I can make a thunder-like noise in my ear

[bob280]

I don't know if anyone else can do this but i can make a thundering sort of a noise in my ear on command. I can only do it for about 5-10 seconds. I can't stop doing it and my ears are starting to hurt. i just can't stop doing it since yesterday,it's like cracking your knuckles. I don't know how to stop and i'm afraid my ears are being damaged . Any help will be greatly appreciated.

[Janelle2]

Hi Bob I can do it too except mine is still voluntary. I've been able to do it for a few years now.  I have no idea what it is or if many people can do it but i just thought you might feel better knowing you're not the only one. If you found out any information on it it would be greatly appreciated :)

[rb2008]

Your posts are very timely.  I know exactly what you are talking about and have been able to do that since I was a kid.  But today something alarming started.  That noise started happening for 5-10 seconds on its own, recurrently, only on one side.  I joked with my husband that I thought I was having a stroke.  Not painful or anything, just weird.  I Googled "thunder in my head" on a whim, to see what would hit, and here this thread appeared.  Would love to know what is going on.

[robehack]

I also can make the same sound.  It seems to me like it may be some sort of air escaping through the eardrum or something, possibly vibrations due to it or something, but I really have no idea.  I'm having a seperate problem that has been queing it on its own along with some other physical responses, but it never happens for more than a second without me doing it on command.  Really, really would like to know what it is.

Doesn't appear to be all that uncommon.  I could be wrong, but it seems like I remember having conversations about it with people growing up that had the same sounds in their heads/ears.

[chris516]

Yeah I've been able to make this same noise since I was very young I had no idea that anyone else could also. Does anyone know if this is something only a few people can do? I've asked a few people now and they all look at me like I'm crazy.

[SaffronAxis]

Hi, I'm 22 and can create the sound on command too.
I have had this pointless ability for about 10 years or so.
I have had some crazy looks too when i tell people :)
I can keep it going for 25 seconds, after which it becomes difficult.
It is never painful.
People can not hear it.
It never functions without me commanding it.
Maybe in the future i will?
My ears are clean.
Came on this thread to try and shed some light on this. We need answers! :)
There's a few of us out there...!

[palco40]

Hi I can also do this and have been able to for years.  I have no pain with it  and it is voluntary.  I can keep it going for very long periods.  
Glad to know i'm not alone with this.
Seperate from this, I have been in bed with Labrinthytus for a week having dizzy spells.  Over last 3 days i've lost hearing in my right ear almost totally.  No pain but can't seem to get it cleared. Any suggestions as I think once cleared dizzyness will ease.
Palco40

[Evo951]

wow im totally surprised to find others like me. been able to do this since a child. I had tubes in my ears as a kid, my mom a nurse had thought maybe scarring around ear drum the culprit. who knows. wish i knew for certain. mine is voluntary and i dont like to do it, kinda annoying, sometimes it cancels out all other sounds sometimes it does not. cheers.
evo

[candymancan]

Its called poping your ears, very few people can do it on command.  I can do this also.  Its you openeing your eustation tubes in your inner ear.  Most people have to hold there nose and swallow to do this.

Its a nice trick to have when your ear is clogged or has pressure in it.  Its also nice to have when your swimming in deep water because you can equalize your ear pressure without holding your nose

[qwanqwan]

I can do this too! I did some light research, and came up with this. The action is called a voluntary contraction of the tensor tympani, and very few people can do it.  It aids in equalizing ear pressure when flying or underwater, etc. Try preforming this action when diving deep underwater, you will feel the pressure equalize (uncomfortable at first, but you get used to it), and will be able to dive quite deep without the awful pressure on your ears. Just make sure to do it again on the way back up!

Source: Own experience, http://*****************/question/index?qid=20090628001312AAcrJFh

[stevey112]

i can also do this, i can do it for about 15 seconds before it starts to fade away n become difficult to continue. It can become a habit if i do it too much so i try to limit doing it. I thought i was the only person that could do this so its good to see other people that have the ability. I also had tubes in my ears when i was younger so perhaps this has something to do with it?

[PJMorgan22]

I have also been able to do this since I can remember......what made me think of it today was that my 3 yr old son looked at me and asked "What is the noise I hear when i close my eyes?" I asked him to describe it and he closed his eyes and after a few seconds said "thunder". Guess it is genetic. I asked my 6 yr old daughter if she could do that and she can't.

[Mrmetal]

hi all, i can do this as well, I'm 22 and have been able to do it since i can remember, every time i can do it a little longer then before but as you all said previous its hard to keep it going, i can either keep my eyes open or closed (i can do it better when they are closed), i can keep it up for more then a minute now (took some practice) I never had any kind of ear problem when i was younger and it doesn't give me a headache, I read that it might be a thing that i can do underwater, which is nice because i really love the water, but haven't been in it lately do to the fact that really long hair is hard to brush out after i would go swimming

Its awesome to know that im not the only one

[davekern]

I have also been able to do this for as long as I can remember. I am now 56 years old. I can only do it on command, but it sneaks in sometimes when I yawn really big. It feels almost like I am flexing some kind of muscle in my head somewhere, like wiggling your ears, but deeper inside  my head. I can only make the sound for about 10 seconds at a time and then it gets harder to do. It is usually in the key of C. I don't know of many people who know what I am talking about. Is this a well known fenomenon and is it somewhere documented by scientific research?