Crackling in your ear? A condition known as tinnitus can produce numerous different noises in your ears including whooshing, buzzing, ringing, and crackling. Here is what you need to know.
Do you ever hear crackling, thumping, and buzzing noises that seem to come from nowhere? If you use hearing aids, it can mean that they need to be adjusted or aren’t properly fitted. For everybody else, tinnitus might 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 instance, the ear. Here’s what it could mean when some of these more common 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 uncommon to hear a popping or crackling sound when the pressure in your ear changes. This can be because you had an altitude change, went underwater, or simply yawned. These sounds are caused by a small part of your ear called the eustachian tube. The crackling is caused by mucus-lined passageways opening up, allowing air and fluid to disperse and neutralize the pressure in your ears.
Sometimes, like when you’re dealing with allergies, a cold, or an ear infection, an excess of mucus in your system can gum up the eustachian tubes and impede what is usually an automatic process (don’t forget, that there’s a connection between your ears, throat, and nose). Medical help, 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 sometimes a telling indication of tinnitus. Tinnitus is the medical term for a disorder that causes people to hear sounds that have no external cause, like vibrations, inside of the ear. It’s typically described as a ringing in the ears and can, in some cases, be minimal, and in others, debilitating.
What Should I do About Noises in my Ear
If you have hearing aids, once again, checking those is the first task. You may hear these kinds of sounds for several reasons: 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 brushing up against it. But if you don’t use hearing aids and you’re hearing this type of sound, it could also be the result of excess earwax.
Dull hearing, itchy ears, and ear infections can frequently be caused by excessive earwax but how could it be responsible for tinnitus noises? If it is pushing against your eardrum, it can actually hinder the eardrum’s ability to function, which is what causes the buzzing or ringing. The good news is, earwax problems are easily fixed.
If you’re hearing unusual sounds, contact us. We can examine your hearing aid to make certain it’s functioning correctly.