There are people that can flex their inner ear muscle, the Tensor Tympani, at will, and I’m highly jealous!
When flexed, this little muscle makes a rumbling sound inside your ear. Sort of like the sound of thunder.
People who are unable to flex this muscle — like me, boooo! — can hear this rumbling sound *sometimes* when they yawn really big, or when they tense their neck muscles or jaw.
Admit it, you just tried to do it. You’re not alone! I spent like ten minutes trying to hear the sound. Ha!
There are documented cases of this cool-ass phenomenon going as far back as 1884, and I’m seriously bummed I don’t have this Super Power!
There are even whole Reddit groups that are devoted to people who are blessed with this ability.
A lot of people who are able to make their inner ears rumble, aren’t even aware there are people who CAN’T do it.
This teeny-tiny Tensor Tympani muscle is usually used to control how loud we perceive something to be. Think thunder, loud horns, shouting, or — God Help Me — chewing.
Tensor Tympani can also sometimes by recreated by clenching your fist, and holding it to your ear.
This isn’t a TRUE flexed Tensor Tympani sound, but you will sometimes hear the sound of the tensed muscle. This gives you a sense of what a tensed Tensor Tympani muscle sounds like.
My random question is: If you can hear this Tensor Tympani muscle rumble, can you also make your ears wiggle?
