I can make a thunder-like noise in my ear

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?

[cmsears352]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tensor_tympani_muscle

I was very relieved when I saw this, my mother had brain tumors and I thought somehow this was incorporated with it. I can do it on command with eyes open and closed.

Also when I get an itch somewhere and I dont scratch it - this noise occurs. Does sortof sound like thunder haha just hope theres no lightning on its way!

[EchoPsychotic]

I'm 16 and I, too, can do this weird ear thing. I know of no one else who can, if I asked about it I recieved crazy looks. I recently went up to Arizona from Texas and my ears popped and the only way to relieve myself of the pain was to make the noise. I can do it on my own and whenever I yawn. It only lasts up to about 10 seconds. I've always wondered about it and now i am glad that i know what it is. Thank you very much.

[EchoPsychotic]

and i am also glad to know that i am notthe only one who can do this. :)

[Beczz]

I'm 24 and
have had this thundering I'm my left ear for awhile. It went away then came back .. It happens more when I'm in bed and laying on my
left side.. Other times it starts up randomly... Kinda relieved I'm not the only one.. Is it bad ?

[tarka87]

i have also been able to make this noise for as long as i can remember i feel this could be the cause of my dizziness because the noise you are all actually making in your ears is the sound of you tensing the hammer muscle and also the stirrup muscle which in turn is putting pressure on the hammer bone which in turn puts pressure on the ear drum causing a thunder like noise now although this doesnt apear harmfull at first im sure if we all keep doing it the muscles in the ear may grow and put constant pressure on the ear drum causing the noise to continue on its own. hope this has been helpfull to everyone. tarka.

[RadioAstronomyObserver]

Tarka87,
  I too can make a "Thunder" sound in my Left ear.  It takes no effort at all but in my Right ear it takes some effort.  Either way, what you describe as the mechanism sounds very reasonable.

[DeceitfulNinja]

I love you people. I always thought I was alone until now. I'm 27 and have always been able to do this on command. Whenever I've tried explaining it to friends they look at me like I'm crazy. I can do it for about 30 seconds too until I run out of steam and need to recharge. Doesn't hurt at all it's just... a rumbling like noise in my ears. Thanks cmsears352 for linking that wikipedia article. It seems we're all have a rare and totally useless super power. :)

[RadioAstronomyObserver]

  I have only read the first few lines of the wikipedia link but will be reading it as time permits for research in the area. Out of what I have read it does not say where the muscle ends up...  on one end it appears to be attached to the ear drum (tampani memberane) and the tinny bones of the middle ear.  The other end is what I'm after.  If it is in the wikipedia link then I'll eventually find it, but if not then I'd like some help in finding out where it does end up and what else may be attached to this muscle along the way.

  I'm wondering if there is a connection between something I have and this muscle.  Probably not simply because there are too many papers on this (my) topic and none that mention this muscle.  But because it is at least "indirectly" related I'd like to learn more about it.

[RadioAstronomyObserver]

Disregard that post.  The wikipedia stuff was shorter to read than I had though and does mention Hyperacusis.

[Zone21]

hey im tim, im 16 and I have been able to this from when i was 6 till now, i can do it in both ears, i can sustainably hold the noise, something weird though I noticed that I wake up at night and the noise is going and as soon as i break concentration it small objects fall onto my floor, such as lighters, pens,  control paddles, my window has shut suddenly, and im not completely positive but i find when i run through the woods listening to music pebbles on the trail seem to scatter away from me, i know this sounds crazy but im kinda freaked out man, i have been checked for dementia, schizophrenia, and have been sober for a year now. Is anyone else noticing this?

[TheJoker1995]

I can do it to but mine is different. i can command it but the last week
it did it by it self. it like having the worst headache times 1000 it lasted
for 10 - 15 seconds i think. it begun when i try to focus the noise. but
i think my noise come from my head not my ear.If anyone still go on this website please respond.PS when the noise happened by is self it gave me a nose bleed.

[lindzbitz]

I have this as well. Can do it on command. I always thought it was being able to vibrate my ear drums. When I yawn I hear it. I can do it for maybe 10 seconds at most. Lol I'm glad others can do it!

[Hughey]

dose this happen when you yawn

[Dinitchka]

I am 36 and have been able to do this on command for as long as I can remember. I never thought of it as thunder, but yeah that is exactly what it sounds like (I live in Oklahoma. We get TONS of rolling thunder). I can do it on command for seconds in both ears. I notice it much stronger when I yawn, and that can make it last much longer than when I make it happen on command. I used to talk about it but my friends thought I was bonkers. Now that I know I am not alone I will ask my Dr about it. Good luck to everyone.

