What is cervical venous hum?

A cervical venous hum is a continuous roaring or machinery-like sound, which is louder in diastole, increased by inspiration and easily obliterated by light digital compression of the internal jugular vein, or if the patient performs the Valsalva maneuver.

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What does venous hum sound like?

The cervical venous hum is a continuous machinery-like noise heard over the internal jugular vein at the base of the neck. It is loudest in diastole, during inspiration and with the patient in the upright position.

How rare is a venous hum?

Abstract. In a survey of 200 persons, ages 18 to 76, the incidence of normal cervical venous hum was 47 per cent in young adults and 21 per cent in persons of middle and older age, a group in whom it once was thought to be rare.

What causes a cervical venous hum?

The cervical venous hum is believed to be due to turbulent flow of blood in the internal jugular vein as a result of kinking of the vein against the transverse pro- cess of the atlas.” It occurs in all children and in 27% to 66% of young adults, and it is common in patients with high cardiac output states such as …

What causes venous hum?

Venous hum is a benign auscultatory phenomenon caused by the normal flow of blood through the jugular veins. At rest, 20% of cardiac output flows to the brain via the internal carotid and vertebral arteries; this drains via the internal jugular veins.

How do you measure venous hum?

The hum is listened for by using light pressure with bell or diaphragm of the stethoscope. If detected, the hum can be obliterated by increasing the pressure of the stethoscope or by compressing the veins with the free hand.

What causes a venous hum?

What is the most common innocent murmur?

Atrial septal defect accounts for about one third of the congenital defects first detected in adulthood. This is because the characteristic murmur, a pulmonary flow murmur, also is one of the most common childhood innocent murmurs.

When do we hear venous hum?

The venous hum is heard throughout the cardiac cycle, though is typically louder during diastole.

What is the significance of a venous hum heard over the internal jugular vein?

The turbulence of the venous hum, heard over the internal jugular veins, is caused by the combined effects of gravity on blood flow and partial compression of the internal jugular vein by the transverse process of the atlas.

Is a venous hum normal?

While a venous hum may provoke consultation with a healthcare professional, the hum itself is entirely harmless and is the product of ordinary cardiac physiology.

Can venous hum go away?

A venous hum will disappear with moderate pressure on the internal jugular vein.

What causes a venous hum murmur?

A cervical venous hum is an extremely common type of innocent heart murmur. It is caused by the sound of blood flow returning normally through the veins above the heart. Specifically, the jugular veins drain blood from the head and neck and connect to larger veins which return to the heart.

Is venous hum normal?

Cervical venous hum is a continuous murmur heard over the internal jugular veins. It is thought to be produced by the partial compression of the internal jugular vein by the transverse process of the atlas as well by the effect of gravity.

Where is the posterior deep cervical vein?

The deep cervical vein (posterior vertebral or posterior deep cervical vein) accompanies its artery between the Semispinales capitis and colli. It begins in the suboccipital region by communicating branches from the occipital vein and by small veins from the deep muscles at the back of the neck.

What are the treatment options for cervical venous hum?

An interesting case of surgical treatment of cervical venous hum has also been reported. This patient had pulsating tinnitus in the right ear and a venous hum heard over the right internal jugular vein. The tinnitus was abolished by manoeuvres which abolished the hum.

What is the shape of the venous hum?

The venous hum has a plateau shape in systole and a crescendo-decrescendo shape in diastole. It is better heard in the right supraclavicular fossa, with the bell of the stethoscope and the patient looking to the left side. Intensity will decrease if the person turns his chin towards the side of auscultation.