I need an Otolaryngologist?

[2535Miles]

This is hard to describe, but I can create a low, rumbling or humming sound in my both of my ears by "flexing" them. I can sustain this for about 30 seconds before fatigue sets in and I have to stop. If I wait a few seconds I can do it all over again. Can anyone else do this? Just what in the bloody dickens is going on here?

[EarlJam]

This is hard to describe, but I can create a low, rumbling or humming sound in my both of my ears by "flexing" them. I can sustain this for about 30 seconds before fatigue sets in and I have to stop. If I wait a few seconds I can do it all over again. Can anyone else do this? Just what in the bloody dickens is going on here?

I know EXACTLY what you are talking about! Seriously.

Sounds like a train in the far off distance. The longer you try to sustain it, the eyes begin to wince a little.

Far out.

-EJ

[2535Miles]

I know EXACTLY what you are talking about! Seriously.

Sounds like a train in the far off distance. The longer you try to sustain it, the eyes begin to wince a little.

Far out.

-EJ
I've been perplexed with this for years and all of my friends look at me like I'm on crack when I try to explain it to them. Glad to know I'm not the only one. So tell me, after you read my post, how many times did you try flexing your ear muscle? I'm doing it right now.

Madness.

[Clipsfan]

I've been perplexed with this for years and all of my friends look at me like I'm on crack when I try to explain it to them. Glad to know I'm not the only one. So tell me, after you read my post, how many times did you try flexing your ear muscle? I'm doing it right now.

Madness.

It's unnatural, I tell you! And hurts.

[allenmurray]

I believe that when you "flex" your ears you are partially shutting off your ear canal. What you are hearing is the blood coursing through the vens near your ear canal. You are hearing it through bone conduction rather than through air conduction, hence the unusual sound (and your ability to hear it at all).

[BlueDevilJay]

This is hard to describe, but I can create a low, rumbling or humming sound in my both of my ears by "flexing" them. I can sustain this for about 30 seconds before fatigue sets in and I have to stop. If I wait a few seconds I can do it all over again. Can anyone else do this? Just what in the bloody dickens is going on here?

Holy crap dude, are you serious??? I have been able to do this same thing since I was maybe 10 years old, and always wondered if anyone else could do the same thing! (but I also didn't know how to describe it, but you did a good job of it)

[bjornolf]

Okay, this may just be the strangest thread I've ever seen on DBR. Are you telling me that this is an odd thing that not everyone can do? I just figured everybody could do it, but why would they want to? It's not the most comfortable thing in the world. About the only thing it helps me with is popping my ears going over mountains or in airplanes. I hear it a little differently though. It sounds to me like the noise you hear when you're on a commercial airline cruising at altitude. That kind of background humming sound. And I don't think you're closing off your canal, I think you're stretching it open, thus pressing on the structures around it and impeding the bood flow.

[TillyGalore]

Kind of off-topic here, but does anyone every see spots or starbursts? Sometimes I do, not all the time and don't have any problems with my vision. Well, other than normal changes with age.

Oh, I hear the same noises ya'll hear too.

[EarlJam]

I used to do this during meetings at my old job to drown out the lameness.

That, or play BS Corporate Bingo. Anyone know how to play that?

My former boss loved using the term, "Absolutely!" I used to count the number of times he'd say it in a call. I think the record was 14 times in a 15 minute call.

-EJ

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Holy crap dude, are you serious??? I have been able to do this same thing since I was maybe 10 years old, and always wondered if anyone else could do the same thing! (but I also didn't know how to describe it, but you did a good job of it)

I can't do it. I can't roll my tongue into a tube shape either, although my mother and brother can. Rolling the tongue is a genetic trait that you either can or can't do. Maybe flexing one's ears is similar.

[camion]

I didn't know anyone couldn't do it. :o

[2535Miles]

Holy crap dude, are you serious??? I have been able to do this same thing since I was maybe 10 years old, and always wondered if anyone else could do the same thing! (but I also didn't know how to describe it, but you did a good job of it)
I am crazy serious about this and remember being able to do it since I was about eight years old.


Okay, this may just be the strangest thread I've ever seen on DBR. Are you telling me that this is an odd thing that not everyone can do? I just figured everybody could do it, but why would they want to? It's not the most comfortable thing in the world. About the only thing it helps me with is popping my ears going over mountains or in airplanes. I hear it a little differently though. It sounds to me like the noise you hear when you're on a commercial airline cruising at altitude. That kind of background humming sound. And I don't think you're closing off your canal, I think you're stretching it open, thus pressing on the structures around it and impeding the bood flow.
Hehe, this is indeed a strange thread, but you don't know how much better I feel now that I know other people can do it. And yes, background humming commercial airline cruising is also a great description for the sound.