[localdrummerjd3]

I am so relived to hear this! I have been doing this my whole life and always wondered if I was the only one and thought that something was wrong with me, and if it's bad that i can do it. I always tell people that I can do it but they give a weird stare as well. I think it's sort of like flexing your ear drums, making it sound like thunder.

[ozoney4]

This happens every so often.  I just got up out of bed because of this "ear thundering" and it drove me nuts so I had to find out what it was all about. I have been able to make it happen or it happens on its own for as long as I can remember.  Guess I am not the only one.  Well  G'nite all.  Gonna try and get some sleep.  Gotta work at 6am driving school bus and then job interview at 10:30.  Have a great day all!!

[hog325]

i have been able to do this as well for ever it came in real handy when my dad was drunk and if i practice i can do this for a very long time i can change the level as well for how stong it is i can do it tell my jaw hurts i also can move the sound around and it actually fills like my lol brain gets sore or there is presser on it anyone else do that

[MissVickie171]

Oh man! I thought I was nuts! So others can really do it too, I'm not sure whether its the tensing of muscles I read in one post or the equalizing of pressure I read in another, I would like to know, I've been able to do this for as long as I can remember. It used to just happen when I yawn but I've been able to do it on my own and control it for at least 10 years now. The next time I swim and feel pressure in my ears I will try doing it, if it does not work I'm guessing it is the other one. Its really relieving to know I'm not the only one!

[yigor]

OMG! this is unbelievable. it has been at least 10 years since i have this stupid thing and i dont know why i have just googled it! like all of you, i thought i was the only one in this world who can do this. but no! lets see...i can do it on command, sometimes when i yawn, rarely when i swallow sth or drink...i just saw one person who said: it might become a habit! oh man i know what ya talking about. im doing this stupid noise whenever im stressed out and it becomes pretty annoying. is there any way to stop this? like i wanna be able to not do this. but since its been years, i dont think there is a way. but soooo happy to know that there are others who has the same problem/power lol.

[jonathanD]

So It's 4:03am and my ears are thundering out of control. I decide to look it up and I couldn't find much relating to it. I typed in yawning noise and other things. So I decided to try an explain the sound. "Thundering!!" Yes , thundering noise in my head is what I typed into yahoo search to get me here.

From my experience , this noise has been going on ever since I can remember but only when yawning. Now , please continue to take me seriously because I am not joshing any of you. I took magic mushrooms this one time 12 years ago and this noise wouldn't stop. It's not painful but it's very uncomfortable. I think maybe because it wasn't normal and I couldn't control it. I never did mushrooms again but this thundering didn't go away. It would reoccur monthly or so. Sometimes it would go for 5 seconds , pause , go for 5 , pause and keep going for a few minutes and that would be it that month. I can also "control" it , like make it turn on but I don't like to cause it has been known to go off , on its own. I don't need this to become permanent. When it goes off , I have an urge to yawn but yawning doesn't stop it. I can yawn back to back like a dozen times while having these "spells".

These "spells" is what makes me worry. At first I thought it was some kind of brain damage from the mushrooms. I must stress that it's completely painless and that the discomfort is only because it's unknown and uncontrollable at times. I imagine it's like a cave man just discovering his pulse. Is it something inside me? Is it bad?

I've never talk to a doctor and to be honest , I've never shared this with anyone except on that trip but no one probably took it serious , or knew it still reoccurs.

I am thrilled that a good handful of people eperience this aswell. I feel like this makes it less likely to be any form of damage.

I used to fantasize that this was some kind of mind power. That if I can control it I may be able to move things with my mind or hear other people thoughts. I would try. Unfortunately all I ever heard was thunder. Hah.

Thats my experience , I hope it helps some of you people out. I can't express how happy I am that I'm not the only one. I can now come out of the closet with this and tell people I randomly hear thundering noise in my head and laugh with confidence when they give me that look. You know the look.

[squirrel1215]

I know what you're talking about. I think I freaked out some of my friends because we were hanging out outside and I was bored and concentrated on a plastic cup, made the noise, and it flew towards me. They sorta laughed it off, but...I know this sounds weird, but is this some type of "power?" I don't remember when I started being able to make the noise, but it's starting to freak me out too...and it gets easier to do when I'm feeling strong emotions. Same with you?

[squirrel1215]

I also get frequent migraines, if that may have anything to do with it. I just want to know what this is...

