Ear noises: ringing, buzzing, crackling and whooshing sounds

Noise in the ears occurs on one or both sides. If you add to the noise in your ears a feeling of excessive pressure in your ears or plugged ears, this could be a sign of sudden hearing loss. If symptoms persist, it is necessary to visit a ENT specialist.

Some people are more likely to hear a whooshing sound in their ears similar to their own heartbeat. Unlike "real" tinnitus, this whooshing sound can also be heard by the doctor through a stethoscope. This ear noise is often caused by changes in the blood vessels, for example due to constrictions or similar conditions.

Ringing in the ears is nothing but tinnitus. Especially short-term noises in the ear are described as "ringing in the ears"; these arise for example from loud music, concerts or other particularly loud noises.

However, ringing in the ears can also be caused by physical factors, such as otitis media or a foreign body in the ear. Another common cause can be stress. Ringing in the ears combined with dizziness is a characteristic sign of sudden hearing loss and so-called Menière's disease.

Noises can be expressed as whistling, beeping, buzzing, crackling or clicking in the ear. Those affected often describe noises as very high pitched tones that occur continuously and monotonously.

What the patient perceives as a whooshing sound in the ear is often the sound of blood flow. Patients also describe this phenomenon as the sensation of perceiving one's heartbeat in the ear.

When a noise in the ear increases and decreases with the rhythm of the heartbeat, tinnitus is also called pulsatile tinnitus. For example, one possible cause of pulsatile tinnitus is high blood pressure. Other causes can also be related to the side effects of some medications.