Ear thumping after hiccup/internal burp... lasts days....

Guys, I need some help...

For the past 2 months, I've had a reoccuring thumping noise in my left ear that is set off by a hiccup or an internal 'burp'.  If its too hard, it sets my left ear off, thumping intermeddently over and over again for hours.

The 'thumping' sounds like a heartbeat, but it DOES NOT go along with the rythum of my heartbeat.  Its a muted sound, much like when you are clearing your ears to relieve pressure.  

Prior episodes would last all day, then go away when I slept.  The last two episodes however, have lasted 2 days now and would go away when I slept.

My doctor gave me a muscle relaxer injection because he believed it was TMJ, which it obviously wasn't.

I have an appointment to go see an EMT at the end of the month but until then this is driving me nuts.  Does anyone have -ANY- idea as to what this might be, and how to stop the thumping?  It driving me crazy, I just want to rip my ear off...

[ENTMD]

I think that the most likely explanations are myoclonus of the stapedial tendon or tensor tympani.  These are 2 tiny muscles in the middle ear that can spasm and produce the sounds you describe.  I've also seen people with hairs or wax irritating the ear drum and removal has corrected this.  Seeing the ENT doc is the right way to go.  Good luck!

[Crystalynne]

Thanks very much for your response... would wax/hairs irritating the ear drum be a result of hiccuping/internal burping?  As I mentioned thats what sets it off.

I'm hoping thats the solution rather than having to undergo surgery. :(

[ENTMD]

No, you're right, the hiccuping/"internal burping" would not result in wax or a foreign body.  That would be a coincidence.  I was only trying to brainstorm some possible explanations...

[Crystalynne]

thanks very much for your help :)

[Nancy T]

That's weird... I had something perhaps slightly similar happen recently, except it didn't last long. When straining hard with my left arm to open a really stuck plastic-bottle lid, I would get a momentary thumping in my right ear.

It is weird how some kind of stimulation can set off muscle twitches. These days, whenever I close my eyes hard, my left eyelid and the area above it twitch really hard for a few seconds.

One time, for a few weeks or so, whenever I'd run my hand over my face (like when you're tired), it would start to twitch above my left eye, followed in a couple seconds by twitching under my right eye.

I hope you find some relief from this. The nervous system is just plain bizarre.

Nancy

[quirk33]

The exact same thing happens to me when I have that burp/hiccup, in the same ear too. It only lasts a second though. Tell me what you find if you go to the doctor.

[alex015]

Hi, what came out of ur ear thumping? My gf has the EXACT same symptoms after fainting and hitting her head. Any tips or advice?

[hmix]

please update this.

i have a similar thing going on that just started. it is also in my left ear only too. when i burp i hear a small thump or thud. i set up an appointment with my doctor, but the thumping had stopped after a few days. i went anyways, and my doctor just checked for an ear infection that was not there. it has been 3 days since my visit, about 5 days since it last happened, and now it is back. i am fearful that it could become a worsening condition, if you could tell me if you ever had it correctly diagnosed.