Are you hearing crackling in your ear? A disorder known as tinnitus can produce numerous different noises in your ears including buzzing, ringing, whooshing, and crackling. Here is what you should know.
Where is that crackling, buzzing, or ringing sound coming from? In the case of someone who has hearing aids, it might mean they need to be adjusted and fitted. For everyone else, tinnitus might be the answer.
Although we usually think of our ears in terms of 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 prevalent sounds are playing in your ears.
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’s not uncommon to hear a popping or crackling sound when there’s a change in pressure in your ear. This can happen because you had a change in altitude, went underwater, or simply yawned. These noises are caused by a tiny part of your ear called the eustachian tube. When these mucus lined passages open up to neutralize the air pressure, fluid, and air circulate causing these noises to manifest.
It’s a natural process, but in some cases, like if you’re dealing with congestion from allergies, a cold, or an ear infection, your eustachian tubes can literally get clogged up from the overabundance of mucus in your system (remember, your ears, nose, and throat or all connected). Medical assistance, like surgery, is occasionally called for in severe 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 telltale sign of tinnitus. Technically, tinnitus is the medical term for when somebody hears unusual sounds, such as vibrations, in their ears that don’t come from any external sources. It’s commonly characterized as a ringing in the ears and can, in some instances, be mild, and in others, debilitating.
What Should I do About Sounds in my Ear
If you use hearing aids, again, checking those is the first task. You might hear these types of sounds for several reasons: your batteries need to be recharged, the hearing aids aren’t properly seated in your ears, the volume is too high, or your hair is brushing up against it. If you don’t have hearing aids, accumulated earwax may be the issue.
Dull hearing, irritated ears, and ear infections can often be caused by too much earwax but how could it be responsible for tinnitus sounds? The buzzing or ringing can be caused by earwax pushing against your eardrum and impeding its function. Fortunately, earwax problems are easily fixed.
Reach out to us if you have odd noises in your ears. If your hearing aids aren’t functioning properly we can help with that.