What is the sound that I hear when I close my ears with my fingers?

Question

Hi doctor,

Whenever I close my ears with my fingers, I hear a very faint sound in my right ear from the past two weeks. And when I remove my fingers, the sound stops.

What is this sound that I hear?

Please help.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

That can be normal also. When we shut our ears due to masking, we do not hear outside sound, so we feel that there is some sound coming from our body.

Also, if you have a cough or cold, that may also lead to similar symptoms due to eustachian tube blockage.

To rule out any pressure changes in the ear, you can get a test called tympanometry (a test to check the middle ear functioning). Also, get your blood pressure (BP) checked (if not done before).

The sound you hear only when your ears are closed is often because normal body sounds become more noticeable when external noises are blocked. In many people, this is a harmless finding and does not indicate a serious ear problem.

If you have recently had nasal congestion, allergies, or an upper respiratory infection, the symptoms may be more noticeable until the eustachian tube starts functioning normally again.

Monitor your symptoms over the next few weeks. If the sound becomes continuous, increases in intensity, occurs even when your ears are not covered, or is associated with hearing loss, ear pain, dizziness, or ear discharge, you should consult an ENT (ear, nose, and throat) specialist for a detailed examination.

Depending on the findings, your doctor may recommend a hearing test (audiometry) along with tympanometry to evaluate the health of your middle ear.

In most cases, if the examination and tests are normal, reassurance is all that is needed.

I hope it helps.

Let me know if I can assist you further.

Thank you.