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Constant Ear Popping

For the past couple of years, I've had a constant popping/crackling in my ears.  I hear it when I swallow, yawn, etc.  I went to the ENT and he did a tympanometry test that came back normal, but said the he could hear the crackling when he listened in my ears.  There may be a problem with my Eustacian tube or, better yet, the muscles behind it.  He said there isn't much to do but maybe try an antihistamine which hasn't worked.  Even though its not life-threatening, its very frustrating to live with this!  Is there anything else, at all, to do to get rid of this noise?
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Avatar universal
Man oh man. I've experienced this on and off as a kid growing up in L.A. then about five years ago made the move to Austin Tx and it got progressivley worse. for the last two years, I haven't had one solid week of normalcy. I'm 36 now, graduated college almost 20 years ago and decided to go back. I applied to UT Law to help patience as a patient advocate but while I was taking my LSAT, my ears completely closed up. I couldnt think, couldn't concentrate, I wouldnt know my own name if you asked me then. It is truly truly maddening.
Was eating my lunch the other day when it acted up, bad enough to where I could only hear my own voice echoing in my head. For no reason, I threw away my lunch. I was starving but that's how much it interferes with my concentration.

It does give me solice to know I'm not alone but as others have said, it's also discouraging. I kept telling myself it would go away but after the first year i finally went to an ENT. Same exact story. When I explained how it's driving me nuts how I didn't get the grade I knew I was able to get on my law school exam (didn't get into law school either), after two tries cuz of this, his response "well you're an adult and you need to just deal with it cuz that's what everyone else does. Grow up" he says with a laugh. "Here's some steroids, why don't you see me again in three weeks". I wanted to attack him there and then.

As so many have articulated, it's ruining our quality of life. I'm trying really hard to focus elsewhere, stay positive but I'll be honest, I have little use for the "find you chakra, your inner spirit animal, take some b-12 and sprinkle dried chinese lizard on your big toe, it really works" folks.
It doesn't. It's a medical problem and where positive focus might help cope with the problem, it doesn't deal with the problem. Obviously not for many of us. This is a physical problem with a physical cause and a physical answer. I'm open to, and am working on improving diet, exercising etc, i do yoga on and off but right now the only repieve comes from contorting my jaw like a cobra about to swallow a rat and go for that momentary peace.

