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 some essential information.
Where is that crackling, buzzing, or ringing sound coming from? If you have hearing aids, it can mean that they need to be adjusted or aren’t fitted correctly. For everyone else, tinnitus may be the answer.
There’s a lot more to the ear than what you see on the outside. Here’s what it may mean when some of these more common noises are playing in your ears.
I’m Hearing a Snap, Crackle, And Pop in my Ears But What’s The Cause?
It’s not Rice Krispies that’s for sure. 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 called the eustachian tube is the source of these noises. When these mucus lined passages open up to neutralize the air pressure, fluid, and air circulate causing these noises to manifest.
It’s a natural process, but occasionally, like if you have inflammation from allergies, a cold, or an ear infection, your eustachian tubes can literally get gummed up from an excess of mucus in your system (remember, your ears, nose, and throat or all connected). In serious cases where decongestant sprays, chicken soup, or antibiotics don’t provide relief, a blockage might call for medical treatment like surgery.
What Does it Mean When I Hear Vibrations in My Ear?
Vibrations in the ear are often a telling sign of tinnitus. Tinnitus is the technical name for a condition that causes people to hear sounds that have no outside cause, such as vibrations, inside of the ear. It’s generally characterized as a ringing in the ears and can, in some instances, be minimal, and in others, debilitating.
Is There Anything That Can be Done?
If you use hearing aids, again, checking those is the first task. You might hear these types of sounds for a number of reasons: your batteries are running low, the hearing aids aren’t correctly positioned in your ears, the volume is too high, or your hair is rubbing up against it. But if you don’t have hearing aids and you’re hearing this kind of sound, it might also be caused by accumulated earwax.
It makes sense that excessive wax could make it difficult to hear and cause itchiness or even inner ear infections, but how can earwax create a sound? The buzzing or ringing can be caused by earwax pushing against your eardrum and hindering its function. The good thing is, earwax problems are easily fixed.
Reach out to us if you have unusual noises in your ears. If your hearing aids are not working correctly we can help with that.
