Clicking Ears — Culprit: Middle Ear Muscles? ETD and TMJ?

I’m usually an ear thumper - but have been clicking like a pen recently!

Since a head cold last month - and lots of anxiety about the situation - I’ve gradually started clicking in my left ear more and more.

Things that set this ‘single’ click off include:

• Swallowing. Usually this happens like a crackle which I’m used to. But a clear click now occurs about 3-5 seconds after the swallow.
• Moving my head in certain directions. My jaw is very crackly when chewing or opening it too.
• Talking. A click at the beginning and end of sentences.
• Pushing air through my ears. I think I could always do this... but as more then a pop not a click.
• My nose is also clicking and the back of my throat sometimes crackles.

All these symptoms come and go but always present in some form every day.

Does anyone have experience with these issues?

I’m sure I had the same happen in my youth for a few months but I’ve forgotten.

I'm between it being one of my middle ear muscles being triggered or ETD and TMJ causing something to click sometimes. I doubt it’s palatal. It doesn’t go into episodes and isn’t triggered randomly.

 

The middle ear muscles problem may be related to TTTS. I am no expert on it but it is known to generate clicking or Morse code like tinnitus. You can do a search on TTTS here or on the internet for more information. Best wishes. God bless.

 

Hello, I am new to tinnitus, it has been 6 weeks now. I got it from a loud MRI machine and stupid me they had the music blasting in the headphones when I was in the MRI machine but I thought to myself 'it's only 10 minutes, I will be ok."

But the tinnitus started in my ears 30 minutes after and a week later I have exactly what you describe above. Clicking when talking, chewing and randomly when I move my head. I feel a click in the back of my throat too and I cannot figure out if this is ETD, TTTS or MEM.

Of course I am freaking out because this is no way to live and I only go through the days for my young kids...

 

Hi there.

I am experiencing the EXACT same things as you. I have an appointment at an ENT in a couple of weeks. I will let you know what she says.

Are you up for a pact? That we promise to keep each other updated, if things get better (or worse), so we might learn from each other?

 

Have you ever had thumping or fluttering in your ears?

 

I experience very similar things. I no longer get intermittent fluttering but I will get clicking when turning my head, though it's never consistent. No idea if it's MEM or TMJ. I went to ENTs but they didn't really say much. I think the only way to tell if it's MEM is through a tympanometry but that comes with risks too...

 

Yes please, let’s keep each other posted. I’m hanging on by a thread right now and just want my life to be over. I see an ENT in about 2 months only. Bloody Canada, so long to see specialists here. I want to get on antidepressants but just so scared they will make things worse.

@Shizune - I’m new to all of this, why would you say a tympanometry comes with risks?

 

I don't know much about it, admittedly, beyond searching what's on the forum here.

But it does involve shots of air into your ear canal and recording how your ear drum/middle ear react to it. I've seen some say that it's a less risky test vs ones involving beeping in the ears such as audiograms and LDL testing, but others say that it's just as bad. Might cause a tinnitus spike or hyperacusis getting worse.

 

I'm sorry, English is not my native tongue.

Can you explain what it means?

 

Thumping sounds like someone tapping on a microphone inside the ear and fluttering like there is a moth flapping inside the ear.

MEM is a very strange condition and it has no pattern for me either and it just keeps changing all the time but has been getting progressively worse in recent weeks.

 

I see. I have more like a thumping then.

I have an appointment with an ENT this Wednesday. I will report back what they say, which is most likely nothing...

 

Just an update for everyone.

I have seen a TMJ physiotherapist two times now and it amazes me how much the jaw is associated with ear pain and other symptoms such as clicking, popping, crackling etc.

He mentioned that if we have muscle tension in the jaw and neck area, it can lead to muscle spasms in the ear. Hence the clicking noises.

It’s just the start of this physio treatment for me so I will again keep you all posted. From the onset of my tinnitus I know I was mortified and beyond stressed so constantly clenching my teeth. I’m a chest breather so he also says that puts a lot of strain on neck/jaw area, again affecting the ears.

I haven’t been sleeping these last 8 weeks but got some Trazodone from my GP so I hope that will help me get some zzz. How can our bodies heal without sleep, right? I will also try going for some massage therapy to hopefully calm down my nervous system.

I apologize for the long message. I also see my ENT on the 29th so curious to see what he will say. In the meantime hang in there everyone. I send you all positive energy and strength.

 

How are you doing these days? I have no idea if I have MEM or TTTS but my ear vibrates and creates like a morse code vibration, so like a click each time it vibrates. I do suffer from TMJ and neck issues and I really believe that is the cause of my issues.

Doing physical therapy and NUCCA at the moment.

Do your ears still vibrate? Can you make the ears vibrate by doing a movement of the neck or jaw?

 

I hope physio will help you!

Do you have a mouth guard for the nighttime?

I noticed for me this was a huge factor to my popping and clicking. I was clenching my teeth over night. My left ear still vibrates only when people are talking around me so I have no idea what it is.

What is NUCCA?

 

I have had mouth guard for 12 years but I grind so much that I still put a lot of stress in my jaw and neck. Currently I have severe pain.

NUCCA is like upper cervical chiropractor, but they specialize in the C1 and C2 and are very gentle.