Why Is My ETD Not Clearing Up?

[SomberMusings]

Hi, I'm a 16 yr old female and for the fast 3-4 months I've been dealing with this annoying crackling noise in my ears whenever I swallow, yawn or pop my ears. I've also been dealing with intermittent and fleeting tinnitus that fluctuates a lot in sound. It started after a shitty sinus infection and never cleared up fully. I'm not sure what to do. I've tried antibiotics, the Valsalva Maneuver and two different steroid nasal sprays. Nothing is working. My ears used to keep plugging up but that seemed to go away after a while. I've been to two GPS, one said it was TMJ and the other said it was sinusitis.

She prescribed me antibiotics for my sinus infection, which seemed to help my tinnitus at the time but now I'm seriously doubting it and I'm pretty sure it was just temporary placebo.

I keep getting this low rumbling sound in my ears which I then realised was happening because I was clenching my teeth (it went away when I relaxed them).

I finally convinced one of the GPs to refer me to an ENT. He told me my Eustachian tube was a little blocked and prescribed me another nasal spray and told me to pop my ears 40 times a day. Didn't work. That was little less than a month ago.

He booked an appointment for a hearing test but I ended up cancelling it because I had a panic attack a week later and my parents and my therapist (I have severe OCD) agreed that these ear troubles are becoming an obsession and going is pointless because it's clear (to them anyway) that there's nothing wrong.

Anyway, I'm still dealing with the crackling. It's not going away. I can deal with the T but I just really want the mucus to go away already! It doesn't help that I got sick again either! I know it's probably allergies at this point but every doctor keeps telling me otherwise. Please help, I don't know what to do anymore.

 

[Karl28]

Did the ent put a camera up your nose to look at the tubes?

 

[Carlyi]

Do you have braces? Do you have issues with your jaw? My ears pop and crackle all the time aswell and in my case it's TMJ. It came out of nowhere because my jaw started shifting and create an open bite. I just got braces 2 days ago to correct it but for some people braces can cause TMJ. Basicly any change to your jaw can cause pressure on your ear canal and cause tinnitus.

 

[SomberMusings]

Do you have braces? Do you have issues with your jaw? My ears pop and crackle all the time aswell and in my case it's TMJ. It came out of nowhere because my jaw started shifting and create an open bite. I just got braces 2 days ago to correct it but for some people braces can cause TMJ. Basicly any change to your jaw can cause pressure on your ear canal and cause tinnitus.

I have braces, I'm currently wearing elastics to align and move my jaw in place. I know I clench my teeth. I caught myself numerous times before and I noticed how the ringing gets louder when I yawn and whatnot. Can TMJ really cause a crackling noise? I'm not too sure. Would I be able to ask my orthodontist or would that be over his head?

 

[SomberMusings]

Did the ent put a camera up your nose to look at the tubes?

Yeah, he did. He said my Eustachian tubes were still a little clogged from a previous infection. He also said it should clear up in a few weeks but it hasn't. :/

 

[Ed209]

Hi, I'm a 16 yr old female and for the fast 3-4 months I've been dealing with this annoying crackling noise in my ears whenever I swallow, yawn or pop my ears. I've also been dealing with intermittent and fleeting tinnitus that fluctuates a lot in sound. It started after a shitty sinus infection and never cleared up fully. I'm not sure what to do. I've tried antibiotics, the Valsalva Maneuver and two different steroid nasal sprays. Nothing is working. My ears used to keep plugging up but that seemed to go away after a while. I've been to two GPS, one said it was TMJ and the other said it was sinusitis.

She prescribed me antibiotics for my sinus infection, which seemed to help my tinnitus at the time but now I'm seriously doubting it and I'm pretty sure it was just temporary placebo.

I keep getting this low rumbling sound in my ears which I then realised was happening because I was clenching my teeth (it went away when I relaxed them).

I finally convinced one of the GPs to refer me to an ENT. He told me my Eustachian tube was a little blocked and prescribed me another nasal spray and told me to pop my ears 40 times a day. Didn't work. That was little less than a month ago.

He booked an appointment for a hearing test but I ended up cancelling it because I had a panic attack a week later and my parents and my therapist (I have severe OCD) agreed that these ear troubles are becoming an obsession and going is pointless because it's clear (to them anyway) that there's nothing wrong.

Anyway, I'm still dealing with the crackling. It's not going away. I can deal with the T but I just really want the mucus to go away already! It doesn't help that I got sick again either! I know it's probably allergies at this point but every doctor keeps telling me otherwise. Please help, I don't know what to do anymore.

Popping and cracking sounds do not mean you still have ETD. Hearing a cracking noise when you swallow is quite normal and is just your Eustachian tubes opening. If it's more crackly than normal you may have slightly more mucous due to an allergy or cold for example. But if you had a bad case of ETD your ears wouldn't pop or crackle at all, and in fact, that is the very thing you would be wanting to happen to get relief from the ETD. Your Eustachian tubes can't drain if they cannot open. The cracking sound means yours are opening.

My impression is that your OCD is making you pay unnecessary attention to the sound you're hearing. Try not to be concerned about it as it's nothing to worry about; most people hear a pop or crackle when they swallow. They just don't really notice it as they are not hyper-aware of it.

 

[dingaling]

I would have suspected Eustachian tube dysfunction from what you describe. Sometimes, ENTs prescribe an Otovent balloon as first-line treatment before proceding to grommets.

I agree with Ed209 in that I think you are over-worrying and making yourself hypervigilant over it - thus compounding the problem.

Have you tried steam inhalation to clear the sinuses? Do you have any allergies?

Sometimes these things just take a little time...

 

[Ed209]

I would have suspected Eustachian tube dysfunction from what you describe. Sometimes, ENTs prescribe an Otovent balloon as first-line treatment before proceding to grommets.

I agree with Ed209 in that I think you are over-worrying and making yourself hypervigilant over it - thus compounding the problem.

Have you tried steam inhalation to clear the sinuses? Do you have any allergies?

Sometimes these things just take a little time...

My ears have popped and cracked my entire life and if you ask random people if theirs do to, you'll find it's pretty common. It's only really a problem if your Eustachian tubes stop draining - as your hearing becomes dulled - and it can lead to pressure problems. This becomes evident on hilly drives or flying for example.

 

[Carlyi]

I have braces, I'm currently wearing elastics to align and move my jaw in place. I know I clench my teeth. I caught myself numerous times before and I noticed how the ringing gets louder when I yawn and whatnot. Can TMJ really cause a crackling noise? I'm not too sure. Would I be able to ask my orthodontist or would that be over his head?

Yes TMJ can 100 percent cause a crackling noise. Does the sound of the tinnitus change when you move your jaw?

 

[SomberMusings]

Yes TMJ can 100 percent cause a crackling noise. Does the sound of the tinnitus change when you move your jaw?

Yes! It has for years. I always thought it was normal.