Ear crackling is not a normal happening. It can be an indication that there is something wrong with the ears. Even though it is a very common issue, these crackling sounds are quite common and lead to lots of distress and annoyance for the patient. This uncommon sound normally happens when an individual opens the mouth during yawning or when gulping for food. The sound made is identical to paper rubbing.

Accompanied by crackling, is the ear pains though most patients will only complain of the crackling noises. The incapacity to hear well can cause communication problems and the individual can be forced to shout like a deaf person. Even though there are so many grave reasons behind these crackling sounds, they can be as a result of ear wax or even a blocked Eustachian tube in the middle ear.

Causes of Ear Crackling Sounds

There are lots of reasons behind the crackling noises in the ear. Below discussed are some of the reasons for this problem.

Ear wax: Most people do not take time to clean the wax in their ears. Over some time, the wax will accumulate in the ears, dries up and becomes very hard. The hard ear wax will rub against the ear drum and produce vibrations that will be felt as crackling sounds inside the ear.

Foreign object in the ear: In the event that a foreign body finds its way in your middle ear, it will brush against your eardrum and produce some crackling noises.  At times, this foreign object can be an insect, which can be lodged inside your ear and produce this issue.

Sensory hair cells’ loss: The inner ear of a human being has two major parts; the vestibule and the cochlea. The function of the vestibule is concerned with providing the required body balance. The cochlea is the organ in the inner ear that is concerned with hearing. The cochlea has sensory hair tissues.

There are a number of reasons that can cause the sensory hair cells to be lost. One of the common reasons is the usual process of aging. Because of losing the sensory hair cells in the cochlea, an individual can experience some crackling sounds and even hearing loss.

Medications or drugs: We are aware of the many side effects caused by drugs. Some of the drugs are ototoxic, meaning that they have hostile effects on ears. Some of these drugs include: ibuprofen, some diuretics, some antibiotics and aspirin. The drugs can also destroy the inner ear and also cause some crackling noises.

 Dysfunction of the Eustachian tube: The Eustachian tube is a tube structure that links the middle ear to the back of the throat (nasopharynx). It plays three main functions:

• It ensures that the ear secretions easily drain out, hence keeping the ear clean
• The Eustachian tube permits air to flow freely in and out of the middle ear
• The tube hinders the backward flow of fluids and secretions from the throat to ear.

When the Eustachian tube is dysfunctional, all of the above listed functions are disrupted. Such a condition can be caused by varied reasons such as allergies and having a flu or cold. When secretions accumulate in the ear, it becomes prone to many inflammations, infections or swelling. Therefore, the dysfunctional Eustachian tube leads to symptoms like ear pain, diminished hearing, crackling sounds in the ear, dizziness, vertigo and a feeling of fullness.

 Disorders of the temporomandibular joint: The temporomandibular joint links the lower jaw bone or mandible to the temporal bone at the back of the ear. At times, individuals develop issues with this TMJ joint because of varied causes like anxiety, bruxism and excess stress. Some of the TMJ joint issues will lead to certain noises or sounds while chewing food or opening the jaw. Since the TMJ joint is situated near the ear, the sufferer will feel as though the sounds emanate from the ear.

 Infections of the ear:There are times when the viral and bacterial infections will attack the ears. They can affect the middle ear leading to otitis media or otitis externa in the outer ear. The infections will also lead to some ear crackling noises.

 Noise trauma:The eardrum and ear can be affected by some sudden and loud noise. Such a noise can also lead to crackling in the ears.

Other sources of crackling noises in the ear include:

• Diabetes mellitus
• Cardiac disorders
• Autoimmune conditions affecting ears
• Severe anxiety and stress
• Diving accidents
• Tumors that affect hearing nerves
• Trauma that causes brain injuries
• Spasm or sudden tension in the middle ear

Diagnosis

In the event you notice some noises in the ears, it is advisable to visit the ENT (ear, throat and nose) surgeon or doctor. He will carry out a physical exam and inspect the throat, ear and nose. Other specific hearing tests can also be done to assess the hearing ability. The doctor can also do a CT scan of the patient’s head or blood tests. At times, the physician can order some tests for the neck vertebrate and TMJ joint.

Treatment Procedures for Tinnitus or Crackling Noises In The Ear

Some of the ways of getting rid of noises on the ear include:

• Treating TMJ issues
• Stopping ototoxic drugs
• Getting rid of foreign substances or ear wax
• Sound therapy