I used to do this during meetings at my old job to drown out the lameness.
That, or play BS Corporate Bingo. Anyone know how to play that?
My former boss loved using the term, "Absolutely!" I used to count the number of times he'd say it in a call. I think the record was 14 times in a 15 minute call.
-EJ
I do it like a nervous tick. I do it when I'm stuck in traffic on the 405/5. I do it when I can't sleep. Some people chew their nails, I flex ears. I am now going to a new thread to discuss BS Corporate Bingo; it deserves it's own!!!

[Lavabe]

I can't do it. I can't roll my tongue into a tube shape either, although my mother and brother can. Rolling the tongue is a genetic trait that you either can or can't do. Maybe flexing one's ears is similar.

I can neither roll my tongue, flex my ears, nor spread my toes.:mad:

[merry]

I can neither roll my tongue, flex my ears, nor spread my toes.:mad:


But can you flare your nostrils?

[devildeac]

Okay, this may just be the strangest thread I've ever seen on DBR. Are you telling me that this is an odd thing that not everyone can do? I just figured everybody could do it, but why would they want to? It's not the most comfortable thing in the world. About the only thing it helps me with is popping my ears going over mountains or in airplanes. I hear it a little differently though. It sounds to me like the noise you hear when you're on a commercial airline cruising at altitude. That kind of background humming sound. And I don't think you're closing off your canal, I think you're stretching it open, thus pressing on the structures around it and impeding the bood flow.

THIS is the strangest thing you have seen on DBR? You must not read some of the polls or ANY of EarlJam's stuff:o.

[bjornolf]

THIS is the strangest thing you have seen on DBR? You must not read some of the polls or ANY of EarlJam's stuff:o.

strangest might not be the right word. Maybe top ten most random?

Speaking of which, can anybody else here "gleek"? It was a term we used in middle school for projecting a fine stream of spit by rolling the tongue up around the horizontal access, then pushing it forward against the top teeth while pushing out the lower jaw to put pressure on the saliva glands beneath the tongue. My record is about 15 ft of range. I taught myself to do it in the seventh grade out of self defense against people who would do it onto my papers from over my head behind me. It's nasty to suddenly have a wet paper that you can't write on out of the blue. If you don't have any windex and need to spit-shine a window or clean snot or food off a baby's face and don't want to be seen openly spitting on a towel, it can be very useful. It's also cleaner than spit that's been swishing around in your mouth, as it comes straight from the source.

How about make yourself belch?

How about make a froggy type noise in your throat by pushing your larynx down? I learned how to do that after hearing my aunt do it incessantly as a kid.

My other aunt used to use her pinky to make her teeth squeak. I always thought that was funny, and so started doing that too.

How about whistling through your teeth, with or without finger help? I taught myself to do that after reading a book about the 101 things a dad should be able to teach his son. I've found that one very useful for getting my kids' attention on the playground. ;)

[BlueDevilJay]

Okay, this may just be the strangest thread I've ever seen on DBR. Are you telling me that this is an odd thing that not everyone can do? I just figured everybody could do it, but why would they want to? It's not the most comfortable thing in the world. About the only thing it helps me with is popping my ears going over mountains or in airplanes. I hear it a little differently though. It sounds to me like the noise you hear when you're on a commercial airline cruising at altitude. That kind of background humming sound. And I don't think you're closing off your canal, I think you're stretching it open, thus pressing on the structures around it and impeding the bood flow.

Your description of the sound more closely resembles what I hear when I do it as well. I like to use it to tune out coworkers when I don't wanna listen to their constant gossiping or whatnot.

[BlueDevilJay]

strangest might not be the right word. Maybe top ten most random?

Speaking of which, can anybody else here "gleek"? It was a term we used in middle school for projecting a fine stream of spit by rolling the tongue up around the horizontal access, then pushing it forward against the top teeth while pushing out the lower jaw to put pressure on the saliva glands beneath the tongue. My record is about 15 ft of range. I taught myself to do it in the seventh grade out of self defense against people who would do it onto my papers from over my head behind me. It's nasty to suddenly have a wet paper that you can't write on out of the blue. If you don't have any windex and need to spit-shine a window or clean snot or food off a baby's face and don't want to be seen openly spitting on a towel, it can be very useful. It's also cleaner than spit that's been swishing around in your mouth, as it comes straight from the source.

How about make yourself belch?

How about make a froggy type noise in your throat by pushing your larynx down? I learned how to do that after hearing my aunt do it incessantly as a kid.

