Are you hearing crackling in your ear? Crackling, Buzzing, “static” or whooshing noises in your ear can all be signs of a condition called tinnitus. Here is what you should know.
Ever hear crackling, thumping, and buzzing sounds that seem to come from nowhere? If you have hearing aids, it can mean that they require adjustment or aren’t properly fitted. But if you don’t use hearing aids it might be tinnitus.
Although we typically 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’s what it may mean when some of these more prevalent noises are playing in your ears.
I’m Hearing a Snap, Crackle, And Pop in my Ears But What’s The Cause?
We can tell you this – it’s not Rice Krispies. It’s not unusual 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 simply yawned. A small part of your ear called the eustachian tube is the source of these noises. The crackling is caused by mucus-lined passageways opening up, permitting air and fluid to circulate and equalize the pressure in your ears.
It’s an automatic process, but sometimes, like if you’re dealing with inflammation from allergies, a cold, or an ear infection, your eustachian tubes can actually get clogged up from an excess of mucus in your system (don’t forget, your ears, nose, and throat or all connected). In serious cases where decongestant sprays, chicken soup, or antibiotics don’t provide relief, a blockage could require medical treatment such as surgery.
I’m Hearing Vibration in my Ears – What Does That Mean?
Vibrations in the ear are sometimes a telling sign of tinnitus. Technically speaking, tinnitus is the medical term for when someone hears abnormal noises, such as 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.
What Should I do About Noises in my Ear
If you have hearing aids, again, checking those is the first task. There might be a number of 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. If you don’t have hearing aids, excessive earwax might be the problem.
It seems logical that excessive wax could make it difficult to hear and cause itchiness or even inner ear infections, but how can earwax cause a noise? The ringing or buzzing can be caused by earwax touching your eardrum and hindering its function. Fortunately, dealing with earwax is usually pretty straightforward.
Reach out to us if you have unusual sounds in your ears. If your hearing aids are not functioning correctly we can help with that.