high cholestoralm issues

brenda,

Thanks for your question.

The first thing I think of when reading your question is thyroid disease, which causes a hyper dynamic pulse due to the heart beating stronger, as well as faster.  Some patients can actually hear this as the blood rushes through the carotid arteries in their upper neck.  There are other symptoms of thyroid disease including weight loss, rapid pulse, sweating, heat intolerance, and anxiety.  Your doctor will ask about these symptoms as well as examining you looking for signs of the disease such as an enlarged thyroid gland, a typical "stare" due to widening of the eyes, and sometimes a small tremor.  The good news is that thyroid disease when treated early is not life threatening and is easily treated.

Other possibilities include an inner ear problem that can cause a buzzing or humming in the ears. 

Cholesterol plaques in the arteries of the neck can cause narrowing enough to produce a sound in the neck called a bruit, but most people with this problem do not hear anything as the blood flow itself is diminished.

I suggest you make an appointment with your doctor to get this situation checked out.  Be sure to mention the above possibilities to your doctor.

Best wishes and feel better.

Martin Cane, M.D.