Fluttering noises in your ear can be distracting. They might be attributed to several possible causes, ranging from high blood pressure to inner ear problems, infections, or long-term conditions such as tinnitus.

Noises vary considerably between individuals and might come and go sporadically, change in intensity and duration, or seem louder at certain times of the day. You might also find that fluttering sounds occur in one ear or both.

In most cases, fluttering sounds in the ear aren’t serious. Symptoms can be worrying, so for peace of mind an audiologist can inspect your ears, check for indications of infections or tissue damage, conduct appraisals and evaluations, and explain their findings to you there and then.

Key Takeaways:

• Fluttering sounds in one or both ears can be due to several potential causes and conditions. While many are easily treated and managed, it is always worth visiting a skilled audiologist to understand why you are experiencing unusual sounds in your ears.
• Mild or occasional fluttering noises may worsen or become more intense over time, making it important to diagnose any underlying causes swiftly to prevent further disruptions to your hearing.
• Prevalent conditions like tinnitus sometimes sound like fluttering; the noises differ on a case-by-case basis. However, fluttering sounds in your ears are not always a definite sign of tinnitus.

Possible Causes of Fluttering Sounds in Your Ear

While most people who experience fluttering in their ears do not have any serious underlying conditions, and many will not require treatment for tinnitus, the invasive nature of noises that originate within your ears and cannot be heard by others can negatively impact your quality of life.

Fluttering or murmuring sounds can make it difficult to sleep, prove distracting when trying to engage in a conversation or watch a TV show, and muffle out external noises you want to hear.

Next, we’ll summarise some of the possible contributing factors that can cause or exacerbate fluttering in your ears – while noting that a private, comprehensive hearing assessment is the only way to determine with certainty whether your hearing disturbance is linked to any of these conditions.

Earwax Blockages Causing Fluttering Noises

Blockages and an excess of ear wax cause countless hearing complaints and can contribute to partial or complete hearing loss, unusual and uncontrolled noises, and a feeling that your hearing is muffled.

There are equally diverse reasons your ears may be producing more wax than normal, often due to an infection or damage to the ear. Gentle ear and hearing tests can check for tissue damage, inflammation, or areas of infection.

Related reading: Why do I have ear wax all of a sudden? 

It is likely that earwax is contributing to fluttering noises if you also have:

• A sense of fullness in your ear, or feel like your hearing is limited
• Alternative or intermittent sounds like ringing
• Pain or soreness in one or both hears

Removing impacted ear wax blockages can provide immediate relief using our precise, mess-free microsuction technique. Our audiologists may recommend further treatments to resolve ear infections or other underlying causes.

Inner Ear Fluttering Noises Due to High Blood Pressure

Conditions like high blood pressure are often linked with hearing problems. Less blood flow to the cochlea within the ear can affect hearing and sometimes present as a fluttering noise or an alternative sound.

In other clients, the medications prescribed to manage and control high blood pressure are also connected to hearing complaints, which can often be remedied by switching to a different prescription.

If there are signs that you either have untreated high blood pressure or that a medication such as a diuretic is causing unwanted sounds within your ears, we may recommend booking an appointment with your GP.

Fluttering in the Ear Due to Tinnitus

Tinnitus is an often misunderstood condition. It is actually a symptom that can be caused by exposure to very loud or sustained noises, inner ear conditions, age-related hearing loss, or other conditions like diabetes.

The sounds people with tinnitus hear can vary substantially. They can be fluttering, ticking, humming, buzzing, or whooshing, and they can be irregular, in one or both ears or continuous.

Our sector-leading bespoke tinnitus therapies can relieve tinnitus sounds quickly. We always begin with a thorough hearing assessment, where we can inspect your ears to determine whether the fluttering noises are indeed caused by tinnitus or to rule out other potential factors.

You can read more about common tinnitus sounds here. 

Inner Ear Muscle Contractions: Myoclonus

Myoclonus is a condition in which the muscles within the inner ear contract, which could be the cause of fluttering sounds. Tympanometry testing is the best way to identify whether these dysfunctional muscular movements are the underlying cause.

People might develop myoclonus without any discernible reason, although others experience inner-ear muscle contractions alongside other small muscle spasms after an injury or trauma.

Looking for damage to the delicate tissue within your ear can help us see whether there have been any injuries, such as damage to your eardrum, which ensures we can recommend the right treatments or therapies.

Meniere’s Disease and Fluttering Inside the Ear

Finally, there is the potential that fluttering sounds in the air are due to Meniere’s disease, a disorder in which people experience fluid build-up within the inner ear and often report feeling pressure within the ear and dizziness along with repeated sounds.

Some experts believe that Meniere’s disease is linked to migraines and allergies. In contrast, other cases are caused by issues with circulation, viral infections and autoimmune reactions, and getting to the bottom of any causes is key to finding relief.

Treatments for Meniere’s disease might involve lifestyle changes, medications or other clinical therapies, although these should always follow a comprehensive, professional series of tests and analyses.

What do our audiologists say?

Fluttering sounds in the ear, often described as a ‘buzzing’ or ‘thumping,’ can be caused by a variety of factors, including muscle spasms in the middle ear, Eustachian tube dysfunction, or even stress and anxiety. It’s important to consult with an audiologist to determine the underlying cause and appropriate treatment to alleviate this discomfort.” — Lindsay Fletcher, (RHAD), (BSHAA)

When to Visit an Audiologist About Fluttering in Your Ear

Any unusual, unwanted, or distracting noises in your ear can be worrying and problematic and create difficulties with communication and sleeping. We recommend booking a consultation with your closest Regain Hearing clinic at any point, even if the fluttering sounds you can hear are at a low level or occur occasionally.

By analysing and assessing your ears and hearing, checking the health of your inner ears, and mapping the exact sounds you can hear, we can determine the likely causes or factors and take appropriate action.