My other aunt used to use her pinky to make her teeth squeak. I always thought that was funny, and so started doing that too.

How about whistling through your teeth, with or without finger help? I taught myself to do that after reading a book about the 101 things a dad should be able to teach his son. I've found that one very useful for getting my kids' attention on the playground. ;)

We call it "Gleeting" here, but yes, I can also do that. My old best friend could do it to the point of almost soaking his target, I mean like a garden hose esque stream every time he did it. I'm pretty close to that but not quite at his professional level.

Make myself belch, check. Froggy thing, not that I know of. Whistling, check.

[2535Miles]

strangest might not be the right word. Maybe top ten most random?

Speaking of which, can anybody else here "gleek"? It was a term we used in middle school for projecting a fine stream of spit by rolling the tongue up around the horizontal access, then pushing it forward against the top teeth while pushing out the lower jaw to put pressure on the saliva glands beneath the tongue. My record is about 15 ft of range. I taught myself to do it in the seventh grade out of self defense against people who would do it onto my papers from over my head behind me. It's nasty to suddenly have a wet paper that you can't write on out of the blue. If you don't have any windex and need to spit-shine a window or clean snot or food off a baby's face and don't want to be seen openly spitting on a towel, it can be very useful. It's also cleaner than spit that's been swishing around in your mouth, as it comes straight from the source.

How about make yourself belch?

How about make a froggy type noise in your throat by pushing your larynx down? I learned how to do that after hearing my aunt do it incessantly as a kid.

My other aunt used to use her pinky to make her teeth squeak. I always thought that was funny, and so started doing that too.

How about whistling through your teeth, with or without finger help? I taught myself to do that after reading a book about the 101 things a dad should be able to teach his son. I've found that one very useful for getting my kids' attention on the playground. ;)
I almost spit coffee all over my display when I read your post. I can just picture a caring father gleeking in his kid's face. Yeah I know you'd do it into a napkin, but the direct gleek-to-face popped into my head first.
My talent checklist:
Gleek - check
Blech - check
Frog Noise - check
Tooth squeaking - check, except I use my thumb.
Whistling - sorta. I can't do the tooth or finger whistle.
What about blowing bubbles off of your tongue?

[BlueDevilBaby]

I feel really useless - can't do any of that stuff. Is it a guy thing, like hawking up a loogie, cause I can't do that either. I can gleet by accident and whistle loud with help from the fingers.

[TillyGalore]

I feel really useless - can't do any of that stuff. Is it a guy thing, like hawking up a loogie, cause I can't do that either. I can gleet by accident and whistle loud with help from the fingers.

What scares me is, I can do some of those things. And, I'm not a guy.

[2535Miles]

I feel really useless - can't do any of that stuff. Is it a guy thing, like hawking up a loogie, cause I can't do that either. I can gleet by accident and whistle loud with help from the fingers.
Hawking a loogie is down right nasty, I hate spitting. Gleeking on accident is the first step towards gleeking on purpose, all you need now is will power and practice. ;)


What scares me is, I can do some of those things. And, I'm not a guy.
This shouldn't scare you, it should empower you. :D

[2535Miles]

After hours, yes hours, of Googling I think I have found a lead. Be forewarned, it came from Wikipedia, and the specific article (Scroll to Functions) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eustachian_tube)requires citation but hey, it's a start for me.
The good folks of the world seem to think the noise we experience is caused by contracting muscles in the neck, which in turn opens the Eustachian Tube thereby letting air into the middle ear.

Some of the explanation doesn't quite fit right but I feel like it's a move in the direction on my quest to understand my inner ear happenings.

[bjornolf]

After hours, yes hours, of Googling I think I have found a lead. Be forewarned, it came from Wikipedia, and the specific article (Scroll to Functions) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eustachian_tube)requires citation but hey, it's a start for me.
The good folks of the world seem to think the noise we experience is caused by contracting muscles in the neck, which in turn opens the Eustachian Tube thereby letting air into the middle ear.

Some of the explanation doesn't quite fit right but I feel like it's a move in the direction on my quest to understand my inner ear happenings.

how would you let air into your middle ear without busting your eardrum? My explanation was similar, saying that you're stretching the tubes and pushing against other structures, and what you're hearing is blood moving. Air would have to pass through your sinuses from the inner ear to the outer ear, and seeing as how parts of that path are filled with fluid, I wouldn't think you could do it without causing yourself serious harm if air was really getting in there. At least, that's my understanding as a BME who worked a LOT with implanted hearing aids. :eek:

[bjornolf]

What scares me is, I can do some of those things. And, I'm not a guy.

