A certain brand of freshly prepared puffed rice cereal may conjure up unpleasant memories of crackling in your ears.
But how to stop crackling in ears? When your ears are crackling, a proper diagnosis and course of treatment are crucial.
We discuss the causes, methods of treatment, and indications for seeking medical attention.
Table of Contents
What Can Cause Crackling in Your Ear?
The causes of a crackling sound in the ears can range widely.
Eustachian Tube Dysfunction
Your middle ear is joined to your upper throat and back of your nose by a tiny, narrow tube called the eustachian tube. Each of your ears has one.
Eustachian tubes have several functions, including:
- Keeping the pressure in your middle ear equalized with the pressure in your surrounding environment
- Draining fluid from your middle ear
- Preventing infection in the middle ear
Your eustachian tubes are usually shut. They pop open when you swallow, chew, or yawn. When you pop your ears on a plane, you might have also felt them open.
Your eustachian tubes become dysfunctional when they don’t open or close correctly. Your ear may start to pop or crackle as a result of this.
Other symptoms of this condition may include:
- A feeling of fullness or congestion in your ear
- Ear pain
- Muffled hearing or hearing loss
- Dizziness or vertigo
The dysfunction of the eustachian tube may have a number of causes. They can include:
- An infection such as the common cold or sinusitis
- Allergies
- Enlarged tonsils or adenoids
- Irritants in the air, such as cigarette smoke or pollution
- Cleft palate
- Nasal polyps
- Nasal tumors
Each of these potential causes has the potential to damage or physically block the eustachian tubes, preventing them from performing as they should.
Acute Otitis Media
An infection of the middle ear is acute otitis media. Children are more likely to experience it than adults.
Acute otitis media can be caused by dysfunction of the eustachian tube. Fluid can build up in the middle ear and become infected when the tubes are constricted or blocked.
Due to congested or blocked eustachian tubes, people with acute otitis media may experience ear crackling. Other common symptoms in adults include:
- Ear pain
- Fluid draining from the ear
- Difficulty hearing
Children may experience additional symptoms like:
- Fever
- Headache
- Irritability or crying more than usual
- Trouble sleeping
- Low appetite
Earwax Buildup
Your ear canal is lubricated and kept free of infection by earwax. The portion of your outer ear canal that is closest to the opening of your ear is where the glands that produce it are located.
Normally, earwax will naturally exit your ear. It might, however, occasionally become lodged there and obstruct your ear canal. This may occur if you use an object like a cotton swab to probe the earwax deeper inside your ear.
A buildup may also result from your ears producing more earwax than is necessary on occasion.
Some symptoms of earwax buildup can include popping or crackling sounds in your ear as well as:
- Ears that feel plugged or full
- Ear discomfort or pain
- Itching
- Partial hearing loss
Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Disorders
Jawbone and skull are joined by the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). One is just in front of your ears and is on each side of your head.
The joint is capable of sliding motions in addition to acting as a hinge. Between the two bones, there is a disc of cartilage that aids in maintaining the smooth motion of the joint.
TMJ disorders can be brought on by joint damage, injury, or cartilage erosive processes.
When you open your mouth or chew, especially, you might hear or feel popping or clicking very close to your ear if you have a TMJ disorder.
Other possible symptoms of a TMJ disorder include:
- Pain, which can occur in the jaw, ear, or at the TMJ
- Stiffness in the muscles of the jaw
- Having a limited range of jaw movement
- Locking of the jaw
Middle Ear Myoclonus (MEM)
Tinnitus of the middle ear (MEM) is a rare condition. It occurs as a result of the stapedius or tensor tympani, two particular ear muscles, spasming.
These muscles assist in transferring vibrations from the middle ear’s bones and eardrum to the inner ear.
MEM’s exact cause is unknown. It could be caused by a congenital disorder, an acoustic injury, or other tremors or spasms like hemifacial spasms.
A crackling or buzzing sound can result from the stapedius muscle spasm. A clicking sound might be audible when the tensor tympani muscle spasms.
These noises can differ from person to person in terms of loudness or pitch. These sounds’ other characteristics can also change. For example, they may:
- Be rhythmic or irregular
- Occur continuously, or come and go
- Happen in one or both ears
What Are the Treatment Options?
What’s causing your ears to crackle will determine how to treat it. Some examples of treatments your doctor may prescribe include:
- To treat an ear infection with antibiotics.
- If earwax is causing a blockage, it should be removed by a professional.
- the insertion of ear tubes into your eardrums to aid in fluid drainage and to help equalize pressure in your middle ear.
- Eustachian tube balloon dilation is a procedure that helps to open the eustachian tubes by using a small balloon catheter.
- prescription drugs such as tricyclic antidepressants or muscle relaxants to treat the pain brought on by TMJ conditions.
- TMJ surgery is used to treat symptoms when less invasive treatments are ineffective.
When to See a Doctor?
Unless you also experience ear pain or a fever, crackling in the ears is typically not dangerous. Only if the noise bothers you or continues for an extended period of time should you seek medical advice.
If you also experience discomfort, pressure, headaches, or a fever, you should seek medical attention. Any one of these could be a symptom of more serious issues, like ear infections. Hearing loss may become permanent if ear infections are not treated. Always err on the side of caution.
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FAQs
Why is My Ear Making Crackling Noises?
The eustachian tube, which is a tiny tube in your ear, is the cause of these sounds. These mucus-lined passageways open, allowing fluid to circulate and balancing the pressure inside your ears, which causes the crackling.
How to Stop Bubbling in Ear?
You can sometimes unclog your ears and help equalize the pressure in your middle ear by simply swallowing, yawning, or chewing.
How Long Does Crackling in Ear Last?
It’s unpleasant to experience ear crackling. This condition can typically be fixed within days or weeks after having the common cold, but it might also signify other issues such as an ear infection and/or fluid buildup from allergies that would entail medical attention.
Is Crackling in Ear Good?
Crackling in the ears is not usually harmful if it only happens occasionally. However, individuals with persistent or severe symptoms ought to consult a doctor for a diagnosis. Impacted earwax, Eustachian tube dysfunction, myoclonus, and TMJ issues are among the underlying conditions that could be to blame.
Final Words on Ear Crackling
It’s unusual to experience crackling in your ears on a daily basis, so you might be wondering where that comes from. The sound itself is often compared to a “Rice Krispies” style noise.
The majority of the time, what you’re hearing is air passing over or around obstructions in your eustachian tubes. Congestion, Eustachian tube dysfunction, and uncontrolled changes in air pressure are all potential causes of those obstructions.
You can manage the pressure in your ears with the aid of devices and medications if self-administering these techniques doesn’t work.
The severity of your symptoms and the underlying cause of your barotrauma will determine whether these treatments are appropriate for you.
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