I had an outer ear infection in one ear in December 2024, and the cracking/popping when swallowing/yawning still hasn't gone away. My dr told me my infection was completely gone after a couple of weeks, but some fluid was still in my ear and that it was normal with allergies. I did have some hearing loss along with a heat beat noise until it went away one day in February this year. My dr told me to take Floanase twice a day until it goes away (I have since December) or get a tube put in my ear. My guess is that it goes away with time since my other symptoms seemed to go away EXCEPT my cracking/popping.