Crackling in your ear? Crackling, Buzzing, “static” or whooshing sounds in your ear can all be signs of a disorder called tinnitus. Here is some essential information.
Do you ever hear crackling, buzzing, or thumping noises that seem to come from nowhere? If you use hearing aids, it can mean that they require adjustment or aren’t properly fitted. For everyone else, tinnitus might be the answer.
Even though we usually think of 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 prevalent noises you may hear in your ears, and what they may reveal is happening.
I’m Hearing a Snap, Crackle, And Pop in my Ears But What’s The Cause?
It’s not Rice Krispies that’s for sure. It isn’t uncommon to hear a crackling or popping sound when the pressure in your ear changes. This can be because you had a change in altitude, went underwater, or just yawned. These noises are caused by a tiny part of your ear called the eustachian tube. When these mucus lined passages open up to neutralize the air pressure, fluid, and air circulate causing these noises to occur.
Occasionally, such as when you’re dealing with allergies, a cold, or an ear infection, an overabundance of mucus in your system can gum up the eustachian tubes and interfere with what is normally an automatic process (don’t forget, your ears, nose, and throat or all connected). Medical assistance, like surgery, is occasionally necessary in extreme cases where nothing else has helped clear the blockage.
I’m Hearing Vibration in my Ears – What Does That Mean?
Vibrations in the ear are often a telling sign of tinnitus. Tinnitus is the medical name for a condition that causes people to hear noises that have no outside cause, like vibrations, inside of the ear. Most people will refer to it as a ringing in the ears and it manifests across the spectrum, from barely there to debilitating.
Is There Anything I Can do?
If you have hearing aids, again, checking those is the first task. You might hear these types of sounds for a number of reasons: your batteries need to be recharged, the hearing aids aren’t properly seated in your ears, the volume is too loud, or your hair is rubbing up against it. But if you don’t use hearing aids and you’re hearing this type of sound, it might also be because of excess earwax.
Dull hearing, irritated ears, and ear infections can frequently be caused by too much earwax but how could it be responsible for tinnitus sounds? If it’s touching your eardrum, it can actually restrict the eardrum’s ability to function, which is what causes the buzzing or ringing. Fortunately, earwax issues are easily fixed.
If you’re hearing unusual noises, call us. We can examine your hearing aid to make certain it’s working correctly.