Are you hearing crackling in your ear? Crackling, Buzzing, “static” or whooshing noises in your ear can all be indications of a condition called tinnitus. Here is what you should know.
Ever hear crackling, buzzing, or thumping noises that seem to come from nowhere? If you have hearing aids, it can mean that they require adjustment or aren’t properly fitted. But if you don’t have hearing aids it might be tinnitus.
There’s a lot more to the ear than what you see on the outside. Here are some of the more common noises you may hear inside your ears, and what they may reveal is going on.
I’m Hearing a Snap, Crackle, And Pop in my Ears But What’s The Cause?
We can tell you one thing – it’s not Rice Krispies. When the pressure in your ears changes – whether from an altitude change, going underwater, or just yawning – you might hear crackling or popping noises. A tiny 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 sounds to manifest.
Occasionally, 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, your ears, nose, and throat or all connected). In serious cases where decongestant sprays, chicken soup, or antibiotics don’t provide relief, a blockage could call for medical treatment such as surgery.
I’m Hearing Vibration in my Ears – What Does That Mean?
Vibrations in the ear are sometimes a telltale sign of tinnitus. 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 people 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 Noises in my Ear
If you have hearing aids, again, checking those is the first task. There may be several reasons that you would hear these sounds: your batteries are running low, the hearing aids aren’t correctly seated in your ears, the volume is too high, or your hair is rubbing up against it. But if you don’t use hearing aids and you’re hearing this type of sound, it could also be caused by accumulated earwax.
It makes sense that excessive wax could make it hard to hear and cause itchiness or even inner ear infections, but how can earwax make a sound? The buzzing or ringing can be caused by earwax touching your eardrum and hindering its function. The good news is, earwax issues are easily fixed.
Reach out to us if you have unusual sounds in your ears. We can examine your hearing aid to make certain it’s functioning correctly.