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"Question My symptom are a little hard to describe, but for the past couple months I have been getting what I can only describe as a popping noise in my ears.  It sounds a bit like when you get bubbles from the bath in your ears and can hear them &amp;#039;popping&amp;#039; (only with it&amp;#039;s a deeper/louder tone). Looking at your website the only thing I found was tinnitus, but that always seems to be associated with nausea, which I am not suffering from. The noise is not constant, but comes and goes fairly frequently at all times of day and night, although I do not notice it as much while I am working. I am working abroad at the moment, which makes it difficult to get to see a doctor.  As such I would appreciate it if you can let me know if you think I should make a trip home to get this checked out or whether it doesn&amp;#039;t sound too serious. Answer Please stay where you are! From how you describe your symptoms, I think you are suffering from a very common problem known as &amp;#039;Eustachian tube dysfunction&amp;#039; or ETD.  The noises that you hear in your ears are as a result of the fluid in the middle ear becoming thickened, usually as the result of a cough or cold.  There is a fine tube that runs from the middle ear to the back of the throat called the &amp;#039;eustachian tube&amp;#039; and this becomes blocked by this sticky fluid, or mucus.  This in turn leads to a pressure build up in the ear which is released when you talk, swallow, blow your nose or eat. This is why your ears pop. Sometimes people suffering from ETD get crackling noises in their ears or deafness.  The deafness is usually temporary and is as a result of the normal flexible ear drum, or tympanic membrane, becoming stiff as a result of the increased pressure behind it.  The ear drum is therefore unable to move when a sound wave hits it and so the sound is muffled when it is heard.  The crackling is due to the mucus moving within the middle ear. It is the blockage of the Eustachian tube that causes pain in the ears when flying as the changes in air pressure make it difficult for the pressure across the ear drum to equalise.  This causes the ear drum to be stretched, which is painful. There is no one successful treatment for ETD, but simple measures such as inhaling steam regularly can be very effective.  I usually recommend that you steam with your mouth open to allow the maximum amount of steam up in the nasal passages and the Eustachian tube until you can either hear your ears cracking or until your nose starts to run.  You should then blow one nostril at a time until there is nothing left to blow! Medications that can help include decongestants such as pseudoephidrine, available in tablet, or nose spray form.  This can be bought over the counter. Alternatively, your doctor could prescribe a steroid nose spray to help. I would reassure you that ETD tends to run a long, varying cause, but usually has no long-term effects on the hearing. If your symptoms persist, I&amp;#039;m sure your doctor would be only too happy to check you over when you are next home on leave. Yours sincerely The NetDoctor Medical Team  Other Qs &amp;amp;amp; As A sensitivity to noise Are there any advances in hearing aids? Dizziness, nausea and hearing problems I wear earplugs because of my partner&amp;#039;s snoring. Will this damage my ears?  Is loud music damaging my hearing? Is my telephone job sending me deaf? My ears stick out Poor hearing Sticking out ears Tinnitus and hearing Worried about my hearing  Last updated 25.02.2015 "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/ask-the-expert/ear-nose-and-throat/a14/crackling-ears/>