Help Me! :( — Crackling and Popping in Ears When I Swallow

[Penny :)]

Hello everyone,

I am 16 years old and have had tinnitus for about 2 months. However, it's not just the ringing that is bothering me! Every time I swallow I hear crackling and my ears block! I constantly have to pop my ears and it's just so uncomfortable. My ears also have that really itchy feeling where you itch the back of your mouth with your tongue. So you'd assume an ear infection or something, right? Well I have been to a tinnitus clinic and they looked down my ears and said it looked okay. But if all this crackling and popping is happening surely there must be something wrong?
Somebody please help me, I'm going off the wall!

 

[Atlantis]

Hello everyone,

I am 16 years old and have had tinnitus for about 2 months. However, it's not just the ringing that is bothering me! Every time I swallow I hear crackling and my ears block! I constantly have to pop my ears and it's just so uncomfortable. My ears also have that really itchy feeling where you itch the back of your mouth with your tongue. So you'd assume an ear infection or something, right? Well I have been to a tinnitus clinic and they looked down my ears and said it looked okay. But if all this crackling and popping is happening surely there must be something wrong?
Somebody please help me, I'm going off the wall!

Crackling and noises are normal when you swallow and yawn, most people experience this

 

[Penny :)]

I've never had it so loud before my tinnitus though, and all the blocking and itching?

 

[Owen]

I totally understand what you mean. I have made the same observation and many others seem to say that it is normal, but like you, I KNOW it isn't.

I get this strange sensation that air gets locked into a pocket in my right ear (the troublesome one) and then sometimes it pops as it is released - quite loudly. Also, the more blocked it feels, the louder it pops and cracks and the louder the ringing.

Also, some days, if I pop my right ear, it opens easily and without issue. However, on other days, when it feels more blocked, it simply will not pop.

I have had tympanometry, audio tests, nasal investigations and everything seems to be normal. I am scheduled for an MRI, as the ENT I saw thought it might be worth a shot. I'm not sure they will find anything though and to be honest, if they do find anything, it probably won't be good news!

 

[Ricardo1991]

So in my case, (I've been dealing with it for 2 months), and my doctor seems pretty confident that it's a viral infection. The pain has pretty much gone away but I still have a hissing tinnitus sound (sometimes sounds like a whistle). I still feel fullness in my right ear and I constantly have to pop it and it crackles when I yawn, etc. The doctor said that it's my Eustachian tube that's inflamed and is 'sticky,' is this the case? I don't know. I keep telling myself, c'mon this can't be forever

 

[Ecip]

Eustachian tubes... Try allergy medication (anti histamine) and something you clear your sinuses.

 

[steffievdboom]

Dear owen &Penny do not panic so much!! I have popping and cracking ears like my whole life!! IT is what epic says, the Eustachius tube has Some issues. Not much they can do About iT. If iT gets really worse you can consider tubes in your Eardrum....
Owen i really ecperience the same as you, the 'blocked' feeling.... However, iT always gets back to normal!one day within a minute the other day iT can take Hours.
But please stay calm!!

 

[Andrea Lopez]

Hi Penny. I know this post is a bit old but I am currently going through all of the exact symptoms that you described here. I'm curious to know if you feel better now?