Ear Clicking While Running

Ever since the sudden onset of tinnitus I've had weirdnesses in my left ear, the one that is worse with tinnitus. It had spasms, pains, clicking, fullness, etc. Now that I am 8+ months in all that has subsided, but I still get clicking in my left ear while running, accompanying footfalls. If I turn my head up while running (admittedly a foolish way to run) it stops.

Earlier on in my tinnitus journey it was happening frequently enough that I took some decongestants and nasal rinses and it kind of became something that would come and go. Usually becoming less frequent the longer I'd run, so that by mile two or three it would be nonexistent or infrequent. Recently, over the last week or two it has become very persistent and I can't get it to stop even with the nasal rinse and Sudafed. Also it may be creating a a slight fullness after running after having a thousand clicks, although that may be caused by my over attention and continuous attempts to clear my ears. It doesn't click any other time.

Here is the thing. I have no trouble clearing my eustachian tubes. I fly all the time, even scuba dive no problems at all. I can equalize pressure both ears (usually) with equal force blowing into my nose. I do notice that when I flex my weird internal ear muscle to open the eustachian tubes I get kind of a mucus gooey pulling apart sound, but I honestly can't remember anymore if this is just the normal sound that I always had before having any problems.

With all my ear craziness this year I spend a lot of time with people looking in my ears and doing all of the tests, no one noted any problem with the ear drums or middle ear.

The last couple days when it didn't clear in after the first couple minutes I curtailed my run as I don't want to give the tinnitus any reason to spike.

Any insights? Opinions on whether it does any damage by running with it like this?

 

I too developed clicking. It started around 2 months ago. I thought my ossicles were damaged, but I'm not sure anymore. I first noticed it while doing jumping jacks. Some say it's Eustachian Tube opening and closing. I read people on running forums reporting same problems, so it isn't just us on Tinnitus Talk experiencing it. That brought some relief, I suppose. But it seems much too common among tinnitus sufferers, there must be something causing this clicking. Maybe our eustachian tubes are more susceptible to damage then we thought?

Regardless if you figure it out, goes away, or you gather a clue, please do update us. I'm very much interested in finding a answer to this.

 

I'm a runner myself and have never experienced this. Must be annoying having to hear it constantly while you run.

 

@AfroSnowman
Yes, I've experienced this. I don't jog anymore because of it, but I'm pretty certain if I did, I would still experience it. I had some pretty horrible spikes because of it.
No conclusive reason what it is, but it is either ossicles, eustachian tubes, or temporomandibular joint that are involved.

 

I've seen those same forums and mostly the response is a shrug. I really haven't found any comments where it ends with a description of hearing /tinnitus problems because it was ignored. Still as I do have tinnitus problems I'm trying to take it slowly, but not give up on running. I don't want to end with the same solution as @Gman, at least not without a good fight, as I equally concerned with tinnitus having a cascading health effect if I let it (i.e. clicking, stops running, leads to worse fitness, cholesterol problems, etc......). Plus f#$% tinnitus, it has taken enough from me, I'm not going to give it an inch of my life that I don't have to.

I do suspect one way or another it is in the Eustachian tube that I have an issue. I'm pretty sure that EBV caused my sudden hearing loss/tinnitus and I wonder if it didn't leave some Eustachian swelling or other long term changes in its wake. I don't have access to a quality ENT at my current posting so I'm going to keep on working on opening it up with the tools I have and if it doesn't work maybe talk to an ENT at some point in the future about Eustachian tuboplasty if appropriate.

 

Annoying sure but an a member of the tinnitus club I've become exceptionally good at ignoring strange noises, it is more about my concern that I am making things worse be it tinnitus or my ear in general.

 

Maybe that is it. That my eustachian tubes are slightly compromised in general and now some slight change in allergens or a little viral thing can push it over the edge. I'll keep trying and looking at it. I think it is likely it will at least partially resolve.

 

I might have just gathered a clue. I've been creating pressure in my ear by holding my nose and blowing, but to no effect if I jump around or keep running the clicking goes on unabated. I just did the opposite. I created negative pressure while bouncing about and the clicking suddenly stopped. Not sure what the solution is but it sure seems like that it is something with the ET.

 

I suspect this is a non-specific symptom of a patulous eustachian tube. I say non-specific because even the best neuro-otologists would not be able to resolve this conundrum.

You taking decongestant (for too long?) might have "dried up" the affected tube.

Try bending over for about a minute then jog again to see if the symptoms persists.

The pressure brought about by the force/exertion while running is likely affecting your eustachian tube(s).

Also, have you lost any significant weight recently?

 

I was looking at the same diagnosis but I don't have any of the auditory symptoms usually attributed to it. I just started using decongestants for the last 3 days. No weight loss (thus wanting to jog). I did the bend over test and jogged in place, same click.

 

When I first noticed the clicking, I had lost over 10kgs in a very short period of time, including my face. Sudden loss of fat to the face can cause eustachian tube function issues. The ear that had more clicking had a really stubborn tube for ages, but recently started working better again.
I should try jogging again now I've regained some weight.

 

How long was ages?

 

over 2 years I suppose

 

OK it's just like all my lessons with tinnitus...I need more patience

 

Don't you think ossicles damage, even a small fracture, would show up on an audiogram? My last ENT visit said ossicle damage would show on an audiogram.

