When the Eyes Move, the Eardrums Move Too

Interesting titbit about the brain’s control on the ear

Though eardrums vibrate primarily in response to outside sounds, the brain can also control their movements using small bones in the middle ear and hair cells in the cochlea. These mechanisms help modulate the volume of sounds that ultimately reach the inner ear and brain, and produce small sounds known as otoacoustic emissions.

Full post
http://neurosciencenews.com/eye-ear-movement-8360/

Saw this on the FB group and thought i will post this here.

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I get episodes of ‘clicking’ spasms from my ear. I’ve wondered if it’s caused by muscles in the middle ear. Equally I’ve wondered if it’s drips of fluid from my hydropic inner ear hitting the middle ear apparatus! :face_with_head_bandage:

Very interesting! Thank you for sharing, GetBetter. This could well help explain why, during a severe attack of vertigo one finds it best to stare blankly at the ceiling trying not to move they eyes. Also a clue as to why certain lights, like florescents in a Supermarket, are a problem for some of us!

That may also explain why some of us feel very sick when reading!

I had the grinding/motor roaring sound in my left ear after the clicking for the first 4 years. That was the irritation of the vestibular nerve which then starts the nystagmus and dizziness. If you have that roaring in your ear try putting a stethoscope over your eyes, you can hear the motor sound. Now I don’t have it when I am dizzy but have painful eyes. I guess my inferior oblique muscle is dead. Please keep track of your ocular pressure.

No roaring, just a high hiss. Yes very important to check eye pressure periodically.

Hiss is probably tinnitus. It can be caused also from a eustachian tube dysfunction, I hear

Oh sure the hiss is tinnitus that’s for sure.

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What about ear palpitations? Is that part of timnitus as well? I get this when im laying down.

To me tinnitus is an internal, electrical sound, a ring, hiss or a roar. That doesn’t sound like tinnitus?

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I don’t think it is tinnitus. Please video record your eye movements when it comes and you can see the nystagmus as soon as that ear movements start. You may be having rotational nystagmus.

I used to get a clicking sensation in my ear on long runs. I haven’t gone on a run in years due to the dizziness issues I have, so I wonder if it would still happen.