[Dragon109255]

I am young almost 14, and i have learned about my ability to do this at around 10, i haven't done it much but it does make my head hurt after many tries.

[tmattis]

ive been able to do this my entire life and i just thought i was insane, i also got migranes (migraines) alot when i was a kid, had to get a MRI but the doctor said there was nothing wrong with my brain so i wouldnt worry about it guys.
glad to know im not insane and possibly have a super power!? natural or supernatural.
im gona practise it now i know im not crazy and try to get it where i can sustain it.
woop!

[antihipster]

go to this link it will explain everything. http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/1999-09/937369459.Gb.r.html

[RTET10]

I'm glad that there are others and an explanation. I was so afraid and depressed before but I am starting to feel way better now that I actually KNOW.

[mixen711]

I can do this, too! I have always been able to do it! When I was little, I would ask others and no one ever knew what I was talking about! Even now, I never ask because I just don't want to deal with the weird stares. I have always heard it loudest when emotions are high- sadness, anger, etc. Especially when I cry.  It is loud rumbling thunder noises. I have been able to do this since I was very young. I definitely associate it with my ability to feel others' pain as well. I think it is somewhat of psychic ability. It'll be nice to learn how to use it. SO glad I found this!!

[joeyjoey222]

I've been doing this since I can remember. Thanks to cmsears352 for posting the wiki link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tensor_tympani_muscle . That clears things up.

I can only do this voluntary, but love it! I am a musician and make melodies in my head with this (percussive only), the "thunder" (also heard when yawning) is my bass drum and the "crackle" (also heard when clearing swimmer ears) is my snare or hi-hat.

Nobody that I know has ever heard me do this... until I get a little crazy and start clicking my teeth too. :P

Glad there are more of us out there!

[JamesRichReal]

I am able to do this as well... but, I am able to suppress it, or even stop it by simply swallowing some saliva...

I could be wrong, this too could be a medical condition.

I'm spurting BIG BOY WORDS and I'm only 14...

[G9t]

I also play songs in my head with that thunder sound I can make in my middle ears--and always have, since I was a child. It was awesome to finally discover that so many other people have that phenomenon and do this!

[G9t]

I also play songs in my head with that thunder sound I can make in my middle ears--and always have, since I was a child. It was awesome to finally discover that so many other people have that phenomenon and do this!

[Richarino]

I have been able to do this for a long time, I was with my doctor about something else and I thought I would ask him. Funny enough he could do it too! he told me that what we are doing is vibrating a muscle that is very close to our eardrums, that's why we can hear it and no one else can.

Hope this helped :D:D:D

[knightforx]

I'm sure everyone landing here can do this - otherwise why would we be here? :)  I'll definitely have to try this underwater or the next time I fly.  It definitely would have come in handy the last time I flew, as the pressure was actually painful!  Too bad we have this ability, but we're not blessed with the innate knowledge of what it's useful for!

You guys are going to think I'm nuts, but I *dream* about this and whenever I'm doing it it gives me the ability to *fly*.  Not like Superman, but more like floating in the air vertically.  Just like in real life, I can only sustain it 5-10 seconds at a time, so sadly that's all the "air time" I get.  

[Bodylove222]

Yes I have the same problem but it is doing voluntarily now when I smile or turn my head now that I am congested? Is this an ear infection?

[JoJoJo1998]

My 13 year old daughter and I both can do this.  The only thing is ours sounds like crackles of static and can do it voluntary for hours if we wanted to.  Is anyones like that?

[mk000000]

Yay not alone or crazy! Sounds good to me! Plus its a great way to drown people out haha.

[cfairn]

i have been trying to find out the cause of this for a long time, it is the tensor tympani, but for me any increased blood pressure or pressure at all in my head or bright lights etc makes it happen and often it happens in mid conversation which causes a panic attack because i cant concentrate on what the person is saying. also my senses start to sort of shrink down and it feels like im going to dissappear or pass out or something but this ear noise is the catylist of it all and i cant find out why it happens or how to stop it. it is the fear of this happening which causes my social phobia

[jaano12]

It's been three years that my right ear is making this whooshing sound. During day, I dont hear it because of the noise around, but when I am in a quite place, this ******* noise really pisses me off. I put ear drops for infection, but i dont even know if this is an infection. Doc said, my ears are clean. Just dont know what to do.

I am surprised to see so many other people with ear problem at young age. I wonder what will happen to me when i get older.

