Are you hearing crackling in your ear? Buzzing, crackling, “static” or whooshing sounds in your ear can all be indications of a disorder called tinnitus. Here is what you should know.
Where is that crackling, buzzing, or ringing noise coming from? If you have hearing aids, it can mean that they need to be adjusted or aren’t fitted correctly. But if you don’t have hearing aids it may be tinnitus.
There’s a lot more to the ear than what you see on the outside. Here’s what it could 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 a change in altitude, 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 equalize the air pressure, fluid, and air circulate causing these noises to occur.
Occasionally, like when you’re dealing with 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 (don’t forget, that there’s a connection between your ears, throat, and nose). Medical assistance, like surgery, is occasionally called for in severe 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. Technically speaking, tinnitus is the scientific term for when somebody hears abnormal sounds, such as vibrations, in their ears that do not come from any external sources. It’s generally characterized as a ringing in the ears and can, in some cases, be mild, and in others, debilitating.
Is There Anything That Can be Done?
If you use hearing aids, once again, checking those is the first step. You might hear these kinds of sounds for a number of reasons: the hearing aids aren’t sitting correctly inside of your ears, the volume is too high, your hair is rubbing against them, or your batteries are running low. If you don’t have hearing aids, accumulated earwax may be the issue.
Dull hearing, itchy ears, and ear infections can often be caused by too much earwax but how could it be responsible for tinnitus sounds? The ringing or buzzing can be caused by earwax touching your eardrum and hindering its function. Luckily, dealing with earwax is frequently pretty simple.
If you’re hearing odd sounds, give us a call. If your hearing aids are not working properly we can help with that.