Crackling in your ear? Crackling, Buzzing, “static” or whooshing noises in your ear can all be indications of a condition known as tinnitus. Here is some important information.
Ever hear crackling, thumping, and buzzing noises that seem to come from nowhere? If you have hearing aids, it can mean that they need to be adjusted or aren’t fitted correctly. For everyone else, tinnitus may be the answer.
There’s a lot more to the ear than what you see on the outside. Here are a few of the more common noises you might hear inside your ears, and what they could indicate is happening.
I’m Hearing a Snap, Crackle, And Pop in my Ears But What’s The Cause?
It’s not Rice Krispies that’s for sure. When the pressure in your ears changes – whether from a change in altitude, going underwater, or just yawning – you may hear crackling or popping noises. A small part of your ear known as the eustachian tube is the source of these noises. When these mucus lined passages open up to neutralize the air pressure, fluid, and air move causing these noises to occur.
It’s an automatic process, but in some cases, like if you have congestion from allergies, a cold, or an ear infection, your eustachian tubes can literally get gummed up from an excess of mucus in your system (remember, your ears, nose, and throat or all connected). Medical help, like surgery, is occasionally necessary in severe cases where nothing else has helped clear the blockage.
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 external 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.
Is There Anything That Can be Done?
If you use hearing aids, once again, checking those is the first task. There may be several 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. If you don’t use hearing aids, excessive earwax might be the problem.
Dull hearing, irritated ears, and ear infections can frequently be caused by excessive earwax but how could it be responsible for tinnitus noises? The ringing or buzzing can be caused by earwax pushing against your eardrum and hindering its function. Fortunately, dealing with earwax is usually pretty straightforward.
If you’re hearing odd noises, give us a call. We can check your hearing aid to make sure it’s functioning properly.