'The idea that you could lose your hearing, and miss the one chance you had to do anything, made me very angry.'. SSHL occurs when the hair cells in the inner ear (or cochlea) die. But the causes of the condition, which affects around 6,000 people a year, are known in only around 15 per cent of cases.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1211815/Dont-ignore-ears-popping--mean-youre-deaf.html
1 The most common cause is a  cold  (upper respiratory infection). 2  Sinus infections and allergies may also cause swelling of the tissue lining the Eustachian tube. 3  Simply put, a stuffy nose leads to stuffy ears.
http://www.medicinenet.com/eustachian_tube_problems/page2.htm
This can lead to a variety of symptoms, including chronic ear popping. Blockages of the Eustachian tube can be the result of genetic defects, abnormal growths or structural problems from various medical conditions.
http://www.livestrong.com/article/185604-what-are-the-causes-of-chronic-ear-popping/
The Eustachian tube can be blocked, or obstructed, for a variety of reasons.: 1  The most common cause is a  cold  (upper respiratory infection). 2  Sinus infections and allergies may also cause swelling of the tissue lining the Eustachian tube. 3  Simply put, a stuffy nose leads to stuffy ears.
http://www.medicinenet.com/eustachian_tube_problems/page2.htm
'There are usually signs of a build-up of fluid in the middle ear behind the ear drum,' she says. 'It is also good practice for a GP to use a tuning fork test, which will help identify if the problem is in the inner ear.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1211815/Dont-ignore-ears-popping--mean-youre-deaf.html
It also helps to drain excess fluid from the ear to help prevent infections. If the pressure in the ears becomes unequal, the ears can pop temporarily. This popping sound is created as the Eustachian tube opens to normalize the pressure. However, certain conditions can cause chronic ear popping.
http://www.livestrong.com/article/185604-what-are-the-causes-of-chronic-ear-popping/
One thought is that a virus has damaged the cochlea-the organ where sound waves are converted into electrical signals for the brain. The other theory is that an obstruction in a patient's blood vessels may have reduced the supply of oxygen to the inner ear, starving cells in the cochlea.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1211815/Dont-ignore-ears-popping--mean-youre-deaf.html
Eustachian tube problems and the associated ear infections are among the most common problems seen by doctors. Many people have chronic problems regulating middle ear pressure. Causes range from allergies to excessively small Eustachian tubes (as may afflict children with Down Syndrome). These patients often notice intermittent ear fullness, ear popping or cracking, mild hearing loss (an attenuation of sound), ringing in the ears (tinnitus), and/or occasional poor balance.
http://www.medicinenet.com/eustachian_tube_problems/page2.htm
Alan Knight was driving on a motorway when he heard a 'popping' in his left ear. Suddenly, all the sound from his left side seemed muffled and faint. 'It was just like the pop you get in an aeroplane or when you're driving up and down steep hills,' says Alan, 48.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1211815/Dont-ignore-ears-popping--mean-youre-deaf.html
Overview. The air pressure inside of the ear should be equal to the air pressure outside the ear. The pressure is kept equal by a structure called the Eustachian tube. This tube runs from the middle ear through the back of the nose and ends in the upper portion of the throat.
http://www.livestrong.com/article/185604-what-are-the-causes-of-chronic-ear-popping/
causes of ear popping
Genetic defects, abnormal growths or structural problems from various medical conditions are the causes of ear popping.   Genetic defects, abnormal growths or structural problems from various medical conditions are the different causes of ear popping.