Many people experience clicking or crackling noises in their ears when running or engaging in other physical activity. This symptom, known medically as tinnitus, can be alarming but is usually harmless. Tinnitus is characterized by ringing, buzzing, roaring, clicking, or other sounds in one or both ears.
Tinnitus is often associated with hearing loss, but it can also occur in people with normal hearing. The exact cause is unknown, but it is thought to result from problems or changes in the hearing pathway. When signals reach the brain but do not contain sound from the outside world, the brain interprets these signals as noise.
During exercise, changes in blood flow or muscle contractions in the head and neck may lead to clicking or crackling sounds in time with your footsteps or heartbeat. Typical causes include eustachian tube dysfunction, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders, and earwax buildup. Most of the time, these noises are harmless and resolve on their own. However in some cases they may indicate an underlying condition requiring medical treatment.
Anatomy of the Ear
The ear is divided into three main parts – the outer ear, middle ear, and inner ear. The outer ear consists of the ear canal and eardrum. The ear canal is a tube approximately 1 inch long that ends at the eardrum. It helps direct sound waves towards the eardrum and protects the more delicate middle and inner ear structures. The eardrum is a thin membrane that vibrates when sound waves hit it. This sets the small bones in the middle ear into motion (1).
The middle ear contains three tiny bones called the malleus, incus and stapes which transmit vibrations from the eardrum to the inner ear. The middle ear is normally filled with air and connects to the back of the throat via the Eustachian tube. This tube helps equalize pressure between the middle ear and outside environment (2).
The inner ear contains the cochlea and semicircular canals. The cochlea is a snail-shaped structure filled with fluid and contains hair cells that translate vibrations from the stapes bone into electrical signals that travel to the brain. The semicircular canals help with balance and detecting head position.
(1) https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/the-ear-canal
(2) https://biology.stackexchange.com/questions/43868/anatomy-of-the-ear-canal
Possible Causes
There are a few potential causes of clicking or popping noises in the ears when running or engaging in other physical activity:
Eustachian Tube Dysfunction
The most common cause is eustachian tube dysfunction. The eustachian tube connects the middle ear to the back of the throat and helps regulate air pressure. When the tubes fail to open properly, air pressure changes during physical activity can cause clicking sounds as the eardrum moves back and forth.
TMJ Disorders
Problems with the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), which connects the jawbone to the skull, can also lead to clicking noises. As the jaw moves during physical activity, it may cause clicking sounds that transfer through the small bones of the middle ear.
Earwax Buildup
Excessive earwax buildup can also cause ear clicking when running. The wax can block the ear canal and create pressure changes that result in clicking noises when the jaw moves.
Eustachian Tube Dysfunction
The Eustachian tube is a small passageway that connects the middle ear to the back of the nose and throat. It helps equalize pressure between the middle ear and outside air. When you swallow, yawn, or chew, your Eustachian tubes open briefly to allow air into the middle ear and maintain equal pressure on both sides of the eardrum.
If the Eustachian tube becomes blocked or does not open properly, pressure cannot be equalized. This can cause a relative vacuum to form, pulling the eardrum inward. Fluid may also build up in the normally air-filled middle ear space. These pressure changes in the middle ear can lead to clicking, popping, or crackling noises when you swallow or yawn, especially during exercise or other activities that increase respiratory rate and middle ear pressure changes.
Common causes of Eustachian tube dysfunction include allergies, colds, respiratory infections, nasal polyps, tobacco use, and structural abnormalities in the nose or throat. Treatments focus on relieving inflammation and pressure through decongestants, antihistamines, nasal sprays, and sometimes surgery. Proper treatment can help restore normal Eustachian tube function and eliminate clicking sounds during exercise.
TMJ Disorders
The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) connects the jawbone to the skull. It contains a disc of cartilage that acts as a shock absorber between the bones. TMJ disorders occur when this cartilage becomes displaced or damaged, leading to pain and impaired jaw movement.
When the jaw joint is misaligned or dysfunctional, it can cause a clicking, popping, or snapping sound as you open and close your mouth. This is often accompanied by pain and tenderness in the jaw. Clicking happens when the TMJ disc becomes slightly displaced as the jaw opens and closes. The displaced disc gets caught between the ball and socket of the joint, causing the clicking sound.
TMJ disorders are commonly aggravated by chronic teeth grinding, jaw clenching, gum chewing, and other repetitive motions. The strain can stretch ligaments, displace the TMJ disc, and cause inflammation. Running involves repetitive jaw bouncing, which can irritate an existing TMJ disorder. This leads to clicking, pain, and other TMJ symptoms during or after exercise.
