What Causes Pulsating In The Right Vein Of The Neck?

Posted on Thu, 14 Jul 2016

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Thu, 14 Jul 2016 Answered on

Thu, 4 Aug 2016 Last reviewed on

Question : yes i notice that my right vein on my neck was bulging or pulsating . I have no stroke or heart attack risk factors and exercise 1 hour or more vigorously 5/week i have for a few years had episodes periodically where i have flashing light followed by a mild headache . any suggestions?

Answered by Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
probably tortuous carotid artery...

Detailed Answer:
Hello,

it's normal to notice the carotid arteries pulses sometimes, particularly when the heart produces strong beats, like when you're physically active or scared, etc. Sometimes the carotid may become tortuous due to atherosclerosis (the aging process) and may be even more evident. You can confirm it with an ultrasound scan of the artery (triplex).

Your headaches do not seem relevant or serious. You should check your eyes with an ophthalmologist though (funduscopic examination) to make sure they're OK (or not!).

Kind Regards!

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar