sound when moving ear

[guzmano]

About two weeks ago I started hearing a "crumpling paper" sound inside my ear right whenever I move the ear with the ear muscle or when i pull it upwards manually or when I move the lower jaw from side to side.

There is no water in my ear, no infection and no wax build up (I just came back from my family doctor) and my hearing is not impaired and I have no pain. I have not had any cold for the past few months and I have not injured myself in that ear or anything like that. This just started out of the blue.

Why am I hearing this sound as if I have water and why is it not going away after two weeks?
Is this a sign of a lesion in the cochlea or ear drum that my family doctor has not been able to detect?
What are the internal ear conditions, diseases or lesions that could be consistent with these symptoms?

Thank you

[singuptosignin]

I had the same problem - the first day it happened, I thought it was just allergies or something so I ignored it, but after a few days, it kept up.  I tried sleekgeek's suggestion and just couldn't get it to work (to the point my ear was starting to hurt because I kept trying).  Today I went to the store and bought one of those $10 earwax cleaning kits (the kind with the drops and that rubber thing to wash you ear out afterward) - at first I thought it didn't do anything, but I decided to give it one good final rinse and viola!  The noise is completely gone.  So basically what seems to be happening for everyone here is there is something lodged in your ear causing the problem, and you need to find some way to clear it out.  

[sleekgeek]

had this the past 2 or 3 days.. a crumpling/crackling noise only when i move my jaw or put my finger in the right ear.


i thought it was caused from over use of earplugs wheni sleep and go out to the clubs.

i read a suggestion to tilt my head to the side and put a finger in and wiggle around until it stops... and for some bizarre reason it worked.

[BobHolliday]

Oh my god - I've had this issue for weeks.  I tried your suggestion and is literally worked instantly!!  Thank you!

[InCrypt]

SOLVED - Yay! Had the same thing as everyone else described. I tried the "little crowbar" trick that
jzarech, suggested to "pop" my ear. However, just popping the ear (Inserting pinky, forming a seal, and leveraging the pinky out so that the vacuum that formed between pinky and eardrum "pops") didn't immediately work. Tilting head to side and THEN popping did work.
I too wear ear-plugs to sleep (Snoring dogs. ;) ) and woke up with it this morning. Been bugging me all day. I thought it was wax buildup, or an ear-hair (Hate those buggers) that was pushed up against my eardrum.

I am no doctor, but I suspect that it is indeed something resting against the eardrum, and when facial muscles, jaw muscles (from chewing), or you just wiggle your ear lobe, this mechanically moves said object against the eardrum and creates said "Crackliing" noise.
I also suspect that the reason this process works is because the vacuum that is formed while levering the finger out of the ear canal pulls on the ear drum, pushing the wax or ear-hair out of the way. Leaning to the side affected allows gravity to assist and/or amplify the effect.

Oh, and If it hurts, stop. See a doctor. Your either doing it too hard, or, there is something else going on. This process was not painful at all.

Anyway, that is my 2 cents from my experience.

[jzarech]

I have the same problem for about a month now. I was getting over a really horrid cold and after I was well it just started. Like paper crumpling when I move my ear.

I'm 41 and fly unpressurized airplanes a lot so I thought maybe I damaged my ear while flying sick.

But I hear fine.

It's only my right ear and the sound will go away for a while if I stick my finger in my ear and open it up like a little crowbar.

Hopefully someone can figure out what it is.

Getting old *****!

[sherd777]

We stayed in motel, brought back bed bugs to our home. They leave white silicon like substance. I have this in my ears, and i hear crumpling paper sound most of the time. Found also pulled nymph out of nose. Took months to figure out what was happeng. Badbedbugs.com has some info. Only had a few small bites on back, but always thought was acne.

[GemsGemi]

Sleekgeeks response and the qtip thing seemed to have worked for me

[clc0438]

Tilt your head sideways so the ear making the noise is facing the ground. Take a q-tip and insert it into the ear as far as you can without touching your ear drum. Slowly and firmly rotate the q-tip in a circular motion while pressing against your ear canal. Be careful not to press too hard or you might slip and hit your ear drum. Keep doing this until the noise is gone.


I've had this noise in my ear for as long as I can remember (only when I move my ear with my fingers). I read about this trick, did it, and now it is completely gone.

[Nate711]

I thinking is just cardalidge rubbing on cardalidge because it can be loud because cardalidge is hard and rubbery

[dhheinf]

Seriously, don't do this. If the noise is caused by wax buildup, pushing a q-tip into your ear canal is very likely to push earwax in and press it up against your eardrum. I developed earwax compaction after using q-tips in the ear canal for several months. I didn't know it though until after I went swimming and water got stuck in my ear canal (the wax swells up when it gets wet, and water can get trapped behind it), leaving me completely deaf in that ear for 2 days. My doctor found compacted wax in both ears and tried to flush it out with water. Worked in the deaf ear, but not the other, and then I couldn't hear in that ear ! I then developed awful infections in both ears (probably from water trapped in the ear canal too long, which creates great breeding grounds for bacteria). Despite getting treatment the same day the infection symptoms showed up, I was out of commission for the first 5 days because the pain of the infection was so intense. All that from big hard clumps of wax that I'd pushed into my ear canal by trying to clean em with q-tips. These things shouldn't be sold over the counter!

[goldilocks928]

So, I've recently begun this- first few months just pressure/fullness in both ears. Then, left ear would either burn or feel like a blade of grass was in it. Also, my throats would get irritated on the same side (L). Two ENTs were no help; TMJ & ETD. I've been taking Sudafed for 2 weeks now along with Allegra. Ears now have minimal pressure but are constantly crackling. My throat is odd feeling and irritated maybe 1 or 2 days a week which I think is from drainage? No other symptoms. Healthy 36 yr old woman who never had any ear issues. What gives? Total of 5 months and counting...

[Samehere23]

I have the same thing, but im scared of doing anything with a qtup or my finger.

[InCrypt]

SOLVED - Yay! Had the same thing as everyone else described. I tried the "little crowbar" trick that
jzarech, suggested to "pop" my ear. However, just popping the ear (Inserting pinky, forming a seal, and leveraging the pinky out so that the vacuum that formed between pinky and eardrum "pops") didn't immediately work. Tilting head to side and THEN popping did work.
I too wear ear-plugs to sleep (Snoring dogs. ;) ) and woke up with it this morning. Been bugging me all day. I thought it was wax buildup, or an ear-hair (Hate those buggers) that was pushed up against my eardrum.

I am no doctor, but I suspect that it is indeed something resting against the eardrum, and when facial muscles, jaw muscles (from chewing), or you just wiggle your ear lobe, this mechanically moves said object against the eardrum and creates said "Crackliing" noise.
I also suspect that the reason this process works is because the vacuum that is formed while levering the finger out of the ear canal pulls on the ear drum, pushing the wax or ear-hair out of the way. Leaning to the side affected allows gravity to assist and/or amplify the effect.

Oh, and If it hurts, stop. See a doctor. Your either doing it too hard, or, there is something else going on. This process was not painful at all.

Anyway, that is my 2 cents from my experience.

[rp0503]

The qtip idea is what worked for me.  I first tried wiggling my finger in my ear, and it helped a little.  But I used the qtip carefully as lukta described and now the noise is gone!  Thanks!

[shera888]

Thank you durazcoton!
this has been happening to me 2 to 3 weeks now...  I just put some castor oil on a Q-tip and gently, very gently moved it around inside the ear and on the third time a piece of hair, about an inch long, was stuck to it and the sound is completely gone! Yeah.. no doctor co-pay needed!!

[DDS2]

I am a practicing dentist and would like to share my experience.  I have found some patients have symptoms as described if they have issues with the TMJ.  Oftentimes these issues can result from bruxism or grinding. It may be worth asking your dentist next time you visit.

[DracoJuniper]

Hi, sorry, couldn't help but notice your TMJ comment. I have a question, if I may. Do you find that many patients being treated for TMJ have symptoms of a low tinnitus or phlegm in the back of the throat? Thanks :)

[johnny0505]

I may have found the answer...I had THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM and searched forever...MAKE SURE YOU DON'T HAVE WAX BUILDUP DEEP IN YOUR EAR!!!!!   Thought I had tinnitus or sensitivity problems like Mozart..my girlfriend looked in my ear and found a huge blockage of wax..I CLEAN MY EARS OFTEN but it was too far back for a Qtip. I rushed to the CVS and purchased some ear wax flush (came with a bulb to flush with warm water afterwards).  Did it once and it got worse...i was deaf overnight (the blockage had moved deeper because my dumb *** turned my head so my girlfriend could look and it slipped deeper). Next morning I tried again and out came this huge clump of wax...I could hear amazingly well and the crumpling paper sound was GONE. Hope it works for you all too!!!!

[Mz_Cianna]

Actually, the one and only time I had a problem with ear wax was from using Q-Tips, it's a FACT they are NOT for cleaning ear wax. It pushes the wax further in, and packs it against the eardrum. I ended up in the ER with deafness, extreme pain and headache... Dr cleaned my ear out with water and a couple tools... the amount of wax that came out was insane. It was almost unbearably painful to have done... but, as soon as they got the wax out, I WAS PERFECTLY FINE. Zero pain... a bit of a residual headache that was cured with a Tylenol. Don't use Q-Tips INSIDE your ear!!

