Crackling in your ear? Crackling, buzzing, “static”, or whooshing sounds in your ear can all be signs of a condition known as tinnitus. Here’s some info.
Do you hear phantom noises like thumping, ringing, or buzzing in your ears? If you have hearing aids, it can mean that they need to be adjusted or aren’t properly fitted. But those noises are probably coming from inside of your ears if you don’t have hearing aids.
This doesn’t mean you should panic. Your ears have much more going on inside than what they appear to be externally. Here are a few of the more common noises you may hear inside of your ears, and what they may suggest is happening. Most of these noises are short-term and harmless but if you have tinnitus noises that cause pain or are persistent you should schedule a consultation with us.
What’s the cause of the snap, crackle, and pop in my ear?
We can tell you one thing, it isn’t the Rice Krispies. When the pressure in your ears changes, whether from altitude, going underwater, or just yawning, you may hear crackling or popping noises. The eustachian tube, which is a tiny tube in your ear, is the cause of these noises. When the pressure in these mucus lined passageways equalizes, the passages open up allowing air and mucus to circulate.
If you have too much mucus inside of these passages, frequently due to a cold, allergies, or an ear infection, they can become clogged and the ordinarily automatic process will become disrupted. In serious situations where chicken noodle soup, decongestants, or antibiotics don’t give relief, a blockage might call for surgical intervention. You should schedule an appointment with us if you can’t find any relief from the nagging ear pain and pressure.
What does it mean when I hear vibrations in my ear?
In some cases, vibrations in the ear are an obvious indication of tinnitus. Technically speaking, tinnitus is the medical term for when somebody hears abnormal noises, such as vibrations, in their ears that don’t originate from any outside sources. Most people will refer to it as a ringing in the ears and it manifests across the spectrum, from barely there to unbearable.
Is the ringing and buzzing in my ear tinnitus?
Once again, if you have hearing aids, you may hear these kinds of sounds for numerous reasons: the hearing aids aren’t sitting properly within your ears, the volume is too high, or your batteries are running low. But if you don’t have hearing aids and you’re hearing this type of sound, it could also be caused by excess earwax.
Excess earwax is well known to create itchiness and to make it more challenging to hear, as well as the potential of an ear infection, but how can it generate sounds. Your eardrum can be inhibited if wax is pressing against it and that can produce these sounds.
And yes, excessive, persistent ringing or buzzing is indicative of tinnitus. Even ringing from too much earwax counts as a form of tinnitus. Tinnitus itself is typically a symptom of something else happening with your health and isn’t itself a disease or disorder. Your tinnitus might be triggered by simple earwax accumulation but it can also be associated with more serious issues like depression and anxiety. Let us help you diagnose and get some relief for your tinnitus symptoms by helping you understand what the root health condition might be.
What are the peculiar rumblings in my ear?
This next symptom is less common than others, and if you can hear it, you’re the one making the sound happen. Sometimes, if you have a really big yawn, you will hear a low rumble in your ears. Your body is attempting to soften sounds you make and the rumbling is your ears tensing little muscles in order to accomplish that. They turn down the volume on yawning, chewing, and even your own voice.
These sounds happen so often, and are so near to your ears, without these muscles your ears could be damaged. In extremely rare situations, some people can control one of these muscles, the tensor tympani, and produce that rumble at will. In other cases, people suffer from tympani muscle spasms caused by tonic tensor tympani syndrome, or TTTS. Studies have revealed that TTTS happens frequently in people with tinnitus and those dealing with hyperacusis, which is a sensitivity to particular sound volumes and wavelengths.
What about a fluttering noise?
After you workout, have you ever felt a flutter in your legs and arms. Those flutters are usually the result of a muscle spasm, and it’s no different from the fluttering you hear in your ears. Middle ear myoclonus, also known as MEM tinnitus, is a condition that affects the above mentioned tensor tympani muscle and the stapedius muscle in your middle ear. Since this is a muscle disorder, muscle relaxers and anticonvulsants are generally used as a first-round treatment to bring the fluttering under control. Inner ear surgery to correct the condition is an option if the medications aren’t working, but success varies from procedure to procedure.
I hear a thumping or pulsing in my ears
If you occasionally feel like you’re hearing your heartbeat pulsing in your ears, you’re probably right. Some of the body’s biggest veins run very close to your ears, and if your heart rate is high – whether from a hard workout, big job interview, or a medical condition like high blood pressure – your ears will tune in to the sound of your pulse.
Most types of tinnitus can’t be heard by others but that’s not the situation with pulsitile tinnitus. If you come in for a consultation, we can listen in on your ears and we will be able to hear the pumping of your pulsitile tinnitus. While it’s completely normal to experience pulsatile tinnitus when your heart’s racing, it should not be something you have to live with on a daily basis.
If you do experience this pumping or pulsing every day, it’s probably a smart move to come in for a consultation. If it persists, pulsitile tinnitus could be an indication of high blood pressure or other health conditions. It’s important to tell us about your heart health history as pulsitile tinnitus can point to a heart condition. But if you just had a good workout (or a good scare), you should stop hearing the pulsing or thumping as soon as your heart rate returns to normal.
What’s this clicking sound?
As stated above, the Eustachian tube helps keep the pressure equal in your ears. If you get a muscle spasm in the muscles that are close to the Eustachian tube, like for example in the roof of your mouth, it can trigger a repeated clicking sound. For a similar reason, you may hear clicking when you swallow. This is a result of the opening and closing of the eustachian tubes. Some people report hearing a clicking noise when their head drains of mucus. A clicking can, in rare cases point to a fracture of one of the fragile bones of the ears.
Is ear popping an indication of infection?
Ear infections sometimes produce swelling which can cause your ears to pop. If your ears are popping, it could be an indication of acute infection. You should schedule an appointment with us right away if you have any other symptoms, including ear pain, sudden loss of hearing, or fever. Sometimes, after an infection, as your head clears of mucus, your ears will pop.
How do I stop my ears from crackling?
Are you hearing a crackling in your ear and suspect you have tinnitus? Make an appointment for a consultation with us to talk about treatments available to you.
References
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24289817/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23571302/