Are you hearing crackling in your ear? Buzzing, crackling, “static” or whooshing noises in your ear can all be signs of a condition known as tinnitus. Here is what you need to know.
Ever hear crackling, buzzing, or thumping sounds that seem to come from nowhere? If you use hearing aids, it can mean that they need to be adjusted or aren’t fitted correctly. But if you don’t use hearing aids it could be tinnitus.
There’s much more to the ear than what you see on the outside. Here are some of the more prevalent noises you might hear inside your ears, and what they may indicate is happening.
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 unusual to hear a popping or crackling sound when there’s a change in pressure in your ear. This can be because you had a change in altitude, went underwater, or just 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 neutralize the pressure in your ears.
Sometimes, like when you have allergies, a cold, or an ear infection, an excess of mucus in your system can gum up the eustachian tubes and impede what is ordinarily an automatic process (don’t forget, that there’s a connection between your ears, throat, and nose). Medical help, like surgery, is sometimes called for in severe cases where nothing else has helped clear the blockage.
I’m Hearing Vibration in my Ears – What Does That Mean?
Sometimes tinnitus manifests as a vibration in the ears. Tinnitus is the medical name for a disorder that causes people to hear noises that have no external cause, such as vibrations, inside of the ear. It’s generally characterized as a ringing in the ears and can, in some cases, be minimal, and in others, debilitating.
Is There Anything That Can be Done?
Again, if you use hearing aids, you should first check those. There may be several reasons that you would hear these noises: your batteries are running low, the hearing aids aren’t correctly seated in your ears, the volume is too loud, or your hair is rubbing up against it. If you don’t have hearing aids, accumulated earwax might be the issue.
Dull hearing, irritated ears, and ear infections can often be caused by excessive earwax but how could it be responsible for tinnitus noises? The buzzing or ringing can be caused by earwax pushing against your eardrum and impeding its function. The good news is, earwax issues are easily fixed.
If you’re hearing unusual sounds, call us. We can check your hearing aid to make certain it’s functioning correctly.