My girlfriend is an angel but I know im not fun to be around when it gets bad. I'm a considerate individual but I see red when the irritation becomes too much to bear. Doctors are useless so I personally vow to spend what time I can researching this and sharing whatever I can. I lost two jobs that required use of a headset, the most recent being my job at the American Cancer Society where I would take calls answering health and medically related questions for cancer patients. lost that job cuz of this after three years. it's ruining my life. oh YAY YES!!!! it just popped open. Oh please let this one last an hour.
I'm going to get a prescription for the ear popper to see how that works. I just got laid off from a non profit job, so you know I'm impoverished but at this point I'm willing to shell over $300 if it works. just one more day like this is one too many. I did try the flonaise just a half hour ago and i think its working somewhat. Both my ears were fully clogged up, but as I just extoled, the left popped open just now.
anyhow. thank you all for the solidarity. I wish you all the best and will be around as often as i can.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Anybody have the feeling of air trapped in front of ears And sides of throat and hear constant crackling of the pressure reliving itself? When I pull my ear or face hard, I hear a "speak" like letting air out of a balloon. It feels. better for a sec but then pressure comes back..been to 15 docs..I've taken all tests .everything normal (sorry if I posted this twice)
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I was unable to find y our post regarding the results of your MRI. I have the same symptoms you reported back in 2009. Did you get relief from the ear popping and vertigo, dizziness? If so, how did you get relief? Did they find a cause?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
For the past 3 years, my issue came on acute (meaning all of a sudden), I use to live a very normal life, on the verge of going Air Force Pararescue, I'm currently in Federal Law Enforcement.  Anyways, I was living my life normally, at times I usually got more sick or I got more colds than the average person but for all means I never had ear issues or serious/bothersome health problems.  One day I get a cold, 3 years ago, and it never went away, I'm in my 30's, late 30's, time is of the essence, ever since that fate full day my life has been on hold it seems.  I get chronic Eustachian tube dysfunction, rhinitis.  The symptoms I get are mainly pressure behind my right ear drum, constant ear popping when I swallow, a sensation of itching in my ear, if that's not going on the inflammation of my nasal tissue, mainly in my Right nasal passage, a irritation, stinging feeling rotates from my left to right nostril but mainly starts out on my Right side. During the last 3 years I had about 10 days of continuous normalcy once, one of the allergist I was seeing put me on prednisone but it only worked for a few days, after that the symptoms where back.  I have children, these issue have completely frustrated my sense of freedom and at times has taken.......well many times taken away quality time with my love ones.  I have literally seen 14 different Ear Nose and Throat doctors (ENT's), 3 different allergist, I've traveled to San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Tucson, Phoenix, Scottsdale, half of the ENT's would recommend me to see another ENT, I've been to the Mayo clinic in Scottsdale....(Highly Disappointed...HIGHLY DISAPOINTED, I saw a Sinus Specialist who did absolutely nothing but over charge me and left me with a huge bill) I've had balloon sinuplasty, that was a disaster...turned out my sinuses are not the problem, I had a ear tube in my bothersome ear, that turned out to be a bigger disaster because the doctor blew out my ear drum.  I've been on Immunotherapy, that's hasn't done anything....I've lost so much faith in the medical community, we have made so much advancements as a society but yet we cant get things you would think could be fix able down.  Anyways, I might get balloon Eustachian tubeboplasty, that is a newer procedure that is not FDA approved but im running out of options to get back to being normal, Ballon-Eustachina tubeoplasty is a catheter placed in your Eustachian tube and is dilated , it suppose to cure Eustachian tube problems, but though the 40+ nasal endoscopy my Eustachian tube looks dilated, I don't know, I'm running out of money and patience, so...Imma go see one more doctor and if this doesn't work out....Im just gonna drink a beer, chew some tobacco and say screw it....If I'm stuck I'm stuck...and I guess I'm gonna have to live with this crap, this aint going away and its frustrating as hell.  BUT out of the 25 plus docs I have seen, the very few doctors that actually put time and effort into patient care, even though they have not fixed me they might be able to fix someone on this blog.... DOCTOR JHON MACIAS OF PHOENIX, ENT----he can repair any ear drum, he is a marvelous  surgeon, AND DOCTOR BRIAN WEEKS OF SAN DIEGO---he is the guy that offers Eustachian tubeoplasty, great guy and spends quality time...., AND FROM AN ALLERGIST PERSPECTIVE, DR. MARK SHULBERT OF PHOENIX ....awesome guy, he really tries, with him I actually got some relief, and he has honestly tried to figure my problems out.  AND DR GEORGE MAKOL OF TUCSON, on a side note, don't waste your time with the MAYO CLINIC.  
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
For the past 3 years, my issue came on acute (meaning all of a sudden), I use to live a very normal life, on the verge of going Air Force Pararescue, I'm currently in Federal Law Enforcement.  Anyways, I was living my life normally, at times I usually got more sick or I got more colds than the average person but for all means I never had ear issues or serious/bothersome health problems.  One day I get a cold, 3 years ago, and it never went away, I'm in my 30's, late 30's, time is of the essence, ever since that fate full day my life has been on hold it seems.  I get chronic Eustachian tube dysfunction, rhinitis.  The symptoms I get are mainly pressure behind my right ear drum, constant ear popping when I swallow, a sensation of itching in my ear, if that's not going on the inflammation of my nasal tissue, mainly in my Right nasal passage, a irritation, stinging feeling rotates from my left to right nostril but mainly starts out on my Right side. During the last 3 years I had about 10 days of continuous normalcy once, one of the allergist I was seeing put me on prednisone but it only worked for a few days, after that the symptoms where back.  I have children, these issue have completely frustrated my sense of freedom and at times has taken.......well many times taken away quality time with my love ones.  I have literally seen 14 different Ear Nose and Throat doctors (ENT's), 3 different allergist, I've traveled to San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Tucson, Phoenix, Scottsdale, half of the ENT's would recommend me to see another ENT, I've been to the Mayo clinic in Scottsdale....(Highly Disappointed...HIGHLY DISAPOINTED, I saw a Sinus Specialist who did absolutely nothing but over charge me and left me with a huge bill) I've had balloon sinuplasty, that was a disaster...turned out my sinuses are not the problem, I had a ear tube in my bothersome ear, that turned out to be a bigger disaster because the doctor blew out my ear drum.  I've been on Immunotherapy, that's hasn't done anything....I've lost so much faith in the medical community, we have made so much advancements as a society but yet we cant get things you would think could be fix able down.  Anyways, I might get balloon Eustachian tubeboplasty, that is a newer procedure that is not FDA approved but im running out of options to get back to being normal, Ballon-Eustachina tubeoplasty is a catheter placed in your Eustachian tube and is dilated , it suppose to cure Eustachian tube problems, but though the 40+ nasal endoscopy my Eustachian tube looks dilated, I don't know, I'm running out of money and patience, so...Imma go see one more doctor and if this doesn't work out....Im just gonna drink a beer, chew some tobacco and say screw it....If I'm stuck I'm stuck...and I guess I'm gonna have to live with this crap, this aint going away and its frustrating as hell.  BUT out of the 25 plus docs I have seen, the very few doctors that actually put time and effort into patient care, even though they have not fixed me they might be able to fix someone on this blog.... DOCTOR JHON MACIAS OF PHOENIX, ENT----he can repair any ear drum, he is a marvelous  surgeon, AND DOCTOR BRIAN WEEKS OF SAN DIEGO---he is the guy that offers Eustachian tubeoplasty, great guy and spends quality time...., AND FROM AN ALLERGIST PERSPECTIVE, DR. MARK SHULBERT OF PHOENIX ....awesome guy, he really tries, with him I actually got some relief, and he has honestly tried to figure my problems out.  AND DR GEORGE MAKOL OF TUCSON, on a side note, don't waste your time with the MAYO CLINIC.  
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have been having the same issues for over a year now.  My ears are constantly plugging up, popping and I have to yawn or keep opening my mouth real wide to open them up.  I have been to Oral surgeon, they said small arthritis on one side of my jaw but nothing major.  The ENT said no idea either but think ear tubes might help regulate them.  I had them when I was kid (many years ago).  Was wondering if anyone had tried the tubes in the ear and they helped??  It is exhausting to go through this all the time.  
Helpful - 0
3 Comments
Don't get ear tubes!trust me.
Don't get ear tubes!trust me.
MY ear tubes that was put in over a year ago and when taken out my left ear now pops! never did before tubes.
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