Crackling in your ear? A disorder called tinnitus can produce numerous different sounds in your ears including whooshing, buzzing, ringing, and crackling. Here is what you should know.
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 fitted correctly. For everybody else, tinnitus may be the answer.
There’s a lot more to the ear than what you see on the outside. Here’s what it may mean when some of these more prevalent noises are playing in your ears.
What’s Causing The Snap, Crackle, And Pop in My Ear?
We can tell you one thing – it’s not Rice Krispies. It isn’t 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. These sounds are caused by a tiny part of your ear called the eustachian tube. The crackling is caused by mucus-lined passageways opening up, permitting air and fluid to move and equalize the pressure in your ears.
It’s a natural process, but in some cases, like if you have inflammation from allergies, a cold, or an ear infection, your eustachian tubes can actually get gummed up from the overabundance of mucus in your system (don’t forget, that there’s a connection between your ears, throat, and nose). In severe cases where decongestant sprays, chicken soup, or antibiotics don’t provide relief, a blockage may call for medical treatment like surgery.
What Does it Mean When I Hear Vibrations in My Ear?
Sometimes tinnitus is experienced as a vibration in the ears. Tinnitus is the medical name for a condition that causes people to hear sounds that have no outside cause, like vibrations, inside of the ear. 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 Sounds in my Ear
If you have hearing aids, once again, checking those is the first step. There might be a number of reasons that you would hear these noises: the hearing aids aren’t sitting correctly inside of your ears, the volume is too high, your hair is rubbing against them, or your batteries need to be charged. But if you don’t use hearing aids and you’re hearing this kind of sound, it could also be because of excess earwax.
It makes sense that excessive wax could make it difficult to hear and cause irritation or even inner ear infections, but how can earwax create a sound? If it is touching your eardrum, it can actually hinder the eardrum’s ability to function, which is what causes the ringing or buzzing. The good news is, earwax issues are easily fixed.
If you’re hearing unusual noises, give us a call. We can examine your hearing aid to make sure it’s working correctly.