If someone ever does figure this one out, please let me know as it is very concerning, although its not painful, it's just the fear of the unknown I guess, and the fact it's happening to so many people makes me wonder if maybe its just normal? Or that no one has bothered to look into it and it could be a symptom of something, that if detect might be beneficial in the long run!

[buster2012755]

I forgot to mention I'm a 29 year old female.

[bongloads]

ive had this experience since i was 16 and now im 24. i never told anyone this because it was something to traumatic for me. symptoms are when i get hungry this sensation occurs and the rushing is very intense, but there is no pain except the hunger in my stomach, i also believe that certain sounds or frequencies may also trigger it as ive experienced it from certain insects i have come across, more specifically spiders in San Diego that make giant webs  from trees to the sidewalk.VERY ******* TERRIFYING TO WALK INTO................         THEY PRODUCE A FREQUENCY  THAT SEEMS TO MAKE THE BACK SENSATION SITE GO OFF AND FEEL MORE LIKE A VIBRATION. I have done basic research and have begun telling people or even asking people whos around and near if they could hear it. It sounds so loud  that i was always sure people could hear it  .......NOPE!!!!!!!!!!!......   side not i have begun taking zinc  and fish oil.... first days i woke up to the sound of a powerful rush very intense.    

i do smoke weed and seems to be why i may not feel the pain and headaches most of u feel
i do or did get muscle aches and arm numbness when i wake up in the morning my arms would be numb and couldnt move them , i began working out and that helps alot with all the above as no numbness and my muscles will not ache and it feels good
i do have a very strong recall memory as i can remember where people leave things or where i last saw something
i dream heavily and realisticly my dreams are so detailed
my ability to do research is blooming peak have begun teaching myself biology, chemistry, nueroscience and everything about stem cells and cell tissue culturing , biological/gene engineering manipulation....... what ever this i have is taking from my smoking time.

[bongloads]

ive had this experience since i was 16 and now im 24. i never told anyone this because it was something to traumatic for me. symptoms are when i get hungry this sensation occurs and the rushing is very intense, but there is no pain except the hunger in my stomach, i also believe that certain sounds or frequencies may also trigger it as ive experienced it from certain insects i have come across, more specifically spiders in San Diego that make giant webs  from trees to the sidewalk.VERY ******* TERRIFYING TO WALK INTO................         THEY PRODUCE A FREQUENCY  THAT SEEMS TO MAKE THE BACK SENSATION SITE GO OFF AND FEEL MORE LIKE A VIBRATION. I have done basic research and have begun telling people or even asking people whos around and near if they could hear it. It sounds so loud  that i was always sure people could hear it  .......NOPE!!!!!!!!!!!......   side not i have begun taking zinc  and fish oil.... first days i woke up to the sound of a powerful rush very intense.    

i do smoke weed and seems to be why i may not feel the pain and headaches most of u feel
i do or did get muscle aches and arm numbness when i wake up in the morning my arms would be numb and couldnt move them , i began working out and that helps alot with all the above as no numbness and my muscles will not ache and it feels good
i do have a very strong recall memory as i can remember where people leave things or where i last saw something
i dream heavily and realisticly my dreams are so detailed
my ability to do research is blooming peak have begun teaching myself biology, chemistry, nueroscience and everything about stem cells and cell tissue culturing , biological/gene engineering manipulation....... what ever this i have is taking from my smoking time.

[PopRockNeck]

I am sick of this and I don't want to have this problem anymore, so I finally got online and found this place!

I am 30, I have noticed this for about 9 years. I HEAR the POP ROCKS sound AND I CAN FEEL IT MOVING and I told my doctor about it a long time ago and she looked at me like I was from another planet! UGH!

I get it when I am severely hungry, or when I am THINKING about something stressful.

Duration lasts a few seconds, and it won't go away until I eat, OR simply if I stop thinking about whatever is stressing me out it will stop also.

I enjoy reading the comments about VIBRATIONS and FREQUENCIES, because YES if you are IN TUNE with your body you will notice other situations like:

I HEAR AND FEEL THIS CONSTANTLY when partially submerged in a JACUZZI also!!!

I HAVE NO IDEA what TYPE of doctor I should consult about this? I appreciate any help I can get here, and I hope I have helped people too.

I WONDER also if maybe this is something we ate, drank, in the air, maybe a virus, maybe HAARP, maybe HERTZ? :( Chem trails?

I don't know where to start either, I have been in a few bad car accidents, a lot of past history of trauma to my body, my aunt has FIBROMYALGIA.

I AM CONSTANTLY TIRED for a long time, seems to be getting worse and worse I believe MAYBE this could all be BIO PSYCHO SOCIAL interconnected also.  

:(

So WHAT kind of DOCTOR should I see first and WHAT should they start first with testing?

[PopRockNeck]

Accident background: age 17 I had a c6 and c7 fracture in my neck.

I have been sitting at computers for the last 12 years.

