My ear is making a fluttering or bubbling sound sort of like a kitten's purring. No pain or loss of hearing...more like a distraction. What is it...can it get worse?

I just started having the same problem today! It sure is weird. I've had ringing in the ears before...but this is totally different. I also noticed that the muscles around my ear seem to tense when the flutter occurs. I don't know which comes first though, the tension or the flutter. Hopefully someone has an answer.

Wow, I thought I was the only one! I have the fluttering too. It happens mostly when there is a noise close to my ear. It's most noticeable at night, especially when I move my head on the pillow. Seems like it happens in the opposite ear of the one the noise is in. It does it occasionally while on the phone too. My mom said it happens to her too, sometimes. Someone help us flutterers!!!

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The fluttering that you all are getting may be caused by a muscle in the middle ear. I have these horrible thumping sensations in both ears. The ENT said they are caused by this muscle. I had the muscle in my L/H ear cut (The surgery was pretty gruesome, cutting through the ear drum to get at the muscle) and now I only get isolated thumping sensations in that ear. My R/H ear also only gets isolated thumping sensations. Only ask about the surgery if this problem is really bothering you. It's better to go without surgery if that is possible. Also, beware of botox injections. I had botox injections done in both ear muscles and I got patulous eustachian tube dysfunction in my L/H ear, a condition you don't want to get! The best of luck to you all>

I’m a brand new member, and first of all, I want to say how helpful this website has been in figuring out some of the health issues I’ve been experiencing lately. In turn, I want to share something that has helped me with a lot of my ear issues. And I’m going to post it in any of the threads in which it may be helpful to people.

Yesterday, I started to experience a fluttering sensation in my right ear. It’s like the feeling of driving with the window open and the wind lightly blowing against my eardrum. Or like someone was inside my head playing on my eardrum with tiny soft-tipped drum mallets.

I see that a lot of people have been experiencing this problem, and others have explained that it could possibly be due to a muscle spasm in the ear. Well, if that’s the case, then I think I have something that may help… at least in some small way.

Ok, this is going to sound a little unorthodox, but this technique has worked for me in the past for earaches, and it just worked again this afternoon to subdue the fluttering sensation… blow cigarette smoke in your ear.

I know it sounds strange, but several years ago, I had an earache, and a friend of mine suggested that I blow cigarette smoke into my ear. I thought she was batty, but it worked, and it’s been a helpful little tool ever since.

Nicotine acts as a sort of muscle relaxant that can actually permeate your ear canal and through the eardrum (Tympanic Membrane). “Nicotine also increases the level of other neurotransmitters and chemicals that modulate how your brain works. For example, your brain makes more endorphins in response to nicotine. Endorphins are small proteins that are often called the body's natural painkiller. It turns out that the chemical structure of endorphins is very similar to that of heavy-duty synthetic painkillers like morphine.” (http://www.howstuffworks.com/nicotine.htm). This being said, here’s how to do it:

You can either do this yourself, or get someone to help you. To do it yourself, you’ll need a piece of rubber tubing or some other way to get the smoke from your mouth to your ear.

Take the smoke from a lit cigarette, pipe, or cigar into your mouth (don’t inhale, that way none of the nicotine is absorbed by your lungs and therefore is more potent), and then lightly blow through the tube (or have someone blow into your ear) so that the smoke is shooting directly into your ear canal. Don’t blow too hard. You want the smoke to linger in your ear for a few seconds and blowing too hard will cause the smoke to dissipate. Quickly, while the smoke is still in your ear canal, block your ear with a piece of Kleenex, cotton, or an earplug to trap the smoke in your ear like a cork (the more smoke trapped, the better). I usually leave the cotton in my ear for anywhere from half an hour to over an hour depending on the intensity of the symptoms.

I am, by no means, claiming that this is a cure-all, and whether or not this will help everyone remains to be seen, but it’s helped me during some tough times. And if you’re like me, then anything is worth trying once… even something as silly as blowing smoke in your ear.

Good luck to you.

Am new to this thread and forum.

I would like to comment on this thumping, drumming and fluttering in the inner ear, including the humming in the ear. I have the thumping in my left ear and the humming in my right ear. The humming is constant, but the thumping like a jumping nerve or spasm comes and goes.

I have been experiencing these symptoms since November 2004, after my 4th episode with MS. Of course I did not know I had MS until my eyes were affected and then more testings were done.

It amazes me that people who experience this know more of what is happening then the Dr.s and Neuros. My neuro is checking for everything else but Tinnitis, go figure. So I printed up info and am going to send it to him, maybe a hint.

Hello all and hope all are doing great.

Leona

Question to all with this problem of fluttering in the ear or ears.

What test did your Dr. do in regards to this problem. What did they come up with.

Concerned about testings being done.

Leona

Question to all with this problem of fluttering in the ear or ears.

What test did your Dr. do in regards to this problem. What did they come up with.

Concerned about testings being done.

Leona
they can try to do a tympanogram, but its not always accurate, a good doc will know its the middle ear muscles by your description. where are you located?
lib

Anyone who hears a noise in their ear or ears, should plug their ears with their fingers and see if they can still hear it. If you still hear it, it's tinnitus.

they can try to do a tympanogram, but its not always accurate, a good doc will know its the middle ear muscles by your description. where are you located?
lib

Springfield Missouri. Looking for a new Neuro.

Leona

Anyone who hears a noise in their ear or ears, should plug their ears with their fingers and see if they can still hear it. If you still hear it, it's tinnitus.

I just did that and I can still hear the ringing sound. I was diagnosed with MS in December so this is really bothersome to me. The lesion that nailed me in November is what has began the new noise thing and thumping in my ears.

Leona

[QUOTE=Harmony417]I just did that and I can still hear the ringing sound. I was diagnosed with MS in December so this is really bothersome to me. The lesion that nailed me in November is what has began the new noise thing and thumping in my ears.

Leona[/QUOT

middle ear myoclonus seems to be more common in people with m s,
you need a neurotoligist....i know dr timothy hain is at northwestern or there abouts, could you see him?
lib

WOWOWOWOWOW. I have this horrible thumping sound. You are the first person I have read like me. It started two months ago. I have both ear pressure and pressure around my ears. It is giving me panic attacks and everyone I talk to thinks I am nuts now. What is this?? I had a mri-fine Had a ct-fine. Meanwhile I am soo not fine!!!