Are you hearing crackling in your ear? A disorder called tinnitus can produce many different sounds in your ears including buzzing, ringing, whooshing, and crackling. Here is what you should know.
Ever hear crackling, thumping, and buzzing sounds that seem to come out of nowhere? If you have hearing aids, it can mean that they need to be adjusted or aren’t fitted correctly. For everyone else, tinnitus may be the answer.
Although we usually think of our ears with regards to 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 inside your ears, and what they could indicate is going on.
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. When the pressure in your ears changes – whether from a change in altitude, going underwater, or just yawning – you might hear crackling or popping sounds. These sounds are caused by a tiny part of your ear known as the eustachian tube. When these mucus lined passages open up to neutralize the air pressure, fluid, and air move causing these noises to occur.
It’s an automatic process, but sometimes, like if you have congestion from allergies, a cold, or an ear infection, your eustachian tubes can actually get gummed up from an excess of mucus in your system (don’t forget, that there’s a connection between your ears, throat, and nose). In extreme cases where decongestant sprays, chicken soup, or antibiotics don’t provide relief, a blockage could call for medical treatment such as surgery.
What Does it Mean When I Hear Vibrations in My Ear?
Sometimes tinnitus manifests as a vibration in the ears. Technically speaking, tinnitus is the medical term for when somebody hears abnormal noises, like vibrations, in their ears that do not come from any external sources. Most individuals 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 step. There may be several reasons that you would hear these sounds: your batteries need to be recharged, the hearing aids aren’t properly positioned in your ears, the volume is too high, or your hair is rubbing up against it. But if you don’t use hearing aids and you’re hearing this type of noise, it might also be due to excess earwax.
Dull hearing, itchy ears, and ear infections can frequently be caused by too much earwax but how could it be responsible for tinnitus noises? If it’s touching your eardrum, it can actually restrict the eardrum’s ability to function, which is what causes the ringing or buzzing. Luckily, dealing with earwax is frequently pretty straightforward.
If you’re hearing odd sounds, call us. We can examine your hearing aid to make certain it’s functioning properly.