I have never been more attracted to a woman on this list before. Better not let my wife read this! :eek:

[DukePA]

What scares me is, I can do some of those things. And, I'm not a guy.

You rock, Tilly!! For the record, it's awesome fun watching Duke BBall with our good friend Tilly! The next beer float is on me :) (By the way, I can now make myself burp rather loudly which makes my son so proud of his old ma!)

[TillyGalore]

This shouldn't scare you, it should empower you. :D


I have never been more attracted to a woman on this list before. Better not let my wife read this! :eek:

Guys like when a woman can do those things, seriously!?! I've dated some guys who were cool with it and some who I would never dare do any of those things in front of them or even tell them I could do those things. Guess that's why I've only dated them once or twice. :D

I've always wanted to learn how to whistle using my fingers.


You rock, Tilly!! For the record, it's awesome fun watching Duke BBall with our good friend Tilly! The next beer float is on me :) (By the way, I can now make myself burp rather loudly which makes my son so proud of his old ma!)

DukePA you're too kind. Next time you're up here we'll have to have a beer or two or three or...and watch some sports. Hey, how about a Bulls game!

[2535Miles]

how would you let air into your middle ear without busting your eardrum? My explanation was similar, saying that you're stretching the tubes and pushing against other structures, and what you're hearing is blood moving. Air would have to pass through your sinuses from the inner ear to the outer ear, and seeing as how parts of that path are filled with fluid, I wouldn't think you could do it without causing yourself serious harm if air was really getting in there. At least, that's my understanding as a BME who worked a LOT with implanted hearing aids. :eek:
I've always been worried about the serious damage I might be causing myself by flexing. I'm not sure how you let air into the middle ear, I have absolutely no knowledge in this area. You're right, your explanation is quite similar and I like the idea of hearing all those little blood cells roaming around my head. What's it going to take to get you to post on the Wikipedia article? So how can we conduct a test to prove/disprove? I have now decided that discovering the absolute truth on this matter is going on my bucket list. Set goals people, set goals.

[2535Miles]

Guys like when a woman can do those things, seriously!?! I've dated some guys who were cool with it and some who I would never dare do any of those things in front of them or even tell them I could do those things. Guess that's why I've only dated them once or twice. :D
It's all about timing. I like when a woman knows when to be a lady and she pulls it off gracefully and naturally. But yeah, I'm also down with the bodily function olympics. If a woman can out belch me, gleek farther, thumb-squeak (or toe-squeak), out whistle me, and fulfills a few more of my more impossible criteria, then she has my heart.

[bjornolf]

Guys like when a woman can do those things, seriously!?! I've dated some guys who were cool with it and some who I would never dare do any of those things in front of them or even tell them I could do those things. Guess that's why I've only dated them once or twice. :D

Well, it's all about timing. I wouldn't recommend doing it on a fancy dinner date, but around the house while horsing around, I LOVE that stuff. It reminds me of the old Jeff Foxworthy joke about everybody being embarrassed when Aunt Rose won the peeing off the balcony for distance contest on their vacation to Disney World.

I thought my wife was weird that she didn't do ANY of that stuff. I was actually relieved when she finally cut loose and broke wind in my presence after we'd been dating for a year and a half. Of course, it was in private, and she almost died trying to hold it in. It was after dinner at a mexican joint. When she realized I wasn't going to dump her over it, she relaxed a little. We were relaxing on the couch watching the Simpsons with her sitting up and my head resting in her lap. I spent the next hour in pergatory, as I'd never smelled anything like that in my life as she let loose (man was she embarrassed, but it all worked out as 10 years and three kids later, we're still together), but I was forever glad that she'd finally relaxed. I was seriously starting to doubt that she HAD bodily functions after than long. :eek:



I've always wanted to learn how to whistle using my fingers.

Pick up the book. It's got all kinds of great things in it, and it taught me to whistle through my fingers in about a day. I'd never been able to do it before, even with experienced people trying to teach me. The book is called something like 101 things every dad should be able to teach there kids.

[bjornolf]

what is it Charlie said on Two and a Half Men about Jenny McCarthy's character when Alan asked him if he loved her?

Something like: Hey, she drinks the hard stuff, she smokes cigars and she's got a gambling problem. She's a female version of me. What's NOT to love?

[Jarhead]

I can't do it. I can't roll my tongue into a tube shape either, although my mother and brother can. Rolling the tongue is a genetic trait that you either can or can't do. Maybe flexing one's ears is similar.
Sorry, Oz, but that sure is a tactical error for someone so close to getting that AD job. I think your name just dropped off the short list.