One thing I did notice shortly after noticing clicking (about 2 weeks ago) ,is that I got weird sensation in my ear, which you can read in detail on my other Bulging Eardrum Thread. Doctors said it was an ear infection with one saying it was bulging and the other said retracted eardrum. I got a third opinion from an ENT who said I had no infection and that my eardrum was normal in appearance. Perhaps the clicking and ear sensation point to ET problem?

BTW I still have a small sensation in my left ear, hope it's not an ear infection, but ENT assured me I had no infection and it has gotten better, hopefully this odd sensation and clicking go away in time...

 

I'm not sure. I guess if the damage caused them to not function correctly, then it seems logical. Look at how Otosclerosis involves the middle ear and affects hearing.

Anyway, I don't think the clicking means the ossicles are damaged. I think it's to do with how the middle ear muscles are working and controlling the ossicles. I'm no expert, but your bulging and retracted eardrum could be to do with the muscles and ossicles being dysfunctional. But also it seems likely something to do with ETs too which would affect the middle ear pressure.
You can get some crazy stuff with this middle ear business. I've had cramping middle ear muscles (like TTTS but just stays frozen) and by cramping I mean for hours and even days - and that definitely affects hearing, albeit temporarily.

 

A happy update: I let things be for a month and now the problem is gone.

 

Hi. Searching for answers. Anywhere. The Internet has many things, but not everything. I too have clicking in my ears, generally the left, when I run, and goes for about 1/2 to 1 mile or so and then typically stops. It will alternate ears over different runs, but never clicks in both ears at the same time. It will also do this if I rigorously "bounce" down the stairs.

I thought I was nuts. What an odd symptom. I've got a LONG history of major ear problems and lots of ear problems and neurological disorders in my family. Just had my sixth surgery on my left ear, thinking the tensor tympani regrew for a third time. It did. Surgeon cut it again.

CLICKS still there. I'm curious as to if yours went away @AfroSnowman?

I keep reading (and my doc says if cutting the tensor tympani again doesn't fix it) that it is palatal myoclonus. However, I don't present with any tremors, at least that I can see. It is only clicking when I speak (or run), and occasionally on a random basis.

Now I'm starting to think more Eustachian tube problems. But have read that the e-tube is controlled by the tensor veli palatini, which is innervated by the fifth trigeminal nerve. Not sure how all that works, but maybe since last year you've been able to come to know more?

 

No real good answer other than I kind of ignore it. My ENT figured it is some tendon or ligament or something that is bouncing around. She suggested it is not anything that can cause harm. So now I just run with a click and almost a year on it hasn’t seemed to give me any particular problem other than being a bit annoying.

 

Did you have to stop exercising to “heal”?

I’ve have had aural fullness and slight tinnitus for 4 months now after acoustic trauma and not working out is killing me. I think I’m done trying to be sedentary & patient with it lol.

I can also flex some kind of muscle in there creating a mucusy feeling and a clicking sound. I thought I was having Eustachian problems so I avoided exercising all this time and now I just don’t know anymore. I’m trying not to flex that muscle in my ear and just ignore the sensation, easier said than done.

 

I still get it on and off (more on than off really). That being said I've been convinced by ENTs and personal experience not to worry about it. I still think it has some thing to do with the Eustachian tube but it it seems to do me no harm.

I think unless you have a real reason to assume that exercise is going to be bad for your ears, go and do it. If you are concerned start out real small, 5-10 minutes and give it 24 hours to see how you respond, but I think most of what I've read and heard from MDs is that generally exercise is thought to increase the healing process.

 

Thanks!

 

I also have this clicking! I do have a history of tons of ear issues as well. It's very strange, I've had it disappear sometimes for months and then come back again. It happens walking, going over bumps, down the stairs, talking etc.

The weird thing was, if I was stepping on the spot for example and had the clicking with every bounce, if I turned my head completely to the side it would stop... so not sure what the issue is.

I don't think it's my Eustachian tubes personally just because I can open and close them voluntarily (I have Patulous Eustachian tubes, but also sinus issues at same time, really weird), and that click feels different to this one.

Very strange and hope we can figure out why this happens.

Perhaps it is the Eustachian tubes as everything I read online about this seems to point to that, just strange as it feels different to the Eustachian tube click to me personally.

I did read on a runners' forum a while ago someone saying they had this happen when they had a cold, and I do have chronic sinusitis so maybe it could be that but yeah very strange that it stops if I carried on with the same movement but turned my head to the side.

Wish everyone here all the best

 

Yes, I have this problem too. It only started when my tinnitus got worse! It's like a snapping sound in my eardrums everytime my feet get off the ground while jogging. I get thumps in my ears too every so often.

 

Hi @AfroSnowman, I’ve been dealing with this “nagging” condition for a few years now. This was right after a flight I took to Florida.

I’m not a doctor by any means but after heavy research it has to do with the “Eustachian Tube” and its functioning. Could be baro-challenge, PET, or obstructive. I don't believe it’s anything ossicle-related.

I came to this conclusion because it happens to do with a lot of movement and the job for the Eustachian Tube is to equalize pressure; something is happening to the tube where it’s not opening and closing the way it should — there could be inflammation as well.

I believe there is effective treatment out there but this is something you should discuss with your doctor about.

I hope this helps. Good luck!

 

It could be tensor tympani. When it stays contracted, stuff like this can happen. I have no ETD, but I had this for the longest time. The TTTS is still there, but the clicking only happens when I vigorously shake my head.

Doing a search on Tinnitus Talk, you will find posts by others saying that TTTS can sometimes cause clicking.