Weird ear problem

[Chryst Krispies]

Here's the deal..

Whenever someone talks, or I'm chewing or I get into the shower, my inner ear canal area feels really weird.
It's only on my left ear, and it's like this popping, crackling kinda sound. When I chew or someone is talking it's almost like I can feel this pulsating movement going on in my ear. It kinda hurts and it's been bothering me for a while. Anyone have any help?
It's been happening for a while.

 

[Jarkko Mattheiszen]

Here's the deal..

Whenever someone talks, or I'm chewing or I get into the shower, my inner ear canal area feels really weird.
It's only on my left ear, and it's like this popping, crackling kinda sound. When I chew or someone is talking it's almost like I can feel this pulsating movement going on in my ear. It kinda hurts and it's been bothering me for a while. Anyone have any help?
It's been happening for a while.

Glad to hear I'm not alone with this, right ear here I've had it for as long as I can remember and it hasn't affected my ability to hear at all (both ears should be perfect, tested them two months ago and six months before that). It is nasty, however, since the "clipping" and pulsing happens whenever I hear loud and high noises. Sometimes it's enough for someone to talk real loud next to me if my ears have been fatigued a lot. Also, it's a pain in the ass since I use a lot of power tools at work. But hey, at least I always wear ear protection at rehearsals and gigs, so it's not all bad

 

[gorath23]

I've certainly become very conscious of my own ears having got into mixing. A lot of the time my problems have just been down to wax, maybe go and check to see whether you need them flushed out (its a pretty nice experieince actually...haha). My ears get really fatigued as well, and ache a bit after a long session.

 

[SocialNumb]

Go see the doc.

 

[Seizure.]

I had the same thing when i had the damn ear infection.
See a doctor dude!!

 

[deanbailey]

I get it too. For me it's a throbbing feeling, but only happens when I'm exposed to high SPL's or listen to music on my ipod with my sennheisers (because it just sounds better) fairly loud.
I just take it as my ears telling me.."woah dude, turn that down", and it stops. I guess I haven't gotten to the point where it hurts.
Needless to say, like anything physical, If it hurts, then you're doing something wrong or something being done incorrectly to you.

 

[Notuern]

That sounds just like the problem I have.
Its probably because of an irritation in the ear canal.

You get it from using earplugs or cleaning your ears using q-tips and stuff like that.
Just that I started using these drops the doctor told me to use, after 10 days it was gone, but it returned after a week or so, even if I didnt use earplugs or q-tips during that period of time. D:

 

[Jarkko Mattheiszen]

That sounds just like the problem I have.
Its probably because of an irritation in the ear canal.

You get it from using earplugs or cleaning your ears using q-tips and stuff like that.
Just that I started using these drops the doctor told me to use, after 10 days it was gone, but it returned after a week or so, even if I didnt use earplugs or q-tips during that period of time. D:

That's what I've heard, too. Also, a dude in the army had the same problem with both his ears, and he told me he was diagnosed with unusually sensitive hearing. He had to wear double ear protection when shooting and stuff, but his hearing was completely ok. I've never been worried about it, it's irritating but doesn't affect the hearing in other ways.

 

[Erkan]

I have the exact same thing, had it for years. Whenever a sharp attack sound like a snare, or even a knife being slightly dropped on a plate, my right ear, and only right ear, gives me a crack noise, and goes away. It's as if my right ear has an ApTrigga attached to it and triggers this crack sound It isn't really affecting me so... I'm not worried about it at least.

 

[Notuern]

That's what I've heard, too. Also, a dude in the army had the same problem with both his ears, and he told me he was diagnosed with unusually sensitive hearing. He had to wear double ear protection when shooting and stuff, but his hearing was completely ok. I've never been worried about it, it's irritating but doesn't affect the hearing in other ways.

Even though the hearing isnt affected, have you noticed that the 2-3khz area hurts much more then it usualy does?
Because I had a huge problem with that, and it actually made it impossible for me to mix for a while, because even normal levels hurt like hell(But I had a really bad case, so it might not be that everyone who has it gets this effect.).