Another accident just "beat me up" in general age 23.

I don't use drugs, don't take meds, don't work out. I am not fat but have a few inches on my stomach the rest of my body is perfect.

But now that I am sitting here thinking about HOW USED TO THIS I have been for years, I forgot to mention I hear and feel this RANDOMLY also, all day and night!

[KEN31]

Hello! My name is Kenneth and i am currently going through these same symptoms and they happen while i am sitting up straight and standing. Thanks for the posts! Now i know which direction to head with this.

[Deanalouise]

I have been hearing the liquid squirting sound at the top of my neck/base of skull for around 15 years (I am 45). Prior to that I would occaisionally get a sharp pain when I moved my head too fast to the side and it would be followed by weakness and pain and a feeling of fluid draining down out of my skull. That doesnt happen anymore, but I hear the fluid squirt sound somtimes, usually when I lie down for bed. I have been petrified that it is the onset of MS because my mother was diagnosed with secondary MS at around age 50. She was bedridden within 10 years afterwards. I am glad to see other people have this because I had so idea how to even explain it to anyone until now, and thinking it may have all been in my head :)? So, it is good to know I am not crazy, and I hope it turns out to be nothing. Not planning on going to the doctor now, but I wonder if it is related to exhaustion and joint pain.

[bianbian428]

I'm shocked that so many people have the same symptoms as I. I'm 41 years old, male, also have allot of stress. I was recently discharged from Army (of course I have stress). It definitely seems like stress plays a role in the symptoms, I know some of you guys say it's accompanied with hunger, but guess what? Hunger is a type of stress also. When I hear this "swishing" sound it sounds and feels more like a huge waterfall just bring dumped behind my ears, and yes, only for a few seconds. I was a medic for 8 years in the Army and I have a theory...I here people claim that it's CSF. I'm starting to think it's true BUT it could also be something called a fluid shift from dehydration. Those of you in the medical field - that's why we do TILTS for checking your BP. anyways...I noticed something else, the duration of this fluid rushing is usually less than 5 seconds. It would make sense that it's CSF because cisterns hold this fluid at the base of the brain (where everyone feels it) Do you all think it's possible that the reason it last 3 seconds is because of the small cisterns only allow so much fluid at once? Just a thought. Also has anyone else felt their own pulse when this takes place? I mean literally when it happens, I can feel and hear my pulse in my head when the swishing occurs. PLease respond back if possible.

[Mifted]

Sounds like you have a good chance of having sleep apnea.  Never heard of this sound related to sleep apnea, and probably isn't but every thing else you describe points to sleep apnea.  This can cause many other health issues if left untreated.  You should talk with your Dr. about getting evaluated and tested.

[eirik174134]

I had this just now. I drank too much last night. I have had this intermittently in the past, way way back. There was nothing then to suggest a problem. I have though been having mental problems the last year. Perhaps the indication is a warning but nothing necessarily too bad? I was lying on my back in a terrible posture, with my head leaned uncomfortable against a chair's back. This should probably be familiar to all doctors, judging by the large number of people here reporting it.

If it's an isolated occurrence, i don't think there should be much worry. But concomitant with other symptoms it's sure a strange thing to take into account.

I used have a strange kind of popping in my left ear since I can remember, but only happening sometimes. Like a few times a year, or every few years. It's probably just some strange muscular contraction that happens sometimes, just like too much caffeine can make your muscles twitch and stuff like that.

Don't worry too much if you are otherwise fine, but get it checked if it worries you.

[eirik174134]

I had this just now. I drank too much last night. I have had this intermittently in the past, way way back. There was nothing then to suggest a problem. I have though been having mental problems the last year. Perhaps the indication is a warning but nothing necessarily too bad? I was lying on my back in a terrible posture, with my head leaned uncomfortable against a chair's back. This should probably be familiar to all doctors, judging by the large number of people here reporting it.

If it's an isolated occurrence, i don't think there should be much worry. But concomitant with other symptoms it's sure a strange thing to take into account.

I used have a strange kind of popping in my left ear since I can remember, but only happening sometimes. Like a few times a year, or every few years. It's probably just some strange muscular contraction that happens sometimes, just like too much caffeine can make your muscles twitch and stuff like that.

Don't worry too much if you are otherwise fine, but get it checked if it worries you.

[eirik174134]

I heard it now for the first time in years, while I was having terrible terrible posture. When younger I figured it was some crackling of bones and didn't bother to think about it. Leaning my neck on a piece of wood basically, lying on the carpet while playing some games brought it out now ;) Like an involuntary experiment, I confirm that abuse of the neck can bring about this sound. It'll probably become quite obvious if one bothers to look up the structure of the spinal duct and use simple logic.

[KatTaz]

Saar, did you ever find out what this is? Your description describes my symptoms exactly! Everyone I've ever spoken to about this has treated me as though I'm crazy. Please let me know if you've had any success with a diagnosis. Thank you!