Hearing your own breathing echoing within your ears can be unsettling. This phenomenon, known as autophony, involves hearing internal sounds, such as your voice, breathing, or even heartbeat, much louder than is typical. Understanding the ear’s normal function helps clarify why this auditory shift occurs.
The Ear’s Normal Filtering Process
The ear is designed to capture and process external sounds. A key component in this process is the Eustachian tube, a narrow passageway connecting the middle ear to the back of the throat. Normally, this tube remains closed, opening only briefly when you swallow, yawn, or chew. This controlled opening serves to equalize air pressure in the middle ear with the outside environment and helps drain fluid.
This regulated opening and closing of the Eustachian tube prevents the constant transmission of internal body noises, like breathing and chewing, from reaching the middle ear and being perceived as overly loud. It acts as a filter, allowing our auditory system to prioritize external sounds. When this delicate balance is disrupted, internal sounds can become unusually prominent.
Common Reasons You Hear Your Own Breathing
When the ear’s natural filtering system is compromised, a number of conditions can lead to autophony, making your breathing sound unusually loud. One of the most frequent causes is a Patulous Eustachian Tube (PET), where the Eustachian tube remains abnormally open. This constant openness creates a direct pathway for sounds from the nasopharynx (the upper part of the throat behind the nose) to the middle ear, amplifying internal noises.
Rapid weight loss is a common trigger for PET, as the fatty tissue that helps keep the Eustachian tube closed can shrink. Dehydration can also contribute to PET, affecting the fluid balance around the tube. Hormonal changes, such as those experienced during pregnancy or due to hormone therapy, can also affect Eustachian tube function. Stress, anxiety, and certain medications like diuretics are also associated with PET.
Beyond PET, issues within the middle ear can also cause autophony. Fluid buildup in the middle ear, known as otitis media with effusion, can trap sounds and heighten the perception of internal noises. This fluid can distort sound conduction, leading to a sense of ear fullness and louder internal sounds. Excessive earwax, while seemingly minor, can also create an occlusion effect, amplifying the sounds of your own body.
A rarer but significant cause of autophony is Superior Semicircular Canal Dehiscence (SSCD). This condition involves a thinning or complete absence of bone in a portion of the inner ear’s superior semicircular canal. This creates a “third window” in the inner ear, allowing sound and pressure to enter and leave the inner ear abnormally. This can lead to a heightened sensitivity to bone-conducted sounds, causing individuals to hear not only their breathing but also their heartbeat, eye movements, and even the creaking of their joints. SSCD can be present from birth or develop over time, sometimes triggered by head trauma.
Other factors can affect Eustachian tube function and contribute to autophony. Conditions like nasal congestion and allergies can cause inflammation and swelling in the nasal passages, affecting the Eustachian tube’s ability to open and close. This can lead to a temporary or intermittent sensation of autophony.
When to Consult a Doctor and Potential Solutions
If you experience persistent or bothersome autophony, especially if it affects your daily life, consult a doctor. It is particularly important to consult a doctor if the symptom is worsening, or if it is accompanied by other symptoms such as pain, hearing loss, dizziness, or a feeling of ear fullness. An ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialist can properly diagnose the underlying cause of autophony through a thorough medical history and examination.
Managing autophony often involves addressing contributing factors. Staying well-hydrated can help, as dehydration can exacerbate symptoms of a patulous Eustachian tube. Avoiding substances like caffeine and decongestants, which can dry out mucous membranes, can also help if PET is suspected. For cases linked to nasal congestion or allergies, managing these underlying conditions can help alleviate autophony. Specific treatments will depend on the diagnosis, with options ranging from conservative measures to surgical interventions for severe patulous Eustachian tube or SSCD.