Do you hear a crackling noise? Buzzing, crackling, “static”, or whooshing sounds in your ear can all be indications of a condition known as tinnitus. Here’s some info.
Ever hear crackling, buzzing, or thumping noises that seem to come out of nowhere? If you use hearing aids, it can mean that they need to be adjusted or aren’t properly fitted. But if you don’t use hearing aids, those sounds might just be coming from inside your ear.
This doesn’t mean you should panic. Your ears have much more happening inside than what they appear to be on the outside. You may hear some of these prevalent tinnitus noises and here are some indications of what they might be telling you about your hearing. Most of these noises are short-term and innocuous but if you have tinnitus noises that cause pain or are chronic 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 going underwater, altitude, or just yawning, you may hear crackling or popping sounds. 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 in these passages, often as a result of allergies, a cold, or an ear infection, they can get gummed-up and the normally automatic process will become interrupted. There could be situations where a surgical procedure is called for in more serious cases where decongestant sprays, chicken noodle soup, or antibiotics don’t do the trick. If you’re enduring persistent ear pain or pressure and haven’t been able to find any relief, you should make an appointment with us to get a diagnosis.
I’m hearing vibrations in my ear – what could that mean?
Vibrations in the ear are sometimes a telling sign of tinnitus. The term tinnitus refers to a condition where sounds are heard in the ears but those sounds don’t originate in the outside world. Most individuals will refer to it as a ringing in the ears and it manifests across the spectrum, from barely noticeable to unbearable.
Is tinnitus causing this ringing in my ears?
Again, if you have hearing aids, you may hear these kinds of sounds for numerous reasons: your batteries may be getting low, you need to adjust the volume, or maybe your hearing aids aren’t fitting properly in your ear. But these sounds can also be produced by too much earwax.
Excess earwax is well known to cause itchiness and to make it more challenging to hear, as well as the possibility of an ear infection, but how can it create sounds. If it’s pressing against your eardrum, it can actually hinder the eardrum’s ability to function, which is what produces the buzzing or ringing.
And yes, excessive, chronic ringing or buzzing is indicative of tinnitus. Even ringing from too much earwax counts as a form of tinnitus. Keep in mind that tinnitus isn’t itself a disorder or disease, rather, it’s a symptom of something else happening with your health. Your tinnitus might be triggered by simple earwax accumulation but it can also be connected to more severe problems such as anxiety and depression. Let us help you diagnose and find some relief for your tinnitus symptoms by helping you determine what the root health condition may be.
What are the weird rumblings in my ear?
This next symptom is less prevalent than others, and if you can hear it, you’re the one causing the sound. Occasionally, if you have a really big yawn, you can hear a low rumble. That rumble is the sound of little muscles inside of your ears contracting in order to soften sounds you make. They reduce the volume on yawning, chewing, and even your own voice.
Those sounds manifest so near to your ears and so frequently 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 circumstances, individuals suffer from tympani muscle spasms caused by tonic tensor tympani syndrome, or TTTS. Studies have shown that TTTS happens frequently in people who have tinnitus and those dealing with hyperacusis, which is a sensitivity to specific sound volumes and wavelengths.
What causes a fluttering sound in my ear?
After you workout, have you ever felt a flutter in your arms and legs. Those flutters are typically 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 impacts the aforementioned tensor tympani muscle and the stapedius muscle in your 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. If medications don’t help, inner ear surgery can have varying degrees of success.
Why are my ears drumming, pumping, and pulsing so much?
You’re probably not off base if you think you can hear your own pulse or heartbeat inside your ears. Some of the body’s largest veins run really close to your ears, and if your heart rate is high – whether from a tough workout, big job interview, or a medical disorder like high blood pressure – your ears will tune in to the sound of your pulse.
Most kinds of tinnitus can’t be heard by other people but that’s not the situation with pulsatile tinnitus. Pulsatile tinnitus is easy for us to diagnose because we can listen in on your ears and hear the thumping and pulsing too. If your heart is racing, it’s not abnormal to hear your own pulse, but if you’re hearing this thumping at other times that isn’t normal.
It’s a smart idea to come in for a consultation if you’re hearing this pulsing every day. If it persists, pulsatile tinnitus could be an indication of high blood pressure or other health concerns. It’s essential to tell us about your heart health history as pulsatile tinnitus can indicate a heart condition. But if you just had a good workout (or a good scare), you should stop hearing the pulsing or pumping as soon as your heart rate goes back to normal.
Why does my ear keep clicking?
The pressure in your ears is kept in balance, as previously discussed, by the eustachian tubes. Repeated clicking can frequently be heard when you get muscle spasms in the muscles near the eustachian tubes (like in the roof of your mouth). For a similar reason, you might hear clicking when you swallow. What you’re hearing, is the Eustachian tube opening and closing. A clicking can sometimes be heard when mucus drains from the head. A clicking can, in rare instances point to a fracture of one of the small bones of the ears.
Is ear popping a symptom of infection?
Ear infections sometimes produce swelling which can make your ears pop. If your ears are popping, it may be a sign of acute infection. If you have any other symptoms, such as ear pain, abrupt hearing loss, or fever, you need to schedule a consultation right away. Sometimes, your ears will pop in the days following an infection or cold as your head drains of mucus.
Can I stop this crackling in my ears?
Do you suspect that the crackling noise in your ears is tinnitus? Come in and see 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/