Crackling in your ear? Buzzing, crackling, “static”, or whooshing sounds in your ear can all be signs of a condition known as tinnitus. Here’s what you need to know.
Ever hear crackling, buzzing, or thumping noises that seem to come out of nowhere? If you have hearing aids, it may mean that they need adjustment or aren’t properly fitted. But those sounds are probably coming from inside of your ears if you don’t have hearing aids.
Don’t fret there’s no need to panic. Your ears have a lot more happening inside than what they appear to be on the outside. Here are some of the more common noises you might hear inside of your ears, and what they might indicate is happening. Most of these sounds are temporary and harmless but if you have tinnitus noises that cause pain or are chronic you should schedule a consultation with us.
There’s a snap, crackle, and pop in my ears but what’s causing it
It isn’t Rice Krispies, that’s for certain. When the pressure inside of your ears changes, whether from going underwater, altitude, or just yawning, you might hear popping or crackling sounds. The eustachian tube, which is a small 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, often as a result of allergies, a cold, or an ear infection, they can get clogged and the ordinarily automatic process will get interrupted. In severe situations where chicken noodle soup, decongestants, or antibiotics don’t provide relief, a blockage may 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?
Vibrations in the ear are sometimes a telltale sign of tinnitus. Technically, tinnitus is the medical term for when someone hears abnormal noises, such as vibrations, in their ears that do not come from any external sources. Most people will refer to it as a ringing in the ears and it occurs across the spectrum, from barely noticeable to unbearable.
Is tinnitus causing this ringing in my ears?
There are also numerous reasons why you might hear these sounds if you use hearing aids: your batteries may be running low, you need to adjust the volume, or perhaps your hearing aids aren’t fitting properly in your ear. But if you don’t use hearing aids and you’re hearing this kind of sound, it could also be the result of accumulated earwax.
It makes sense that excessive wax could make it difficult to hear and cause itchiness or even inner ear infections, but how could earwax produce a sound? If it’s touching your eardrum, it can actually hinder the eardrum’s ability to function, which is what triggers the buzzing or ringing.
Persistent buzzing or ringing is an indication that you are coping with tinnitus. And the sounds produced by earwax are actually a kind of tinnitus. Bear in mind that tinnitus isn’t itself a disease or disorder, rather, it’s a symptom of something else going on with your health. Your tinnitus may be triggered by simple earwax build up but it can also be associated with more serious issues like depression and anxiety. Diagnosing and treating the underlying health problem can help alleviate tinnitus, so you should speak with us to find out more about ways to reduce your symptoms.
What are the weird rumblings in my ear?
This particular symptom is self-produced. Sometimes, if you have a really big yawn, you will hear a low rumble. That rumble is the sound of little muscles inside of your ears tensing in order to dampen sounds you make. They turn down the volume on yawning, chewing, and even your own voice.
Those sounds manifest so close to your ears and so often that the level of noise would be harmful without these muscles. One of these muscles, called the tensor tympani can, in extremely unusual cases, be purposely controlled to produce this rumbling. In other cases, people suffer from tympani muscle spasms caused by tonic tensor tympani syndrome, or TTTS. People dealing with tinnitus or hyperacusis, which is a sensitivity to specific wavelengths of sound, frequently experience TTTS.
What causes a fluttering noise in my ear?
Have you ever felt a flutter in your arms or legs after exercising? Those flutters are normally caused by a muscle spasm, and it’s no different from the fluttering you hear in your ears. Middle ear myoclonus, also called 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 condition, muscle relaxers and anticonvulsants are commonly used as an initial treatment to control the fluttering. Inner ear surgery to correct the condition is an option if the medications don’t work, but results vary from procedure to procedure.
I hear a pumping or pulsing in my ears
You’re probably not off base if you think you hear your own pulse or heartbeat in your ears. Your ears are really close to some major veins and arteries and if you just did a hard workout, have high blood pressure, or are very nervous you will probably hear your own heartbeat.
Most kinds of tinnitus can’t be heard by others but that isn’t the case with pulsatile tinnitus. If you come in to see us, we can listen in on your ears and we will be able to hear the pumping of your pulsatile tinnitus. If your heart is racing, it’s not unusual to hear your own pulse, but if you’re hearing this thumping at other times that isn’t normal.
If you do experience this thumping or pulsing every day, it’s probably a smart move to come in and see us. Like other forms of tinnitus, pulsatile tinnitus is a symptom of another condition rather than a disease, so it could indicate a health problem, such as high blood pressure, if it continues. Sometimes, pulsatile tinnitus is the result of a heart condition, so it’s important to relate any heart health history to us. But after a good scare or hard workout, your hearing should return to normal when your heart rate returns to normal.
Why does my ear keep clicking?
As stated above, the Eustachian tube helps keep the pressure equal in your ears. If you get a muscle spasm in the muscles that surround the Eustachian tube, like for instance in the roof of your mouth, it can trigger a repeated clicking noise. For a similar reason, you may hear clicking when you swallow. What you’re hearing, is the Eustachian tube opening and closing. Some people report hearing a clicking noise when their head drains of mucus. A clicking can, in rare instances point to a fracture of one of the fragile bones of the ears.
Is ear popping a symptom of infection?
Ear infections sometimes produce swelling which can cause your ears to pop. If your ears are popping, it might be a sign of acute infection. You should schedule an appointment with us as soon as possible if you have any other symptoms, including ear pain, abrupt hearing loss, or fever. Sometimes, after an infection, as your head drains of mucus, your ears will pop.
How can I stop my ears from crackling?
Do you hear a crackling in your ear and think you may have tinnitus? Set up a consultation with us to discuss treatments available to you.
References
https://www.uofmhealth.org/health-library/uf9680
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24289817/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23571302/
