What Could Be Causing the Crackling in Your Ear?
Crackling sounds are annoying noises which are heard from inside your head. They are usually loud and continuous. There could be several reasons behind crackle in ears. Here we will explain what causes it and how to cure it.
Causes of Crackle in Ears:
1) Headaches or Migraines – These types of headaches may cause the crackling in ears.
You might experience them when you have headache due to various reasons such as stress, anxiety, fatigue, or even depression. Some medicines used for treating these kinds of problems can also affect the hearing.
2) Stress – If you are under pressure or stress, then your hearing may suffer because of it.
You might hear loud noises which would make other people around you feel uncomfortable.
3) Medical Conditions – Certain medical conditions can cause crackling in ears.
These include ear infections, tumors, and brain disorders. For example, if you have a tumor in the middle ear (otitis media), then your hearing might be affected by the noise produced by this tumor.
4) Ageing – As you grow old, your ears tend to naturally get affected and this also includes the hearing part.
This is one of the natural causes of crackling in ears.
5) Other factors include smoking, earwax, medication allergens, ear piercings, exposure to loud sounds, and jaw clenching.
Treatments:
Most of the time there is no specific treatment to cure crackling in ears. It is just a natural sign of ageing and your body. But if you experience other symptoms such as pain, ringing in the ears (tinnitus), hearing loss, or dizziness then you should see a doctor to get a proper medical examination.
How to Stop Crackling in Ears Naturally:
Most doctors would recommend rest rather than taking medicine. Also, you should eat a proper diet and also avoid stress as much as possible.
For treating crackling in ears no pain, you might try the following home remedies:
1) Apple Cider Vinegar:
You should mix equal amounts of apple cider vinegar (ACV) and honey. Have this mixture 2 times a day. This can help cure ear pain and other symptoms of ear infection such as dizziness.
2) Garlic:
Consume 2 garlic cloves every day. This will protect you from ear problems in the future.
3) Olive Oil:
Mix 5 drops of tea tree oil, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt. Heat this mixture until the ingredients mix well. Let it cool down and then put 3 drops in your ear. Reheat the mixture if it gets cold.
Do this 3 times a day for quick relief.
4) Basil Leaves:
You should boil some basil leaves in water and then let it cool. Put a few drops of this mixture in the infected ear 2 times a day for quick relief.
5) Other Home Remedies:
Some other home remedies which can help you get some relief from crackling in ears are as follows:
Put several drops of lavender oil in your ear.
Add 1/2 teaspoon of honey to 1/4 cup of warm water and consume it.
Take a few drops of olive oil, garlic juice, or apple cider vinegar in your ear.
Put a warm towel on your ear for a few minutes.
Mix some green tea with sea salt and put 2 drops of this mixture in your ear.
Add some drops of lemon juice in your ear.
Breathe in the steam of a hot cup of chamomile tea 2 times a day.
Go for a swim or take a hot shower to relieve yourself from the pain caused due to the crackling in ears.
Gargle with warm salt water.
You should go to sleep with your head slightly raised up. This will reduce the pressure on your ears and give you some relief.
Stop wearing a hearing aid or earplugs if you have one.
Prevention Tips:
There are many things that can affect your ears such as loud noises, earwax, use of hearing aids, head injury, and ear infection. You should try to prevent such risk factors to keep your ears in good condition as much as possible. Following are some prevention tips:
Always use earplugs whenever you visit a loud place or are involved in a loud activity.
Try to limit the use of headphones as most of them can cause hearing loss due to loud noises.
Never turn up the volume of your headphones or speakers more than necessary.
Avoid using earplugs which reduce the intensity of outside sound but not the volume. They can cause you to not hear some important sounds and this can be very dangerous at times.
If you use earplugs at night, don’t keep it in the same place every time. Keep it in a different place each night so that you will have to search for it every time you need to use it. This way, you are less likely to forget it.
If your job requires you to be exposed to loud noises all the time, ask your doctor about getting custom-made earplugs.
If you experience any symptom like pain, ringing, or buzzing in the ears, discontinue using your earplugs and see a doctor immediately.
If you have had a head injury recently, see a doctor as soon as possible if you start experiencing symptoms like dizziness, vertigo, ringing or hissing sounds, or muffled hearing. These symptoms can indicate a more serious condition such as a brain injury or meningitis.
Sources & references used in this article:
Deep listening pieces by P Oliveros – 1990 – council.art
Let’s talk about Tinnitus, What you need to know about the condition by HA Know – 2019 – hearingaidknow.com
The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Hearing Loss: Learn What You Can Do to Improve Your Hearing by WM Luxford – 2010 – books.google.com
Quantitative description of temporomandibular joint sounds: defining clicking, popping, egg shell crackling and footsteps on gravel by J Medina – 2011 – ReadHowYouWant. com
