Ear Fluttering and Tinnitus: Understanding the Difference and What You Can Do

Are you experiencing ear fluttering in one ear or both ears? Does the sound you are hearing produce a fluttering “pulse” in the ear? 

Ear fluttering is one way that people describe tinnitus, but it can be a separate condition related to a variety of factors. Although there is a thin line separating them, knowing the difference between ear fluttering and tinnitus can determine how your symptoms are treated. 

Let’s start by looking at each of the conditions independently. 

What Is Ear Fluttering? 

If you experience ear fluttering, you’ll find it extremely disruptive to your day-to-day routine. Most people describe it as a quick, rhythmic vibration in the ear, often associated with earwax buildup, muscle spasms, stress, or even caffeine intake. 

The sensation of inner ear quivering can vary from person to person. While some experience a gentle, rhythmic movement, others perceive it as rapid and irregular.  

What causes fluttering in the ear?   

A blockage of the ear canal due to earwax buildup can cause fluttering sensations or a throbbing or pulsatile type of aching, especially if the accumulated earwax becomes severely impacted against the eardrum. In this case, earwax removal will be sure to ease your symptoms. 

Elevated blood pressure, or hypertension, can affect the blood flow of the inner ear. This can lead to changes in the inner ear's fluid dynamics and potentially cause a fluttering pulse in the ear. If you suspect you have high blood pressure, be sure to visit your doctor. 

Although a rare condition, MEM is often characterized by involuntary, rhythmic contractions of the muscles within the middle ear. These contractions can cause sounds like clicking, buzzing, bubbling, or thumping sounds in the ear. 

If the Eustachian tube fails to open and close properly, the condition known as ETD can disrupt pressure regulation in the ear, resulting in ear pain, a feeling of fullness, hearing difficulties, and fluttering or popping sounds in the ear. Although similar, PET involves a Eustachian tube that remains abnormally open, disrupting normal pressure regulation and sound transmission. 

An inner ear disorder often associated with episodes of vertigo, hearing loss, ringing in the ear, and a feeling of pressure in the ear occurs due to a buildup of fluid in the compartments of the inner ear, called the labyrinth. Fluttering noise in one ear can be a symptom of this condition because it usually only affects one ear.

Alterations to or dysfunctions of the temporomandibular joint (the jaw joint) can cause the perception of a vibrating ear, as well as tinnitus symptoms. 

What Is Tinnitus? 

While some people describe their tinnitus symptoms as fluttering in the ear, the more common descriptions of tinnitus sounds are buzzing, ringing, chirping, humming, roaring, or hissing. 

The condition varies, with symptoms affecting one or both ears, sounds that seem to come from inside the head or from a distance, and variations between a constant and steady sound and an intermittent, pulsating sound. 

The common factor in tinnitus cases is that whatever sound is heard does not come from any external source. Although most cases of tinnitus are subjective, meaning that only you can hear the noise, it can be objective, which means that someone else can also hear it with the help of a stethoscope. 

How to Tell the Difference 

Because many of the causes are similar, knowing the difference between ear fluttering and tinnitus is difficult. To help isolate the cause, keep a journal to note when you feel the fluttering sensations or sounds as well as any recent experiences or circumstances that might have triggered them. 

If you have ever experienced ringing or buzzing in your ears after being at a major sporting event, a concert, or a nightclub, you are familiar with temporary tinnitus, which typically goes away within a few hours or days. 

In a similar manner, ear fluttering can be a temporary condition that goes away but is not usually associated with a loud noise event. However, if your ear keeps fluttering, the condition is often more apt to be related to pressure changes (changes in altitude from traveling), muscle spasms in the head or neck that may or may not be associated with a stressful situation. 

In both cases, temporary symptoms are usually the result of the passing of whatever stimulated or caused the condition. However, ongoing symptoms could be indicators of a more serious condition.  

When to Seek Help 

Need help answering the question, “Why is there fluttering in my ear?” 

Like persistent tinnitus, prolonged fluttering in the ear could indicate a need for a professional hearing care evaluation, especially if certain other conditions are connected to your symptoms, including: 

• The noises are pulsatile, characterized by rhythmic beats. 

• The noise is confined to one ear and persists for several weeks or more. 

Contact Pacific Hearing Service to schedule an appointment online or call us at one of our locations: 

Menlo Park: (650) 854-1980
Los Altos: (650) 941-0664