I've had the ear thumping too. Started out like "thumping" or "fluttering ear drum" as the way I described it. Then it moved to thump thump thump with a muffled hearing for a couple seconds then sometimes a stabbing pain. When my Mom died...I actually had this and also at the same time it felt like an electric bolt went through my head and seemed as though I lost vision for just a split second. Actually knocked me off me feet a bit.