Crackling in your ear? Crackling, Buzzing, “static” or whooshing sounds in your ear can all be indications of a disorder called tinnitus. Here is some essential facts.
Where is that crackling, ringing, or buzzing sound coming from? If you use hearing aids, it can mean that they need to be adjusted or aren’t fitted correctly. But if you don’t have hearing aids it might be tinnitus.
Although we typically 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 are some of the more prevalent sounds you may hear in your ears, and what they could reveal 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 certain. 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. A tiny part of your ear named the eustachian tube is the source of these noises. 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 an automatic process, but occasionally, like if you have congestion from allergies, a cold, or an ear infection, your eustachian tubes can literally 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 serious cases where decongestant sprays, chicken soup, or antibiotics don’t provide relief, a blockage may require medical intervention such as surgery.
What Does it Mean When I Hear Vibrations in My Ear?
Sometimes tinnitus manifests as a vibration in the ears. Tinnitus is the medical term for a condition that causes people to hear noises that have no outside cause, such as vibrations, inside of the ear. Most people will refer to it as a ringing in the ears and it manifests across the spectrum, from hardly there to debilitating.
What Should I do About Sounds in my Ear
If you have hearing aids, again, checking those is the first step. You might hear these kinds of sounds for numerous reasons: your batteries need to be recharged, the hearing aids aren’t correctly seated 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 kind of sound, it might also be because of excess earwax.
Dull hearing, itchy ears, and ear infections can often be caused by excessive earwax but how could it be responsible for tinnitus noises? If it’s touching your eardrum, it can actually hinder the eardrum’s ability to function, which is what causes the ringing or buzzing. Luckily, dealing with earwax is frequently pretty straightforward.
Reach out to us if you have odd sounds in your ears. If your hearing aids aren’t working properly we can help with that.