 

[Chryst Krispies]

Well, I'm not a mixer, or even really in the field, but it's still a concern for me. A teacher was talking today in one of my classes and every syllable made me wince. I was sitting in the far back too.

 

[Limak]

I have this ,,clipping" sound in my left ear when some aggresive high mids are attacking it. I also get similiar sensation when I move my jaw but it sounds nothing like harmful, I don't feel any pain either.

 

[Notuern]

Well, I'm not a mixer, or even really in the field, but it's still a concern for me. A teacher was talking today in one of my classes and every syllable made me wince. I was sitting in the far back too.

Well, then you might just have an irritation in your ear canal.
Id go to a doctor, and if it just is an irritation, you'l get cortisone drops to clear it out(Takes about a week.).

 

[Jackal_Strain]

I'm currently studying to be an audiologist and take it from me man. Go see a doctor. It may be nothing, but it could also be something to do with your cochlea so go check it out.

 

[abyssofdreams]

Weird, can't confirm this, I'm using q-tips and earplugs each and every day and never had a problem.

 

[Notuern]

Weird, can't confirm this, I'm using q-tips and earplugs each and every day and never had a problem.

Yeah, my doctor told me that its actually quite unusual.
And she also told me that you shouldnt use q-tips more then once a month, or at most once a week(You "scrub" of pieces of skin each time you use one in your ear.).
Earplugs wherent that bad apperantly, sence you dont move them around as much, but instead they tend to get dirty and might infect your ears instead. ;X
Still, an earinfection is way better then tinnitus.

 

[abyssofdreams]

Yeah, my doctor told me that its actually quite unusual.
And she also told me that you shouldnt use q-tips more then once a month, or at most once a week(You "scrub" of pieces of skin each time you use one in your ear.).
Earplugs wherent that bad apperantly, sence you dont move them around as much, but instead they tend to get dirty and might infect your ears instead. ;X
Still, an earinfection is way better then tinnitus.

Yupp, I know q-tips are bad but I have Psoriasis (chronic skin disorder) in my ears unfortunately and it's itchy as hell all day long so I have to counter the itch with q-tips Besides, I don't like a lot of wax to get in the way with my earplugs :zombie:

 

[Ermz]

It sounds like you could have a congested eustachian tube in your left ear. The 'crackling' sound is the tube attempting to equalize pressure to the outside world, but not being able to do so effectively because of the blockage. Unfortunately there is no straightforward way to unblock them. I've tried 2 specialists, a GP and also scouring the internet for answers. Essentially there isn't much you can do apart from trying to forcibly equalize pressure on your own.

Just for some history, I got sick about November of last year and my ears completely fucked up. I mean completely, lost all my highs, things sounded distance, bass was all over the place. It took me out of the engineering game for months and put me into a fairly deep depression to boot. Since then I've discovered there's about jack shit doctors can do in regards to most ear problems. Fortunately, one of my ears recovered in the time since then, but I'm still battling with my right one. It's very likely a eustachian tube congestion that is unable to be cleared. I've tried different kinds of nasal drops, sprays, forcible popping etc. and none of it has worked.

Essentially the moral of what everyone is saying is... look after your ears. Once there's a problem you can expect to be on your own with it.

PS. That 'pulsating' movement you describe is very familiar to me. It still occurs in my right ear. It actually happened quite prominently at the audiologist's when I had my ears thoroughly tested. I was getting fairly loud clicks played into my ear and my right ear felt very sensitive to it, almost on the verge of pain. I mentioned it to him and he said 'I don't know what that could be', so there's just another example to outline that nobody in the medical game knows shit all about ears.

 

[Alteredmindeath]

I have the same problem ,I had to stop being around live music and loud noises for a long time to let it heal somewhat.

 

[Notuern]

Yupp, I know q-tips are bad but I have Psoriasis (chronic skin disorder) in my ears unfortunately and it's itchy as hell all day long so I have to counter the itch with q-tips Besides, I don't like a lot of wax to get in the way with my earplugs :zombie:

Ah, I have psoriasis on my elbows, so I know how bothersome it can get.
Although I think its worse to have a serious dander problem in your ears then on your elbow.
I just hope I wont get my Fathers problem: Psoriasis on the scalp, forcing him to cut his hair of.