Snap, Crackle and Pop in my Head

[PCknowitall]

I'm a 26 year old male and it seems when I am hungry, I get a noise in my head that sounds like a crackling or sand falling in an hourglass. It only occurs when I know I need to eat. It happens for 3 to 4 seconds at a time, once every 10 seconds or so. I have no pain, but I do feel an uneasiness until I eat something.

My wife says she gets it too and she can hear when my head does it. Any ideas would be welcome. I have been reading the forums and can't find anything exactly like I have, but some similarities.

Thanks

[mmcgeagh]

From what I've gathered with mine is my nausea is worst when i feel/hear the crackling. It can most likely just be a natural response of your body to make yourself feel somewhat sick to push you to eat. Though it is fairly useless in today's society, it may have come into use when food was not as plentiful for people and having a sick feeling would push them to get food. As to why the neurotransmitters are making so much noise i do not know, but my assumption is just a large amount trying to get into the cerebellum to make you feel hungry.

[mmcgeagh]

neurotransmitters running up your spinal column into your cerebellum.

[Nicki1977NJ]

I think that's post-nasal drip. That crackling in your throat.  My ENT says I have some inflamation due to allergies and the post nasal drip that comes with it.  So, she put me on a sprat.  I get the whole "pop rocks" feeling in my throat, and when I squirt my prescription nose spray (allergies) it happens less.

[HeadCrks]

I almost forgot... found this on the web... article written by therapist: http://sportscenteraustin.blogs.com/the_view/2003/06/is_the_pop_in_y.html

[HeadCrks]

Both your posts are are onto something.  I agree too that popping and cracking sounds may be related to sinus issues.  I have no headaches or have not noticed anything when eating.  I don't have the sand grit sound either.  I do have an extreme crack of the head sound that anyone can hear and they even are amazed of how noisy it is.  I can crack my  head... and notice I don't say neck... because I feel the crack by the anterolateral fontanelle or by the or the coronal or sagital suture of the cranium... by looking at an infants skull... or I can describe it like if the ridges of the parietal or frontal bones in the skull where colliding or the temporal or sphenoid bones... any of these mostly on the sphenoid were it meats the frontal or parietal (http://www.buzzle.com/articles/bones-in-the-human-body.html).

One thing is for sure when in pops and cracks like fireworks I feel relief and my sinus near the right nostril feels pressure release and relaxation and I can breath better.  I can speculate this is weather and stress related as it happens more during stressful times of my life and in the sinus cavity I feel my superior nasal concha (turbinate) retreat or move leading to better breathing.... but then it returns and the cycle repeats.  It might be a pinched nerved that causes tension or sinus inflammation... as advised by a chiropractor.  Hope this helps anyone.

[madwand]

I have this weird issue too. My Theory is a sinus issue. When your stomach growls it is a movement of food or air down to the intestines. This causes a negative pressure in your stomach and esophagus. Since your esophagus is connected to your sinus it is creating a sucking pressure in your sinus and eustachian tubes moving the mucus around and creating the crackle, pop, fizz whatever sound. I developed this after sinus surgery to repair a deviated septum and relieve sinus pressure. It sounds harmless but I always wonder if there is some clog in my sinus that has not been completely relieved.  I should get another MRI.