Crackling in your ear? Buzzing, crackling, “static”, or whooshing sounds in your ear can all be symptoms of a condition known as tinnitus. Here’s what you should know.
Do you hear phantom sounds like thumping, ringing, or buzzing in your ears? If you use hearing aids, it may mean that they need adjustment or aren’t correctly fitted. But those sounds are most likely coming from inside of your ears if you don’t use hearing aids.
Don’t worry there’s no need to panic. Your ears have a lot more going on inside than what they appear to be on the outside. You might hear some of these common tinnitus noises and here are some signs of what they might be telling you about your hearing. The majority of these noises are temporary and harmless but if you have tinnitus noises that are painful or are persistent you should schedule a consultation with us.
What’s causing the snap, crackle, and pop in I’m hearing?
It isn’t Rice Krispies, that’s for certain. When the pressure in your ears changes, whether from altitude, going underwater, or just yawning, you may hear popping or crackling noises. These sounds are caused by a tiny part of your ear known as the eustachian tube. The crackling happens when these mucus-lined passageways open up, allowing air and fluid to circulate and equalize the pressure in your ears.
If you have an excess of mucus inside of these passages, frequently as a result of a cold, allergies, or an ear infection, they can become gummed-up and the ordinarily automatic process will become interrupted. In serious situations where chicken noodle soup, decongestants, or antibiotics don’t provide relief, a blockage might call for surgery. You should make an appointment with us if you can’t get any relief from the nagging ear pain and pressure.
I’m hearing vibrations in my ear – what could that mean?
Vibrations in the ear are in some cases a telltale sign of tinnitus. Technically speaking, tinnitus is the medical name for when someone hears abnormal noises, such as vibrations, in their ears that do not come from any outside sources. The intensity level of the sound can range from extremely quiet to earsplitting and most people will refer to it as ringing in the ears.
Is tinnitus triggering this ringing in my ears?
There are also numerous reasons why you may hear these sounds if you wear hearing aids: your batteries may be getting low, you need a volume adjustment, or maybe your hearing aids aren’t fitting properly in your ear. But these noises can also be caused by too much earwax.
Accumulated earwax is well known to cause itchiness and to make it more challenging to hear, as well as the potential of an ear infection, but how can it generate sounds. If it is touching your eardrum, it can actually restrict the eardrum’s ability to function, which is what produces the buzzing or ringing.
And yes, excessive, persistent buzzing or ringing is indicative of tinnitus. Even ringing from excessive earwax counts as a type of tinnitus. Tinnitus itself is typically a symptom of something else happening with your health and isn’t itself a disorder or disease. Your tinnitus may be triggered by simple earwax accumulation but it can also be linked to more severe problems like depression and anxiety. Let us help you diagnose and get some relief for your tinnitus symptoms by helping you discover what the root health condition may be.
What’s causing my ears to rumble?
This specific symptom is self-created. In some cases, you will hear a low rumble when you yawn. That rumble is the sound of little muscles inside of your ears contracting in order to dampen sounds you make. Some of these sounds include your own voice, chewing, and yawning.
Those sounds manifest so near to your ears and so often that the level of noise would be harmful without these muscles. In very rare cases, some individuals can control one of these muscles, the tensor tympani, and generate that rumble on cue. In other cases, individuals suffer from tympani muscle spasms caused by tonic tensor tympani syndrome, or TTTS. Studies have shown that TTTS occurs frequently in individuals who have tinnitus and those suffering from hyperacusis, which is a sensitivity to specific sound volumes and wavelengths.
What about a fluttering sound?
Have you ever felt a flutter in your legs or arms after exercising? Those flutters are usually caused by a muscle spasm, and it’s no different from the fluttering you hear in your ears. MEM tinnitus, or middle ear myoclonus, affects the stapedius muscle and the tympani tensor muscles of the middle ear. Since this is a muscle disorder, muscle relaxers and anticonvulsants are typically used as an initial treatment to bring the fluttering under control. Inner ear surgery to eliminate the condition is an option if the medications don’t work, but results vary from procedure to procedure.
Why are my ears drumming, pumping, and pulsing so much?
If you occasionally feel like you’re hearing your heartbeat thump inside your ears, you’re probably right. Some of the body’s largest 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 disorder like high blood pressure – your ears will tune in to the sound of your heartbeat.
This is known as pulsatile tinnitus, and in contrast to other forms of tinnitus, it’s one that others can hear. If you come in to see us, we can listen in on your ears and we will be able to hear the thumping of your pulsatile tinnitus. While it’s absolutely normal to experience pulsatile tinnitus when your heart’s racing, it shouldn’t be something you need to live with on a daily basis.
It’s a good idea to come see us if you’re hearing this pulsing on a daily basis. If it continues, pulsatile tinnitus could be an indication of high blood pressure or other health concerns. 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 workout, your hearing should return to normal when your heart rate returns to normal.
What’s this clicking sound?
As mentioned above, the Eustachian tube helps keep equal pressure in your ears. Repeated clicking can frequently be heard when you have muscle spasms in the muscles close to the eustachian tubes (like in the roof of your mouth). For the same reason, you might 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. In some rare situations, persistent clicking could be a sign of a fracture in one of the little bones in your ear.
Does it mean I’m dealing with an infection if my ears are popping?
Sometimes, an ear infection creates the feeling that your ears are full and the swelling can make your ears pop. Popping in your ear can be an indication of an acute infection. If you are dealing with any other symptoms, such as pain in the ear, sudden hearing loss, or fever, you need to schedule an appointment right away. Sometimes, your ears will pop after an infection or cold as your head clears of mucus.
How do I stop my ears from crackling?
Do you believe that the crackling noise in your ears is tinnitus? Come in and consult with us and we can help you determine what treatments are best for your situation.
References
https://www.uofmhealth.org/health-library/uf9680
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24289817/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23571302/
