My ears are 'popping'?

Question

every time I swallow my left ear 'pops' twice, and I can't get it to go away. how would I stop this??

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker

Normally, each time (or each second or third time) you swallow, your ears make a little click or popping sound. This occurs because a small bubble of air has entered your middle ear, up from the back of your nose. It passes through the Eustachian tube, a membrane-lined tube about the size of a pencil lead that connects the back of the nose with the middle ear. The air in the middle ear is constantly being absorbed by its membranous lining and resupplied through the Eustachian tube. In this manner, air pressure on both sides of the eardrum stays about equal. If and when the air pressure is not equal, the ear feels blocked.

How To Unblock Your Ears
Swallowing activates the muscle that opens the Eustachian tube. You swallow more often when you chew gum or let mints melt in your mouth.

If yawning and swallowing are not effective, unblock your ears as follows:

Step 1: Pinch your nostrils shut.
Step 2: Take a mouthful of air.
Step 3: Using your cheek and throat muscles, force the air into the back of your nose as if you were trying to blow your thumb and fingers off your nostrils.
When you hear a loud pop in your ears, you have succeeded. You may have to repeat this several times.

What About Decongestants And Nose Sprays?

Decongestant tablets and sprays can be purchased without a prescription.this will shrink the membranes and help the ears pop more easily. However, they should be avoided by people with heart disease, high blood pressure, irregular heart rhythms, thyroid disease, or excessive nervousness. Such people should consult their physicians before using these medicines. Pregnant women should likewise consult their physicians first.


Some causes of ear popping are tinnitus, common colds, nasal allergies such as hay fever,etc; , middle ear infections, Meniere's disease or fluid in the ear from swimming or showering, ; sinus infections; TMJ; or poss sensoneural hearing loss.


So why does my ear sometimes make funny crackling & popping noises?

Earwax or even a piece of hair could be lying on top of the eardrum and when the eardrum vibrates, it may cause funny noises (just like a piece of string on a lightly beating drum). Obviously, treatment is by removal.


Eustachian Tube Dysfunction can also cause crackling/popping noises. Given the eustachian tube is lined with mucosa which is moist, sometimes the surface may become sticky from inflammation such that any movement whether it be an opening motion or sliding would cause crackling/popping noises. Again, treatment in this case is with steroids nasal sprays for a period of about 6 weeks.


So, what would cause the eustachian tube to not open up properly? Well, something could be physically blocking the opening of the eustachian tube in the nose, most notably large adenoids. In rare cases, it could be a tumor. More commonly, the eustachian tube does not open properly due to inflammatory conditions, especially allergies, resulting in the tube becoming inflamed and swollen. That's why when people get a cold or allergies are bad, their ears also becomes affected. This condition is known as Eustachian Tube Dysfunction.

Treatment is based on the underlying condition. If due to large adenoids, adenoidectomy is the treatment. If due to Eustachian Tube Dysfunction, than treatment is with steroid nasal sprays for about 6 weeks +/- Afrin for 3 days. Occasionally, systemic steroids are prescribed. If these sprays don't work, than placement of a tube across the eardrum would immediately resolve the symptoms

Asker's Rating:

Asker's Comment:

tons of imformation, though nothing worked, no one elses worked either, most effort got the best choice :)

Answer 2

mines been doing that too for a few weeks. i think it just goes away.

Answer 3

hold your breath for 10 seconds

Answer 4

Say out the cold

Answer 5

It's probably from the cold weather. I used to have to walk to school in the cold and my ears would always "pop". Remember that when there's cool air, there's less air (that's why balloons and tires get smaller when they're outside in cold weather). Same as when you're in an airplane.

Answer 6

Try to plug your nose an suck in.