Ear Fullness and Popping / Crackling

[andyman]

Hello.

I've had tinnitus for almost three years now. Every few months I'll have a spike after I expose myself to too much noise. In August, I started having weird ear symptoms after a spike. Ever since then, my ears feel like the pressure keeps building up in them and getting "full," so I need to swallow. Any time I swallow now, my ears make this weird popping sound (or like surfaces are touching together then separating apart) even though they never did this before. The need to swallow seems to be worse when I'm around ambient noise. I also notice that in the morning when I wake up, my ears make this weird popping / crackling sound. I thought it would go away after a few months but no luck.

I went to my ENT and he thought it might be a eustachian tube issue (just based on my 30 second description). He gave me Nasonex but I'm hesitant to use drugs if it won't much any difference.

Has anyone else had similar issues and have any idea how to fix it?

Thanks.

 

[Aaron123]

Sounds like eustachian tube issues. Here's some information on ear fullness and various noises: http://www.fauquierent.net/etd.htm

They also have a page on using nasal steroids for ETD: http://www.fauquierent.net/etd2.htm

 

[andyman]

Thanks so much. Very helpful link.

 

[Bertman]

I have the same thing from a loud night as well. Not sure if it was due to the noise exposure or the pressure difference from inserting my earplugs (sometimes it feels like my ear pressure is not at equilibrium from my earplugs). I too believe its my eustachian tubes but haven't really heard of anything that would help. Please update if it goes away for you.

 

[Ms Sandy]

Did you ever try the nasonex? My ears pop and crackle every time I swallow. I have constant hissing and hearing loss in my left ear (almost three years now). I had a horrible weekend -everything seems louder now and I am seeing my ENT on Friday. I just never know what to ask for and I know he will just say there is nothing he can do. How do they diagnose or prove a Eustachian tube problem I wonder. I just want to find some kind of treatment I am just stressing so much about the T!!! Sandy

 

[Bryanw511]

Sandy - I've only had T for about 2 months now, but my situation sounds very similar to yours. I have a high pitched ring (sounds like I have a cicada in my ear) as well as some hearing loss in my right ear. I'm unsure what's causing my T, but eustachian tube dysfunction might be a possible cause as I have ear crackling and a feeling of fullness/pressure and am currently getting over a bad cold & congestion. A couple days ago I was at the dentist for a toothache and he said it might be from sinus pressure and that I should take a decongestant such as Sudafed. I also saw my ENT doc yesterday and she suggested I pick up some nasal spray so I got some Flonase. She also did not schedule me for an MRI yet; she said that insurance wouldn't even cover an MRI at this point because my hearing loss isn't bad enough.

 

[seal]

Nasonex works great for ETD. It's a cortisone nasal spray. If it doesn't work you need tube dilatation surgery. I will be undergoing this surgery later this year.

 

[StubbyJ]

I have these exact symptoms as well. My ENT told me it's the ear (only in left ear with T) responding to the recent hearing loss (noise exposure). Oddly, it comes and goes at random, but is evident; my ears feel plugged. I also have draining into the throat when talking. I guess I will ask for another round of Prednisone and get some nasal spray. Man, would I love for this to work. This T stuff is a real life changer here in the early stages.

 

[Bryanw511]

What does everyone feel with ETD? I'm wondering if this is the cause of my T. When I try the valsalva maneuver nothing happens, and I don't want to keep blowing harder out of fear of damaging something. When I pinch my nose & swallow, my ears crackle and a bunch of pressure builds up. How would I go about confirming if I have ETD?

 

[Owen]

What does everyone feel with ETD? I'm wondering if this is the cause of my T. When I try the valsalva maneuver nothing happens, and I don't want to keep blowing harder out of fear of damaging something. When I pinch my nose & swallow, my ears crackle and a bunch of pressure builds up. How would I go about confirming if I have ETD?

It's actually a bit tricky to get a diagnosis of partial or intermittent ET problems. Most eNTs barely recognise it as a problem unless you have a total blockage. The Toynbee (pinching your nose and swallowing) should result in the air being pulled out of your middle ear. If you subsequently swallow without pinching your nose, then 2 or 3 swallows should be enough to equalise the pressure. If it doesn't, then you do have some kind of problem.

The Vasalva should be done very carefully. You can buy an Otovent and try that - it will at least limit the pressure you can put into your ear. Even though they have been useless for me, you should discuss it with an eNT.

 

[suemac]

Hi , suddenly in february this year i started with this horrible buzzing , ringing sound in both ears it scared me to death i couldnt concentrate on anything and it was even worse at night when everything is quite . I made an appoitment to see my doctor which was a waste of time because all he said was ' i hope it is'nt tinnitus because there is no cure for that ' he didnt ask me any question about my health just said that he would refer me to see an ent specialist , which left me in total despair ! as the weeks passed by i noticed that i had a really heavy feeling in both my ears as if my head was in a vice ! i was convinced i had'nt just developed tinnitus from nowhere as i have never listened to loud music , so after exhaustive searches online on different sites connected to tinnitus and ear problems i was sure my problem was in my inner ear , although on my visit to the ent consultant he dismissed this as he looked in my ear and said they were ok , and i would just have to live with it .
It is now nearly 4 months since this horrible condition started , and 5 days ago i decided to try putting my head over a bowl of steam with a couple of drops of olbas oil in and a towel over my head to try and thin the mucus that i am convinced is the problem and sure enough i think it is working, i can actually feel the mucus trickling down the back of my throat during the night and all day , the heavy blocked feeling in my ears has gone and the ringing is still there but not nearly as bad, i feel a few more days of steaming and i am hoping i will have sorted it out .
The last three months have been a nightmare i have felt so rotten , i have been compelled to write this as i have received no help from the doctor's i have basically had to try and sort myself out , so anyone out there with my symptoms please try something as simple as head over a bowl of steam , i wish i had read a story like this it would have saved me from a lot of anguish !
Just to say that i a few months before the onset of this i had suffered from a cold with a lot of flegm on my chest and also i had been swimming under water on my holiday so whether any of this contributed to it i am not sure !

 

[Ricardo1991]

I get the same thing every day since this all started. I suspect it has to do with ETD, but the doctor said no because there is no fluid buildup.
Here's a video of ETD I found.