Do you hear a crackling sound? A condition called tinnitus can cause you to hear crackling, buzzing, whooshing, or other noises in your ears. Here’s what you need to know.
Ever hear crackling, buzzing, or thumping noises that seem to come from nowhere? If you have hearing aids, it may mean that they need to be adjusted or aren’t properly fitted. But those sounds are probably coming from inside your ears if you don’t use hearing aids.
This doesn’t mean you should panic. Even though we typically think of our ears with respect to what we see on the outside, there’s more than meets the eye – or in this case, the ear. Here are some of the more common sounds you may hear inside of your ears, and what they might indicate is going on. Most of these sounds are temporary and innocuous but if you have tinnitus sounds that cause pain 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. You might hear crackling or popping when you have a pressure change, whether from a change in altitude, going under water, or just yawning. These noises are caused by a tiny part of your ear called the eustachian tube. The crackling occurs when these mucus-lined passageways open up, allowing air and fluid to circulate and equalize the pressure inside your ears.
If you have too much mucus inside of these passages, often as a result of a cold, allergies, or an ear infection, they can become clogged and the normally automatic process will become interrupted. There may be situations where a surgical procedure is required in more severe cases where decongestant sprays, chicken noodle soup, or antibiotics don’t do the trick. You should make an appointment with us if you can’t find 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 sometimes a telling sign of tinnitus. Technically speaking, tinnitus is the medical name for when someone hears unusual sounds, like 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 manifests across the spectrum, from barely there to unbearable.
Is tinnitus triggering this ringing in my ears?
Again, if you wear hearing aids, you may hear these types of sounds for numerous reasons: your batteries might be running low, you need a volume adjustment, or perhaps your hearing aids aren’t fitting properly in your ear. But these sounds can also be produced by too much earwax.
It seems logical that excessive wax could make it tough to hear and cause itchiness or even inner ear infections, but how can earwax produce a sound? If it is pressing against your eardrum, it can actually restrict the eardrum’s ability to function, which is what produces the buzzing or ringing.
Persistent buzzing or ringing is an indication that you are coping with tinnitus. And the sounds generated by earwax are actually a form of tinnitus. Tinnitus itself is usually a symptom of something else going on with your health and isn’t itself a disease or disorder. Your tinnitus may be caused by simple earwax build up but it can also be linked to more severe issues such as 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 rumbling in my ears?
This next symptom is less prevalent 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. That rumble is the sound of little muscles inside of your ears contracting in order to dampen sounds you make. They turn down the volume on yawning, chewing, and even your own voice.
Those sounds occur so close to your ears and so often that the level of noise would be damaging without these muscles. In very rare cases, some individuals can control one of these muscles, the tensor tympani, and generate that rumble at will. In other circumstances, a condition known as tonic tensor tympani syndrome (TTTS) will cause individuals to suffer from tensor tympani muscle spasms. Individuals suffering from tinnitus or hyperacusis, which is a sensitivity to specific frequencies of sound, commonly experience TTTS.
What about a fluttering noise?
Have you ever felt a flutter in your arms or legs after exercising? Those flutters are typically caused by a muscle spasm, and it’s the same as the fluttering you hear in your ears. Middle ear myoclonus, also called MEM tinnitus, is a condition that impacts the above mentioned tensor tympani muscle and the stapedius muscle in your middle ear. Usually, this condition is initially managed with muscle relaxers and anticonvulsants, since it’s a muscle disorder. If medications aren’t helpful, inner ear surgery can have varying degrees of success.
I hear a thumping or pulsing in my ears
If you occasionally feel like you’re hearing your heartbeat thump inside your ears, you’re probably right. Some of the body’s biggest veins run really 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 pick up the sound of your pulse.
Most forms of tinnitus can’t be heard by others but that isn’t the situation with pulsatile tinnitus. Pulsatile tinnitus is easy for us to diagnose since we can listen in on your ears and hear the thumping and pulsing too. While it’s totally normal to experience pulsatile tinnitus when your heart’s pounding, it should not be something you need to live with on a daily basis.
If you do experience this thumping or pulsing daily, it’s probably a smart move to come in and see us. If it continues, pulsatile tinnitus might 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 point to a heart condition. But after a good scare or workout, your hearing should go back to normal when your heart rate returns to normal.
Why does my ear keep clicking?
The pressure in your ears is kept in balance, as previously discussed, by the eustachian tubes. 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. Clicking can also take place when you swallow for similar reasons. This is a result of the opening and closing of the eustachian tubes. A clicking can sometimes be heard when mucus drains from the head. In some rare instances, persistent clicking could be a sign of a fracture in one of the tiny bones in your ear.
Is ear popping a symptom of infection?
Sometimes, an ear infection produces the feeling that your ears are full and the inflammation can make your ears pop. If your ears are popping, it could be an indication of severe infection. If you are dealing with any other symptoms, such as pain in the ear, abrupt hearing loss, or fever, you need to schedule an appointment immediately. Sometimes, your ears will pop after an infection or cold as your head clears of mucus.
How can 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 learn what treatments are best for your situation.
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References
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24289817/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23571302/
