Crackling in Ears: Causes, Treatments, and All You Need to Know

Crackling or popping sounds in the ears can be a cause for concern. Read on to know more about crackling in the ear, the causes, treatment and more.

Sep 13, 2022

All of us have experienced some weird sounds or sensations within our ears at some point in our lives. These sounds can include muffled hearing, hissing, buzzing, or even ringing and crackling within our ears.


Of the above described sounds, the ones we ought to pay the most attention to are the cracklings or popping sounds within our ears. A whole range of factors and determinants can cause this kind of noise within our ear canals. Let us first take a look at some of the more common reasons for crackling in the ears.

Crackling in ear

What Causes Crackling in the Ear

Dysfunction of the Eustachian Tube

Eustachian Tube

The main ways in which the tubes can get blocked is due to the following reasons:

check_circle_outline   Sinus infections
check_circle_outline   Seasonal allergies
check_circle_outline   Some types of cold infections
check_circle_outline   Impacted earwax

Ménière’s disease

check_circle_outline   Hearing loss
check_circle_outline   Dizziness
check_circle_outline   Feeling like the ear is full
Meniere's Disease

Muscle disorders, Temporomandibular joint Disorders

check_circle_outline   Jaw Pain
check_circle_outline   Headaches
check_circle_outline   Jaws feeling Stiff
check_circle_outline   Limited ability to move the jaw

What are the treatment options?

How you will need to treat the crackling sounds you hear in your ears, will depend entirely on the cause of the sound. Here are some treatments that doctors will recommend in some cases.

Antibiotics

To treat any infection in the ears.

Earwax removal

Get it removed with the help of a specialist if there is too much of it.

Ear Tube Placement

Doctors recommend that you get help to equalize the pressure within your middle ear. This will also help drain any unwanted fluids.

Prescription medications

They may recommend getting tricyclic antidepressants or they may also recommend muscle relaxants. This is to get rid of any pain that may be there due to TMJ disorders.

Surgery

Applicable when the regular methods of dealing with the disease do not help.

Hearing Aids

When to decide to visit a doctor?

You should immediately see your doctor for the crackling sounds that you hear if the following things apply to you:

check_circle_outline   The sounds are making it way too difficult for you to conduct daily activities. You should also immediately get help if the sounds you hear are persistent, severe, and do not disappear.
check_circle_outline   If you get any signs of ear infection that stay for more than a day. 
check_circle_outline   Discharge from the ear that has pus or blood in it.

The doctor will most likely take the medical history and perform a thorough physical examination to diagnose what you have properly. The physical examination will most likely check your throat, ears, and also jaw.

check_circle_outline   Testing how your eardrums move
check_circle_outline   A proper hearing examination
check_circle_outline   MRIs or CT scans

How to Stop Crackling In The Ears

One thing that can be done if the crackling sound in your ears is not too severe and you do not have any different symptoms, some natural home remedies may help you. If you see that the crackling sound is not getting better or worse, immediately consult your doctor.

Home treatments

Popping the Ears. You can easily unclog your ears and help with equalizing the pressure inside your middle ear by just popping your ears

.

Nasal Irrigation. This is also known as a type of sinus flush. When you rinse with saltwater, it will help you eliminate of any extra mucus in your nose and your sinuses.


Earwax removal. As we have discussed before, earwax buildup is often the cause of those crackling sounds. You can soften and remove earwax by using mineral oil, some OTC ear drops, etc.


If you have determined that the cause of your hearing crackling sounds is some form of hearing loss, then you cannot go wrong with hearing aids.


To ensure that you have the best possible experience with hearing aids, you mustn't get just any hearing aid. Also, it is not wise to skimp and be cheap when you are getting your hearing aids.


Remember the importance of getting a device that is high-quality and is well-made. To do this and to find out which hearing aids will suit you the best, make sure that you do proper research on the topic.


There is a wide range of hearing aid devices available in the market and it may seem a bit overwhelming to have to choose just one. For this exact reason that we have compiled a buyer’s guide for when you decide to purchase a hearing aid.

Buyer’s Guide

check_circle_outline   Get your ears checked
check_circle_outline   Get yourself a referral to a reputable audiologist
check_circle_outline   Ringing in the ears (or just one ear)
check_circle_outline   Make sure the hearing aid provider gives you a trial period
check_circle_outline   Make sure that the hearing aid will be able to meet your future needs
check_circle_outline   Make sure that the device has a warranty
check_circle_outline   Steer clear of manufacturers who make unrealistic claims
check_circle_outline   Budget correctly and make sure your expenses are planned for

Takeaway

While a temporary crackling sound in the ears is not anything to worry about, if the sound persists it is important to take further measures. There may be a wide range of causes behind these crunching sounds in the ear, as we have discussed above. Some of the more common causes are earwax buildup, dysfunction in the eustachian tube, or maybe some type of TMJ disorder.


It is also important to note that these sounds may appear because of wearing an improperly functioning hearing aid. The good news is that, if the leading cause of these sounds is an underlying hearing loss issue, that issue can be mitigated to a large extent by using a hearing aid.

Frequently Asked Questions:

How do you unblock Eustachian tubes?
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It is possible to unblock Eustachian tubes with a relatively easy exercise and sometimes it even gets fixed on its own. Just close your mouth and hold the nose, give a gentle blow like when you blow your nose. This should get the job done and often yawning or chewing gum also helps.

Why do my ears keep popping?
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When the Eustachian tube is clogged due to cold, allergy, sinus infection, or tumor in the nose, it can cause ear popping.