[lymedout]

Everyone here should get tested for Lyme Disease i had this cracking sound 10 years ago now 25 and have tinitus and a list of symtoms. Im telling you get checked now and treat before its to late. i Know the exact tearing sound and i got it after staying in the countryside years ago having flu then memmory problems started it took 10 years of health declining before finding i have Lyme . The same sound my hands make , my neck my feet my elbows everywhere the same tearing/skeletal sound and i know its all related to Lyme. Some may not have it but i bet a lot of you test poss. Also testing for Lyme is very bad so see a Lyme Literate Doctor these are the only ones that know how to deal with this. Dont end up like me where it gets so late and so hard to treat and so expensive

[TEDJONESbones]

i have this often, its just your eardrum sticking to something, If u put your finger in your ear press down and just gently move your skin around and outwards you will work all the crackling out. You should hear a taut elastic band plinging sound as well as a tape peeling sound.  You will know when you have worked it out when finally there is the finishing sound of 2 rubber things stuck together finally coming apart. I smoke and am unhealthy pretty much always have a mild cold its just your ear messing up for a bit but YOU can help your poor body and fix it.

[hduylam]

I also had this annoying sound in my right ear for about 2 weeks. Nothing seemed to help easing the problem until I used a combination of mechanical and some sort of medical treatment. The products that I used are Ear drops (for the symptoms of clogged ears); Debrox earwax removal aid, and last but not least use your index finger and swiveling exaggeratedly on the outside of the eartube. This trio has helped me and I hope it will help you too!

[Thehelperofyourproblems]

I have had this noice for a couple of days and recently i decided to take action about this noise in my ear. So i stuck a bobby pin in my ear slowly and notice how that when i move the bobby pin around my ear it started to make the noise then i slowly took the bobby pin out of my ear slowly and still heard the noise as i pulled it out. My guess was it might be a hair thts somehow deep down at the end of my ear so after i took a tweezer and started trying to pull something out and so after a couple tries i pulled out a stand of hair which was the main problem. After the hair was pulled out the noise stopped. The hair that got inside of your ear maybe the problem.

[Bob99999]

I have a permanent ear tube in my right ear due to eustachan tube dysfunction and this paper crunching /crackling sound began last week whenever I push up on the bottom of my ear or move my jaw in a certain way. I saw my ENT and he removed some wax but didn't have any idea what I was talking about. He said the tube looked fine and sent me home. I tried the finger in the ear with a gentle wiggle and my head tilted toward the problem ear and that seemed to eliminate most of the crackling.

[custmodz]

Try the wiggling technique mentioned above.

I have had this crackling noise for 6 months and after reading some of the suggestions here i realized that if i put water in my ear and let it sit, upon emptying the ear it wont crackle as often or at all unless messed with.
I also noticed that moving my jaw a certain way will trigger it a LITTLE when my ear was wet (40 minutes ago).  
This makes me think its a hair somewhere or something similar, however... I'm not a doctor so my finding will make good "doctors visit chat" if serving any purpose.  Dont put it off as long as i did, You may regret waiting too long because you didnt "feel like going to the doctor" 3 hours of annoyance (or even 5 between visits whatever) is not worth your hearing.

[durazcoton]

Just wanted to chime in, as this happened to me and I was able to get to the bottom of it relatively quickly.

I was hearing the crackling noise in my left ear for about 3 days, figuring it was due to a cold I just got over.

I have very dry skin in my ears and do not produce enough wax, so every week I put sweet oil in and spread it through the very outer part of the canal with a cotton swab. Sure enough, this time when I pulled out the cotton swab from my left ear, a 3cm-long hair came out, and the crinkling noise was gone. I would say the ear-wiggling technique likely works for people due to either temporarily or permanently dislodging whatever foreign object is rubbing against the ear drum, as it also worked for me for a bit.

[abailey1023]

I poured peroxide into my ear for about 2 minutes and let it bubble. Then I dried my ear with a Qtip. The noise was gone the next day and hasn't returned.

[serafinadellarosa]

Just tried the head tilt and finger wiggle and it worked. Amazing! I noticed the cracking and crunching sounds the other day and have been looking for clue. Read your suggestion and now it's gone.

[Megalev]

Haha, astonishingly insightful comment :)

[ohaira]

well i will have to say, it worked for me as well. had the crinkling sound for awhile went away but had recently came back. did sleekgeeks suggestion..to my surprise..gone!! for how long, that will be the test :)
Thanks again.

[AS308]

I'm 17 and I have the same crackling sound in the right ear. My hearing is also what I can best describe as foggy, and it's giving me headaches. Sometimes I get dizzy too. I don't have any hobbies or jobs that require pressure change. The only activity I do that I can imagine having a negative impact on my ear is listening to loud live music. I clean my ears daily so I know it's not wax build up. I am going to see my doctor ASAP but she is on vacation at the moment.