Weird ear trick ‘only 16%’ of people can do that ‘sounds like thunder’

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By Ellissa Bain

2 April 2024

People on TikTok are only just realising that others can do a weird trick which makes ‘thunder’ inside your ears.

The bizarre sound is caused by a muscle deep inside the ear, but not everyone is able to control it voluntarily.

Ear trick ‘sounds like thunder’

Everyone started talking about the phenomenon this week after a viral video in which a woman said: “You know how if you tense your ear drums it sounds like thunder… apparently not everyone can do that.”

In the comments, TikTok users are realising they do that too, with one person writing: “Yep and I can hear it when I’m yawning.”

“THAT’S WHAT THAT IS???? I thought it was my superpower,” said another.

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A third person added: I thought I was crazy I’ve been doing that since I was younger.”

“Mine is more like a crackling” someone else commented.

Another said: “I can and it feels so good, like I’m stretching.”

@gabspeak

#weirdtalent

♬ original sound – gabspeak

It’s caused by a muscle in the ear

This whooshing or rumbling noise is caused by a small muscle located in the middle ear called the tensor tympani, WebMD explains.

The muscle tightens, or contracts, after you hear a very loud sound, which muffles the noise and produces a low rumble to protect the inner ear from damage.

It can also contract when you yawn or chew food loudly and it’s usually not performed consciously, it just happens on its own.

However, there is a very small percentage of people who are able to contract the muscle on command, producing the ‘thunder’ sound.

Dr. Sermed Mehzer claims that only 16% of people are able to voluntarily tense the tensor tympani, so it’s very rare.

@drsermedmezher

Only 16% of People Can Make This Sound #anatomy How Rare is Your Body? Voluntary control of Tensor Tympani refers to the ability to consciously manipulate the contraction of the tensor tympani muscle, which is located in the middle ear. This muscle is responsible for dampening the sound transmission through the auditory system by tensing the eardrum. By developing voluntary control over the tensor tympani muscle, individuals can potentially modulate the intensity of sound that reaches their inner ear. This ability allows them to protect their hearing in noisy environments or reduce the impact of sudden loud sounds. Training and practicing the voluntary control of Tensor Tympani typically involves exercises that focus on increasing one’s awareness of the muscle and learning to contract it on command. Some techniques include mindful breathing, visualizations, and repetitive movements to strengthen the mind-muscle connection. The voluntary control of Tensor Tympani has gained attention as a potential tool for managing conditions such as hyperacusis (increased sensitivity to sounds) and misophonia (strong aversion to specific sounds). It also holds promise in the field of auditory therapy, as it may help individuals overcome auditory challenges and improve their overall hearing experience. #VoluntaryTensorTympaniControl #HearingProtection #AuditoryHealth #SoundSensitivity #EarMuscles #HyperacusisManagement #MisophoniaTherapy #AuditoryTraining #MindMuscleConnection #InnerEar #NoiseReduction #AuditoryTherapy #HearingWellness #SoundAwareness #EarCare #HearingSolutions #SensoryProcessing #EarHealth #AcousticComfort #HearingExperience #SoundManagement #anatomy #hearing #interesting #interestingfacts #interestingvideos #interestingclips #doctor #medicine #ent

♬ original sound – DrSermedMezher

Other cool ‘party tricks’

Contracting the muscle is one of many strange phenomena, often called “party tricks” or “superpowers” that only a small number of people can do.

Another common one is wiggling your ear lobes, which is believed to be genetic, and occurs as some people have a more active vestigial nervous system.

The American Academy of Audiology says that 10-20% of people can wiggle their ears, but it has no use to humans.

Some others include curling your tongue, raising one eyebrow, touching your nose with your tongue and even whistling, which not everyone can do.

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