# What makes your sinuses crackle and pop? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 20, 2009, 8:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-your-sinuses-crackle-and-pop/521938 "2009-12-20T08:42:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Washoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecae2f/32.png) [@Washoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washoe)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2009, 8:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-your-sinuses-crackle-and-pop/521938/1 "2009-12-20T08:42:11Z")
Pretty much sums up the question. When your sinuses clear up, like, for example, when you take a hefty snort of oxymetazoline (Dristan), what on earth are those crackly, popping noises? What is causing those? Sure feels good, but what the hell are those strange sounds? ---
**Author:** ![Chief\_Pedant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@Chief\_Pedant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chief_Pedant)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2009, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-your-sinuses-crackle-and-pop/521938/2 "2009-12-20T11:20:53Z")
The paranasal sinuses are fixed spaces with openings into the nasal cavity. As fluid drains out or air makes its way in, you might hear and feel a popping much the same way that fluid burbles out of any fixed enclosed space and air burbles in to equalize the pressure–say a bottle with a small neck. Because the fluid is viscous you might get a fairly sudden release as the pressure differentials equalize. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2009, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-your-sinuses-crackle-and-pop/521938/3 "2009-12-21T03:06:00Z")
You also might want to quit shoving Rice Krispies up your nose, too. 😃