Crackling in your ear? Crackling, Buzzing, “static” or whooshing noises in your ear can all be indications of a disorder called tinnitus. Here is some essential information.
Where is that crackling, ringing, or buzzing noise coming from? If you use hearing aids, it can mean that they require adjustment 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’s what it may mean when some of these more prevalent noises are playing in your ears.
What’s Causing The Snap, Crackle, And Pop in My Ear?
We can tell you one thing – it’s not Rice Krispies. It’s not unusual to hear a crackling or popping sound when there’s a change in pressure in your ear. This can happen because you had a change in altitude, went underwater, or just yawned. These sounds are caused by a small part of your ear known as the eustachian tube. When these mucus lined passages open up to equalize the air pressure, fluid, and air move causing these noises to manifest.
It’s a natural process, but in some cases, like if you have congestion from allergies, a cold, or an ear infection, your eustachian tubes can actually 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 severe cases where decongestant sprays, chicken soup, or antibiotics don’t provide relief, a blockage might call for medical intervention like surgery.
What Does it Mean When I Hear Vibrations in My Ear?
Sometimes tinnitus manifests as a vibration in the ears. Technically, tinnitus is the scientific term for when somebody hears abnormal noises, like vibrations, in their ears that do not come from any external sources. Most people will refer to it as a ringing in the ears and it manifests across the spectrum, from hardly there to debilitating.
Is There Anything That Can be Done?
If you use hearing aids, once again, checking those is the first task. There might be numerous reasons that you would hear these sounds: your batteries are running low, the hearing aids aren’t properly positioned in your ears, the volume is too high, or your hair is rubbing up against it. If you don’t have hearing aids, accumulated earwax may be the issue.
It makes sense that excessive wax could make it difficult to hear and cause irritation or even inner ear infections, but how can earwax make a sound? If it is pushing against your eardrum, it can actually inhibit the eardrum’s ability to function, which is what causes the ringing or buzzing. The good news is, earwax issues are easily fixed.
If you’re hearing unusual noises, contact us. If your hearing aids are not working properly we can help with that.
