Intermittent Ticking Sound in Left Ear

Hi Dr. Nagler,

Recently I have had an intermittent tick sound in my left ear.
It almost sounds like someone clicking their nails together near my ear.
It’s not really loud but despite that I can still hear it...

It’s neither constant nor consistent... as in it doesn’t constantly tick, and the time between ticks isn’t always the same when it does..

It goes away and comes back throughout the day.. .

Any idea on this?

 

Hello @LukeYoung. Interesting symptom.

First of all, I am as certain as I can be without evaluating you myself that whatever it is, it does not represent some sort of health threat. Of course if it persists, I suspect you will want to see an ENT to cover all your bases.

The first thing I would want to do is place a small amplifier in your ear canal to see if it can be recorded. Thoughts that come to mind would be some sort of myoclonus, tensor tympani activity, or Eustachian tube phenomenon.

For sure it isn't tinnitus, and I do not feel comfortable straying too far outside that topic.

As a shot in the dark, why don't you see what happens if you give up all forms of caffeine for a week or two. If it goes away off caffeine, then I guess you have a choice to make. Me? I'd take the coffee over the ticking and clicking. But at least it would be reassuring to know that it was caffeine-related.

If it seems like I am rambling in my response, that's because I am rambling in my response! Just throwing some ideas out there.

All the best -

Stephen M. Nagler, M.D.