Do you hear a crackling noise? A condition called tinnitus can cause you to hear buzzing, crackling, whooshing, or other noises in your ears. 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 properly fitted. But those noises are most likely coming from inside of your ears if you don’t use hearing aids.
Don’t fret there’s no need to panic. Even though we mostly view our ears in terms of what we see on the outside, there’s more than meets the eye – or in this case, the ear. Here are a few of the more common sounds you might hear inside your ears, and what they may indicate is going on. Most of these sounds are temporary and harmless but if you have tinnitus noises that cause pain or are persistent you should schedule a consultation with us.
There’s a snap, crackle, and pop in my ears but what’s causing it
It’s not Rice Krispies, that’s for sure. You could hear popping or crackling when you have a pressure change, whether from a change in altitude, going under water, or just yawning. The eustachian tube, which is a small tube in your ear, is the cause of these sounds. When the pressure in these mucus lined passageways equalizes, the passages open up allowing air and mucus to circulate.
It’s an automatic process, but sometimes, like if you are dealing with inflammation caused by allergies, a cold, or an ear infection, your eustachian tubes can literally get gummed up from the excess mucus in your system (don’t forget, your ears, nose, and throat are all connected). In extreme cases where chicken noodle soup, decongestants, or antibiotics don’t give relief, a blockage could require surgical intervention. You should make an appointment with us if you can’t get any relief from the constant ear pain and pressure.
What does it mean when I hear vibrations in my ear?
Vibrations in the ear are in some cases a telling sign of tinnitus. The term tinnitus refers to a disorder where noises are heard in the ears but those sounds don’t originate in the outside world. 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 triggering this ringing in my ears?
Again, if you use hearing aids, you might 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 getting low. But if you don’t use hearing aids and you’re hearing this kind of sound, it could also be the result of excess earwax.
Accumulated earwax is well known to cause itchiness and to make it harder to hear, as well as the potential of an ear infection, but how can it produce sounds. If it’s touching your eardrum, it can actually hinder the eardrum’s ability to function, which is what causes the buzzing or ringing.
Chronic buzzing or ringing is an indication that you are coping with tinnitus. Even ringing from excessive earwax counts as a type of tinnitus. Tinnitus itself is commonly 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 build up but it can also be connected to more serious problems such as depression and anxiety. Let us help you diagnose and get some relief for your tinnitus symptoms by helping you determine what the underlying health condition might be.
What’s causing my ears to rumble?
This next symptom is less common than others, and if you can hear it, you’re the one making the sound happen. Occasionally, if you have a really big yawn, you can hear a low rumble. Your body is attempting to soften sounds you make and the rumbling is your ears contracting little muscles in order to accomplish that. They reduce the volume on yawning, chewing, and even your own voice.
Those sounds occur so near to your ears and so often that the noise level would be damaging without these muscles. One of these muscles, known as the tensor tympani can, in extremely rare situations, be purposely controlled to produce this rumbling. In other cases, a condition called tonic tensor tympani syndrome (TTTS) will cause people to suffer from tensor tympani muscle spasms. Individuals dealing with tinnitus or hyperacusis, which is a sensitivity to certain wavelengths of sound, commonly experience TTTS.
What causes a fluttering noise in my ear?
After you exercise, have you ever felt a flutter in your legs and arms. Muscle spasms are the cause of those flutters just like the ones in your ears. MEM tinnitus, or middle ear myoclonus, impacts the stapedius muscle and the tympani tensor muscles of the middle ear. Usually, this condition is initially controlled using muscle relaxers and anticonvulsants, since it’s a muscle disorder. Inner ear surgery to correct the condition is an option if the medications aren’t working, but success varies from procedure to procedure.
Why are my ears drumming, thumping, and pulsing so much?
If you sometimes feel like you’re hearing your heartbeat pulsing inside your ears, you’re most likely right. Your ears are very close to some major veins and arteries and if you just worked out, have high blood pressure, or are very anxious you will most likely hear your own heartbeat.
Most forms of tinnitus can’t be heard by others but that isn’t 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. If your heart is racing, it’s not unusual to hear your own heartbeat, but if you’re hearing this thumping at other times that isn’t normal.
If you do experience this pumping or pulsing every day, it’s probably a smart move to come in for a consultation. If it continues, pulsitile tinnitus could be an indication of high blood pressure or other health concerns. In some cases, pulsatile tinnitus is the result of a heart condition, so it’s important to talk about your heart with us. But after a good scare or workout, your hearing should go back to normal when your heart rate goes back to normal.
Why does my ear keep clicking?
As stated above, the Eustachian tube helps keep equal pressure in your ears. Repeated clicking can often be heard when you get muscle spasms in the muscles close to the eustachian tubes (like in the roof of your mouth). Clicking can also occur when you swallow for similar reasons. This is caused by the opening and closing of the eustachian tubes. Some people describe hearing a clicking sound when their head drains of mucus. A clicking can, in rare instances indicate a fracture of one of the small bones of the ears.
Does it mean I have an infection if my ears are popping?
Sometimes, an ear infection creates the feeling that your ears are clogged and the inflammation can cause your ears to pop. Popping in your ear can be a sign of a severe infection. You should make an appointment with us right away if you have any other symptoms, like ear pain, abrupt hearing loss, or fever. 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?
Are you hearing a crackling in your ear and think you may have tinnitus? Make an appointment for a consultation with us to talk about 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/
