Are you hearing crackling in your ear? Buzzing, crackling, “static” or whooshing noises in your ear can all be indications of a condition known as tinnitus. Here is what you should know.
Where is that crackling, buzzing, or ringing noise coming from? In the case of somebody who uses hearing aids, it may mean they need to be adjusted and fitted. For everybody else, tinnitus might be the answer.
There’s much more to the ear than what you see on the outside. Here’s what it could mean when some of these more prevalent noises are playing in your ears.
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 may hear crackling or popping sounds. 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 equalize the air pressure, fluid, and air circulate causing these noises to occur.
It’s an automatic process, but occasionally, like if you’re dealing with inflammation from allergies, a cold, or an ear infection, your eustachian tubes can actually get clogged up from the overabundance of mucus in your system (don’t forget, that there’s a connection between your ears, throat, and nose). Medical help, like surgery, is occasionally necessary in extreme 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 condition that causes people to hear noises that have no external cause, such as vibrations, inside of the ear. It’s typically characterized as a ringing in the ears and can, in some instances, be minimal, and in others, debilitating.
What Should I do About Sounds in my Ear
If you have hearing aids, once again, checking those is the first step. You might hear these kinds of sounds for several reasons: your batteries are running low, the hearing aids aren’t properly seated in your ears, the volume is too high, or your hair is brushing up against it. But if you don’t have hearing aids and you’re hearing this kind of sound, it could also be because of accumulated earwax.
It seems logical that excessive wax could make it hard to hear and cause itchiness or even inner ear infections, but how can earwax create a sound? The ringing or buzzing can be caused by earwax touching your eardrum and impeding its function. Fortunately, earwax issues are easily fixed.
Reach out to us if you have odd sounds in your ears. We can check your hearing aid to make sure it’s working correctly.
