It happens, like, every second night to me as a recurrent HH. Especially when I don’t try to have an LD and I’m just trying to get some sleep, I hear this loud pop sound in my ear and I am rendered awake very suddenly. I’m fairly certain it’s just a HH, although it could be my ear actually popping… however, it’s not like I experience any physical pain. And my ears are fine as far as I know. Anywho, does anyone else experience this? 
I haven’t experienced this before, only when my ears pop.
huh ? anyways, i don’t think its HH , i can make a crackling sound in my ears , i think you have the same involuntarily
Are you sure it’s in your ear, I get something fairly similar but it sounds more like it’s in the back of my head more than my ear, and it always jerks me awake. I’ve always described it as sounding like someone banging two pieces of metal together underwater! But it could be described as a popping sound.
I suppose it’s HH, but feels/sounds like your ears popping. I’ve felt that before, but for me I usually “see” a flash of light and hear a sound like a camera taking a picture. It usually startles me a bit 