[Sarantina]

Hello,

I have been able to do that too since I was like 5 years old. It does also happen whenever I swallow.
I saw a doctor when I was little and she told me that it has something to do with dryness in the ears and prescribed me to put almond oil in my ears every day. I cannot say if it made it better or not. But after a few years I just stopped doing that ( You need to do it 2 times or 3 per day ). However , this year I got a bad sore throat and cold and it made it even worse, so I'm back to the almond oil thing. Will see if it will make it better now.

[thunderears]

I can also make this sound. I am only 15 now and my father who is 47 can do it too and has been able to since he was young. Maybe its hereditary?

[jayjay1999]

hey i can do it too and im 12 but it only lasts a few seconds today i held it for almost a minute but my ear started hurting hey maybe we all have telekinesis or something

[Kyleaoskunk]

This is awesome. I can relate to almost everything everyone is saying. I have a few things to add. Like the guy that had it happen the whole time he was on magic mushrooms I too have noticed a relationship between it happening uncontrollably and the likely hood of me having an increased level of serotonin or dopamine. The first time I did heroin i laid on bed for 6 hours unable to hear it was so loud and it wouldnt stop and I was worried it never would. everyone thought i was crazy. Not just drugs, it seems to happen more when i feel good. After sex. Laying down in a cozy bed, all sorts of stuff like that. I feel like there could be a corralation. Dopamine for instance has an effect on muscle rigidness so i think it could very well be possible. The only thing I havent seen anyone else mention is that when i force it it feels like my eyeballs might be twitching in my head. I can do it with my eyes open and they dont move so im told but its much easier to do with my eyes closed. Maybe the wiring to control the tensor typani is close to the eyes or eyelid wiring in the brain. When i was little i used to call it my "eye rolling head noise" then when I was a teen I used to call it my "euphoria meter". I could judge how strong a bundle of heroin was by how loudly and consistently it would make the noise in my head. BTW dont do drugs. I had googled this a few years ago and there was only one guy who had this mentioned on his facebook page but had no idea what it was. I too like some posters used to get migraines when i was a kid. I too also have had terrible pain in my head while flying. I too had tubes in my ears as a kid. I notice it when i yawn or swallow big. I too had everybody think i was crazy. Its nice to have some explanation of what ive been hearing in my head for 27 years! I bookmarked this site ill be checking back now and then. post if you have anything to add!

[millie737]

I didn't get it until I was 55. Doctor asked me if I had lost weight recently. He said I had lost fat tissue around a tube between my ears that allowed it to open up. I can make the noise when I'm laying down and squint my eyes or swallow.

[hwf132]

I have a co-worker who has something with her left ear, not sure if it's the same as some of you described though. With her, her left ear feels each so she plugs it and shakes it (to scratch it) and she would make a loud sound. At first it sounds like a clicking sound, and if she shakes faster is sounds like squeeking. It can get quiet loud too. Is this what you are experiencing?

or does anyone know what this is?

[jadizzle]

Hi, im glad i have found people who can do this thing as well, i always thought it was just me and therefore never told anyone ,when i tried to describe this sound to my mother and younger sister they would look at me like i was crazy and would then say clean your ears out BUT thats just the thing my ears are clean and i to can do it on command, i was just wondering do any of yours do it when you swallow, yawn ect ANYWAY this is what i really wanted to know and i dont mean to rush you all for an answer but im going on a plane in the next 2 weeks and im really scared that im going to go death or something because of this thing but then as i was reading through these comment i found one saying that we could automatically pop our ears so i was thinking 1 . IS THAT AN ADVANTAGE WHEN IT COMES TO POPPING YOUR EARS ON A PLNE AND 2. WHAT IS IT LIKE WHEN YOUR EARS POP ON A PLANE thanks so much for reading this and please all your answers would really HELP =)

[jadizzle]

Hi, im glad i have found people who can do this thing as well, i always thought it was just me and therefore never told anyone ,when i tried to describe this sound to my mother and younger sister they would look at me like i was crazy and would then say clean your ears out BUT thats just the thing my ears are clean and i to can do it on command, i was just wondering do any of yours do it when you swallow, yawn ect ANYWAY this is what i really wanted to know and i dont mean to rush you all for an answer but im going on a plane in the next 2 weeks and im really scared that im going to go death or something because of this thing but then as i was reading through these comment i found one saying that we could automatically pop our ears so i was thinking 1 . IS THAT AN ADVANTAGE WHEN IT COMES TO POPPING YOUR EARS ON A PLNE AND 2. WHAT IS IT LIKE WHEN YOUR EARS POP ON A PLANE thanks so much for reading this and please all your answers would really HELP =)