Are you hearing crackling in your ear? A disorder called tinnitus can bring about many different sounds in your ears including whooshing, buzzing, ringing, and crackling. Here is some important information.
Where is that crackling, ringing, or buzzing noise coming from? If you have hearing aids, it can mean that they require adjustment or aren’t properly fitted. 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 some of the more common sounds you may hear inside your ears, and what they may reveal is happening.
What’s The Cause of The Snap, Crackle, And Pop in My Ear?
We can tell you one thing – it’s not Rice Krispies. It’s not uncommon to hear a crackling or popping sound when the pressure in your ear changes. This can happen because you had an altitude change, went underwater, or simply yawned. 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 sounds to manifest.
Sometimes, like when you have allergies, a cold, or an ear infection, an excess of mucus in your system can clog up the eustachian tubes and impede what is normally an automatic process (keep in mind, your ears, nose, and throat or all connected). In severe cases where decongestant sprays, chicken soup, or antibiotics don’t provide relief, a blockage could call for medical treatment such as surgery.
What Does it Mean When I Hear Vibrations in My Ear?
Sometimes tinnitus manifests as a vibration in the ears. Technically speaking, tinnitus is the scientific term for when somebody hears abnormal noises, like vibrations, in their ears that don’t come from any outside sources. Most people 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?
Again, if you have hearing aids, you should first check those. There may be numerous reasons that you would hear these sounds: the hearing aids aren’t sitting properly within your ears, the volume is too loud, your hair is brushing against them, or your batteries are running low. But if you don’t use hearing aids and you’re hearing this kind of noise, it may also be the result of excess earwax.
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 hindering its function. The good news is, earwax problems are easily fixed.
If you’re hearing odd noises, give us a call. We can examine your hearing aid to make sure it’s working correctly.