PLEASE HELP... Is This Tinnitus? Fluttering Noise, Pops, Movement Sounds...

I am a 13 year old female. When I woke up this morning, immediately my ear started popping a bit. Then it started popping like crazy. Then I started hearing a VERY loud fluttering noise in my right ear, (this is all in my right ear) and it felt like there was a moth in my ear.

This all happened in about 2-3 minutes.

The rest of the day I had no fluttering, but everyone once in a while a couple pops or little movement sounds in BOTH my ears.

Should I go to the doctor? I'm really scared of this happening again because it was super annoying and bad, but I don't know if the doctor will think I'm stupid. Is this even an early sign of tinnitus?

THANK YOU!!!!

 

I can't gave you advice to see a doctor or not. Do you hear pops when you yawn? Does your ears hurt? If your ears hurts, it could be an infection which sometimes happens at your age. It could be nothing to be concerned with, but if your ears hurt, then I would consider talking to a parent about that. There could be something else going on, it's hard to say. Have you been swimming? Do you have a cold? If you are going to school and not on a summer vacation, have the school nurse look into your ears. Have your temperature taken. I will advice you to not place a Q tip into your ears.

 

Better be safe than sorry. I'd ask my parents to take me to a doctor if I were you, especially if it happens again.

 

Perhaps go to the doctor if this continues. Do you listen to music through headphones often?

 

Yes, I do. But it's not super loud.

 

I hear pops when I yawn but they don't hurt and I haven't gone swimming or anything

 

Seek for advice, go to your dr. The sooner the better. He will probably refer you too an ENT.
Goodluck and it's normal to be worried because it's all new for you

 

Many people think they are not listening to music through headphones loud but are often very surprised to learn they are wrong. I advise you to stop using headphones for a while until your ears settle down and no more popping is heard. If you return to using headphones try to keep the volume as low as possible. Headphone use is the most common cause of tinnitus. Another common cause is attending clubs, concerts where loud music is played.

Michael

 

I listen with earbuds (I don't know if that makes a difference) and I just don't understand how that could be the cause because I've been listening to music through earbuds for years.

 

It sounds like you have some fluid trapped in your ear. Your eustachian tubes are probably swollen so your middle ear can't drain the fluid and that's most likely because of a middle ear infection. Nearly everyone gets one at some point in their life and they normally clear up on their own, so don't worry too much about it.

Still, you should definitely visit a doctor or ENT so that he can take a look in your ear an confirm this. If he thinks it's necessary he will prescribe antibiotics or antiinflammatories to speed up the healing. It normally takes some time for the fluid to clear up so don't panic if you still have some of the popping or fluttering for the next few weeks.

What you describe does not sound like typical tinnitus but more like eustachian tube dysfunction or an ear infection.