Treatment of TMJ disorders involves resting the jaw, physical therapy, anti-inflammatory medication, bite splints, and surgery in severe cases. Adjusting your running posture and habits can also help reduce TMJ aggravation.
Earwax Buildup
Excessive earwax accumulation in the ear canal can cause cracking or popping noises, especially when moving the jaw. Earwax naturally clears from the ear canal, carrying dirt and debris away from the eardrum. However, too much earwax buildup can harden and block the ear canal, pressing against the eardrum and ear canal walls. This added pressure can lead to clicking or crackling sounds as the jaw moves and puts pressure on the obstructed ear canal. According to WebMD, the simplest reason for crackling in the ears is a buildup of earwax. Ear wax buildup symptoms may also include ear pain, coughing, fullness, and itching.
As cited from Centamedical.com, while earwax usually drains out of the ear canal naturally, when it builds up it can cause clicky sounds in the ear, especially with jaw movement. Removal of excess earwax by a doctor can provide relief from the clicking sounds. Keeping ears clean and using ear drops to soften wax can also help prevent excessive buildup and cracking sounds.
Other Causes
In some cases, the clicking or crackling sounds in the ears may be due to other underlying causes not related to eustachian tube dysfunction or earwax buildup:
Muscle contractions in the palate and middle ear can sometimes cause clicking sounds that are audible in the ear. These sounds are known as objective tinnitus and can occur during swallowing or yawning as the muscles contract (https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/what-to-know-crackling-in-your-ear).
Bone conduction of sounds within the ear canal can also lead to crackling or clicking noises. Sounds from temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders or blood flow in the neck and head can be transmitted via bone conduction to the ear (https://www.houseclinic.com/home/blog/clicky-ear/).
A patulous Eustachian tube, which is a Eustachian tube that stays open most of the time, can result in clicking sounds heard in the ear with breathing or talking. The open tube allows sounds from the nasopharynx to be transmitted to the middle ear (https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/crackling-in-ears).
When to See a Doctor
In most cases, clicking or crackling in the ears is not a cause for concern. However, you should see a doctor if the clicking persists or is accompanied by other symptoms, including:
- Hearing loss or changes in hearing
- Ear pain
- Dizziness or vertigo
- Tinnitus or ringing in the ears
- Sensation that your ear is full or plugged
Experiencing clicking along with any of these other symptoms could indicate an underlying medical condition requiring evaluation and treatment. Some potential causes include Eustachian tube dysfunction, ear infections, or buildup of fluid in the middle ear.
See your doctor right away if you experience sudden hearing loss, severe ear pain, discharge or bleeding from the ear, or any symptoms of infection like fever or swelling. These require prompt medical care to prevent permanent damage or complications.
While occasional clicking is not dangerous on its own, persistent clicking or crackling combined with other symptoms warrants having your ears examined by a medical professional.
Treatments
There are several treatment options available for clicking sounds in the ear when running depending on the underlying cause:
For eustachian tube dysfunction, treatment focuses on doing eustachian tube exercises like the Valsalva maneuver, which involves pinching your nostrils shut and gently blowing to force air through the eustachian tubes. This can help pop the ears and equalize pressure.[1]
If the cause is TMJ disorders, treatment involves TMJ therapy like jaw exercises, massage, stress management, and occlusal splints to help realign the jaw and reduce pressure on the joint and surrounding structures.[2]
For earwax buildup, an ear, nose and throat doctor can safely remove excess wax using irrigation or microsuction. Over-the-counter earwax softening drops can also help loosen and clear blockages.[3]
Medications like decongestants and anti-inflammatories may be prescribed in some cases to reduce congestion and swelling affecting the eustachian tubes.
Prevention
There are a few things you can do to help prevent clicking sounds in your ears when running:
Proper ear hygiene – Keeping your ears clean can help prevent buildup of earwax, which is a common cause of clicking sounds. Gently clean the outer ear with a damp cloth. Do not insert cotton swabs or other objects into the ear canal, as this can push wax deeper inside (Source).
Stay hydrated – Dehydration can cause the Eustachian tube to malfunction, potentially leading to clicking sounds. Drink plenty of water before, during and after runs to stay hydrated (Source).
Chew gum when running – Chewing gum helps stimulate the muscles that open the Eustachian tube. This can prevent tube dysfunction that causes clicking sounds in the ears (Source).