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 sounds that seem to come from nowhere? If this is happening with hearing aids, it could mean you need to come in and get an adjustment. But those sounds 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 think of our ears with respect to what we see externally, there’s more than meets the eye – or in this instance, the ear. You may hear some of these common tinnitus noises and here are some signs of what they might be telling you about your hearing. Though the majority are harmless (and temporary), it’s a smart plan to see us if any of these noises are persistent, cause pain, or are otherwise impeding your quality of life.
What’s causing the snap, crackle, and pop in my ear?
We can tell you one thing, it’s not the Rice Krispies. When the pressure inside of your ears changes, whether from going underwater, altitude, or just yawning, you could hear popping or crackling 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 an excess of mucus inside of these passages, often due to a cold, allergies, or an ear infection, they can become clogged and the normally automatic process will get disrupted. There could be situations where a surgical procedure is required in more serious cases where decongestant sprays, chicken noodle soup, or antibiotics don’t do the trick. If you’re experiencing persistent ear pain or pressure and haven’t been able to find any relief, you should make an appointment with us to get diagnosed.
What does it mean when I hear vibrations in my ear?
Vibrations in the ear are sometimes a telltale sign of tinnitus. The term tinnitus relates to a condition where sounds are heard in the ears but those noises 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 there to debilitating.
Is the buzzing and ringing in my ear tinnitus?
There are also several reasons why you may hear these sounds if you use hearing aids: your batteries may be running low, you need to adjust the volume, or maybe 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 noise, it could also be due to accumulated 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’s touching your eardrum, it can actually hinder the eardrum’s ability to function, which is what triggers the buzzing or ringing.
And yes, significant, chronic ringing or buzzing is indicative of tinnitus. Even ringing from too much earwax counts as a type of tinnitus. Bear in mind that tinnitus isn’t itself a disease or disorder, instead, it’s a symptom of something else happening with your health. While it could be as simple as earwax accumulation, tinnitus is also related to conditions like anxiety and depression. Diagnosing and treating the root health problem can help alleviate tinnitus, so you should speak with us to learn more about ways to decrease your symptoms.
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, you will hear a low rumbling when you yawn. That rumble is the sound of tiny muscles inside of your ears contracting in order to dampen sounds you make. Some of these sounds include your own voice, chewing, and yawning.
These sounds take place so often, and are so near to your ears, without these muscles your ears could be damaged. One of these muscles, known as the tensor tympani can, in extremely unusual situations, be purposely controlled to produce this rumbling. In other circumstances, individuals suffer from tympani muscle spasms caused by tonic tensor tympani syndrome, or TTTS. Studies have revealed that TTTS occurs frequently in people with tinnitus and those suffering from hyperacusis, which is a sensitivity to particular sound volumes and wavelengths.
What about a fluttering noise?
After you workout, have you ever felt a flutter in your legs and arms. Those flutters are normally the result of a muscle spasm, and it’s the same as 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. Usually, this condition is initially controlled with muscle relaxers and anticonvulsants, since it’s a muscle condition. Inner ear surgery to correct the condition is an alternative if the medications aren’t working, but success varies from procedure to procedure.
Why are my ears drumming, pumping, and pulsing so much?
If you sometimes feel like you’re hearing your heartbeat thump inside your ears, you’re probably right. Some of the body’s largest veins run really close to your ears, and if your heart rate is up – whether from a hard workout, big job interview, or a medical condition like high blood pressure – your ears will pick up the sound of your heartbeat.
Most kinds of tinnitus can’t be heard by others but that’s not the situation 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 pounding, it’s not abnormal to hear your own pulse, but if you’re hearing this thumping at other times that’s not normal.
It’s a smart idea to come see us if you’re hearing this pulsing on a daily basis. If it continues, pulsatile tinnitus might be an indication of high blood pressure or other health conditions. It’s essential to tell us about your heart health history as pulsatile tinnitus can point to a heart condition. But if you just had a hard workout (or a good scare), you should stop hearing the pulsing or pumping as soon as your heart rate returns to normal.
Why does my ear keep clicking?
The pressure in your ears is kept in balance, as previously stated, by the eustachian tubes. If you have a muscle spasm in the muscles that are close to the Eustachian tube, like for instance in the roof of your mouth, it can trigger a repeated clicking sound. For a similar reason, you may hear clicking when you swallow. This is caused by the opening and closing of the eustachian tubes. A clicking can sometimes be heard when mucus drains from the head. In some rare cases, persistent clicking could be an indication of a fracture in one of the fragile bones in your ear.
Is ear popping a symptom of infection?
Sometimes, an ear infection creates the feeling that your ears are clogged and the swelling can cause your ears to pop. If your ears are popping, it could be a sign of severe infection. If you are dealing with any other symptoms, like pain in the ear, abrupt hearing loss, or fever, you need to schedule a consultation immediately. Sometimes, your ears will pop after an infection or cold as your head clears 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/
