Hearing a Forceful Crackle Every Time You Swallow?

For over two months now I've suffered with tinnitus. I have the loud ringing in the ear, but also a forceful crackle/pop every time I swallow my saliva. Is that part of tinnitus, or Eustachian tube dysfunction? My ENT wanted to do an allergy test, but I've been through a lot medically the last few months and don't want to do an allergy test.

I'm wanting to know if this is a normal tinnitus symptom or something different. It's so awful. Is crackles so loud every time I swallow in both ears.

 

Hearing a crackling noise when you swallow is totally normal. I get it too.

 

I'm wanting to know if this is a normal tinnitus symptom or something different. It's so awful. Is crackles so loud every time I swallow in both ears.[/QUOTE]

I get this as well. Crackle and pop sensation in the ear when I swallow. I take it as a good thing that my ears are equalizing pressure. When I've had sinus problems or ear infections that have sent my tinnitus crazy I don't get it as the tubes are blocked and pressure builds within the ear. I wouldn't call it loud crackling though so maybe different to yours.

 

But every time you swallow saliva? I've never had that in my life. It feels like a loud pressure on my ear drum, crackle/pop, every single time i swallow. Wouldn't that mean the tubes aren't working right? I've never heard this in my life and I've had it for two months now and I'm concerned to fly.

 

@ChrisPerry

Hi,

I also have a pop in my left ear where I have tinnitus and this started at the same time, every time I swallow I get a pop deep in my ear and this NEVER happened before tinnitus, it can be quite cathartic in a strange way. I know a lot of people say this can go hand in hand with tinnitus but I think this is more than coincidence.

Ive have tinnitus now for nearly 11 months, have never , so far, found a specific cause and since the beginning my ear has popped and I also get fluid running down the left side of my throat when this happens, personally I think this is ETD, although wasn’t diagnosed or even mentioned as a cause.

Hope you find out what caused yours although tbh it’s like finding a needle in a haystack

Best wishes

Denise x

 

Popping happens after flights when ears are clogged and might be a sign of an issue with the eustachian tubes. I am not trying to say that it's the exact same issue because it probably isn't.

My theory is it might be similar or an uncommon condition in which an issue with the eustachian tubes persists or reoccurs. I know some people here say they have crackling or popping when they eat or swallow. That's not normal.

 

I have that since the onset of my new tinnitus (maybe 1/2 weeks after). I think it's highly link to your stress level. When you get stress or anxiety you can "break" something in your body due to the tension in your muscle, joint...

Do not worry about the sound, I'm 99% sure it's link to some Eustachian Tube Dysfunction.

Maybe since you have tinnitus you are more aware of what you hear because you are in a fight & flight mode.

Wish you the best.

 

I got the ear crackle/pop only after my tinnitus got super bad. I never had it before and when it's bad, my tinnitus is bad. I only got it when ETD set in.

 

My tinnitus is significantly lower when my crackling is absent. I'm suspecting I'm still dealing with ETD to a degree (ears won't clear properly + this damn chronic cold) so who knows.

 

I feel you, my left ear experiences a loud pop everytime I swallow food. It sounds like I'm breaking a seal after getting out from the pool.

 

I get a similar sound in my bad ear as well. I describe it as two pieces of raw meat being pulled apart. Which is probably exactly what’s happening with the Eustachian tube opening and closing.

 

You're unlikely to have problems flying imo. Just use flight plugs that let the pressure equalise gradually, and you shouldn't have problems. I coped with 3 takeoff and landing cycles in one day like this soon after my problems started, and I was fine.

 

I have the same sensation, do you still have it?

Here I described all the symptoms that I have.

 

Me too. I've noticed like today my T is louder and my crackling is more apparent. Everytime I swallow it happened. Maybe I'm noticing it more today because of my T. I did take flonase past few days which I suspect made the T worse. I wonder if it affected the crackling as well. I went to my ENT yesterday. I'm hoping and assuming he would have noticed if this was ETD. I mentioned the crackling and he said its because I notice my tinnitus so I'm aware and sensitive to other noises like crackling which are normal and are always there. Today its super annoying.

 

My ears pop every time I swallow, and have done since a couple of days after tinnitus onset - I have always wondered why. It never occurred to me that it could be linked to stress/anxiety, but I just googled and in fact it can be. That makes perfect sense. Merci beaucoup

To anyone wondering if they can still fly, I have flown many times since my ear issues and have never had a problem. I use these: