Tapping Noise Can Be Resolved — Yeah!

[Lucy B]

I have had continual T since 2007 but more pronounced since March 2014. I get various different sounds.

About every 3-4 months, over the past 5 years, I have been hearing a tapping sound (like Morse code) in my right ear. Research tells me this sound is like a cramp in the ear somewhere. Here are various hit or miss ways I have dealt with it.

Take a Tylenol sinus tablet (I use generic). I prefer to not take medicine, so this is my last resort.

Put a plug in your ear. The kind machinists use; they are shaped like a cylinder. This won't stop it but you won't be able to hear it. When it's quiet, this may or may not work. When there is noise, it works quite well.

When I sleep, I lay with my head turned to the left. This will stop the noise.

Recently, I was in bed and turning my head to the left or using a plug did not work. It was 2 am and I was getting pretty fed up so I was just about ready to get out of bed to take a Tylenol sinus and I had a tickle in my throat. I very lightly cleared my throat and it went away. That was almost 2 weeks ago.

Hopefully, one of these "tricks" will work for you.

 

[SleeplessSoul]

Chelles. Can this help you?

 

[Chelles]

Clearing your throat made the twitching go away?

 

[SleeplessSoul]

We ke choking. Maybe that's part of the cause?

 

[Chelles]

Maybe there is a connection btw the choking and the ear twitching.
@Lucy B what earplugs did you use? Do you have a link for them? I currently use the foam ones it's the only way I sleep when my ear is twitching at night.

 

[SleeplessSoul]

All I can think of is that the ENT said I had silent reflux and if thsy keeps touching the Eustachian tubes then they get stuck, irritated and inflamed. So there might be some clues. We could be finding clues.

 

[Chelles]

We getting closer to finding a way to get better!

 

[Lucy B]

Chelles - You describe your sound as twitching. My noise is more of a tapping or clicking. So I'm not sure if it's the same thing.
The plugs I use are a very light beige colored foam and shaped like a cylinder. They are about 3/4 inch long. I get them at any drug store, grocery store, etc. and are very inexpensive.

SleepslessSoul - Your ENT's diagnosis sounds reasonable. The research I found reads that it could be a spasm or cramp. Did he suggest what you should do about it?

 

[Chelles]

@Lucy B i feel a twitch which makes a click sound that when I put my finger in my ear it goes away. I was diagnosed with stapedial myoclonus. Was your tapping 24/7? Mine comes and goes.

 

[Lucy B]

Chelles - My tapping comes and goes. I get it every few months. If I didn't use one of my remedies it would probably stay 24/7. I try to nip it in the bud as soon as I get it. I never heard of stapedial myoclonus. I goggled it and it sounds like that is what I might have.

What kind of doctor gave you that diagnosis? I saw 3 ENT's and was not given a diagnosis. I was told I just have to live with it. Do you have it 24/7?

 

[Avabelle]

I have had continual T since 2007 but more pronounced since March 2014. I get various different sounds.

About every 3-4 months, over the past 5 years, I have been hearing a tapping sound (like Morse code) in my right ear. Research tells me this sound is like a cramp in the ear somewhere. Here are various hit or miss ways I have dealt with it.

Take a Tylenol sinus tablet (I use generic). I prefer to not take medicine, so this is my last resort.

Put a plug in your ear. The kind machinists use; they are shaped like a cylinder. This won't stop it but you won't be able to hear it. When it's quiet, this may or may not work. When there is noise, it works quite well.

When I sleep, I lay with my head turned to the left. This will stop the noise.

Recently, I was in bed and turning my head to the left or using a plug did not work. It was 2 am and I was getting pretty fed up so I was just about ready to get out of bed to take a Tylenol sinus and I had a tickle in my throat. I very lightly cleared my throat and it went away. That was almost 2 weeks ago.

Hopefully, one of these "tricks" will work for you.

Thanks for your post...I have the exact same thing in my left ear. Does the earplug stop the tapping noise at night? Loosing sleep is really killing me...

 

[Tinny-Tus]

Hi there,

Long time reader and first time poster. It's about time I helped those that have helped me.

I have high pitched tinnitus in both ears. This microphone-tapping noise just appeared and annoyed the hell out of me. My neck was unusually tense. I went to both a physio and GP. The physio massaged and needled my neck. The GP said nothing appeared wrong and that I should got to an Audiologist and donate them $100 to tell me nothing!

I took a Magnesium tablet a day and put cotton wool in my affected ear at night. Within three days it was gone. Assume to be a muscle spasm as it kept no beat with any other part of my body.

The neck tension could have been related or coincidence.

All the best.