ear fluttering upon massage

[susan290]

I've noticed a fluttering in my left ear...almost like the sound one has when water remains in the ear after swimming.  This fluttering sound only occurs when I'm massaging a part of my body - wrist, muscles, joints, etc.  This fluttering is not accompanied by pain.  About a year ago, I could hear a fluttering in my ear when I lay on my left side.  After reporting this to the doc, a few months later, I awoke to find a bit of fluid coming out of my ear.  It did not smell and was not discolored.  Could this recent fluttering sound be the same thing?  Why does it occur only during massaging wrist, knee area, quads, etc.  I am concerned that this may be related to blood vessel issue.  Please help.

[Nancy T]

That is so weird. I just recently experienced a thumping/fluttering in my right ear when straining to get the cap off a plastic bottle with my left arm.

Somehow, straining my left-side muscles caused what I think was a stapedial spasm in the opposite ear. Very weird! It was very consistent, even when I tried again the next morning. (My husband finally got the cap off for me.)

Also weird--many years ago I had what I'm sure was stapedial spasm in that right ear whenever I'd lie down on my left side (or tilt my head leftward) and get some BPPV (benign paroxysmal positional vertigo). The ceiling would appear to jerk up and down (this is due to nystagmus, the fast abnormal movement of your eyes during a BPPV episode) but at the same time, this thumping feeling/sound was occuring in my right ear.

I had no fluid involved, and I think yours was probably coincidental.

Did you ever ask an ENT about this, or a neurologist? Did you feel any dizziness or weird eye movements when the fluttering occurred when you'd lie down on your side?

Do you have any other strange symptoms at all?

I would want to see an ENT if I were you, or at least see an audiologist and get your hearing tested, in case you have some inner ear issue going on.

I am pretty sure that in my case, the fluttering in the opposite ear during the BPPV episodes was some kind of short circuit in the brainstem.

Please let us know if you find anything out!

[Cherie762]

there is a simple test to see if ear drum is damaged and concave or has any fluid behind it, takes less than 3 min in your local ear, nose throat, I think you need it its callled tymphonogram.....As far as only happening when massaging wrist, knee,,,well IDK  but I do know its all connected somehow !!!

Feel better...get that test..they just insert a  sm portion of test piece into OUTER ear and hook up waves to machine much like a ekg but this tells ear drum function due to shape or blockage.