Tinnitus and TMD

Imagine going through life with constant or frequent sounds in your ears, such as ringing, swooshing, roaring, rushing, hissing or buzzing. This is not some type of horror movie sound effect. This is a real condition called tinnitus that affects 12 million Americans so persistently that they seek medical attention. The American Tinnitus Association (ATA) has even reported that tinnitus is seriously debilitating for 2 million Americans, making it difficult or impossible to perform normal daily tasks.

The ATA estimates that 50 million Americans have experienced some form of tinnitus that eventually goes away without treatment. Phantom tinnitus noises can range from high pitches to low tones, and the sounds are usually only heard by the person experiencing the condition.

Causes of Tinnitus

Tinnitus itself is a symptom of another underlying problem with other parts of the head or body. Some of the various causes of tinnitus include:

• Misalignment of the jaw joint ortemporomandibular joint disorder (TMD)
• Hearing loss
• Brain tumor
• Certain medications
• Disease, such as Ménière disease

What is TMD and why can it cause tinnitus?

TMD and TMJ, or temporomandibular joint, are used interchangeably to describe disorders of the jaw joint. The mandible (lower jaw) is connected to the skull by the TMJ, giving people the ability to open and close their mouths to talk, chew, yawn and make other facial movements or expressions.

The muscles and nerves of the jaw are located in close proximity to the ear and can actually affect these sensitive ear nerves causing tinnitus symptoms.

Consulting a dentist to help alleviate ear noises may seem like an odd choice. It is true that many dentists may not be able to properly diagnose and treat this condition. However, <a onClick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/article_exit_link');" href=http://www.colonialdentalgroup.com/neuromuscular.html>neuromuscular dentists</a> have specialized training in proper jaw alignment and how the jaw relates to the muscles that control the jaw. Those who have training from the Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies (LVI)are well-equipped to provide relief from TMD-related tinnitus.

Misaligned jaws can lead to a whole host of physical problems in addition to tinnitus, such as:

• Neck, shoulder, face or jaw pain
• Chronic headaches or migraines
• Jaw clicking, popping or locking
• Tooth sensitivity
• Cracked or worn teeth
• Dizziness

Treatment for TMD Tinnitus

The main goal of a neuromuscular dentist treating TMD is to determine the patient’s proper, relaxed jaw position. By utilizing high-tech computerized methods, a neuromuscular dentist can help relax the jaw muscles, listen for sounds of the jaw joint and test the jaw muscles and movement. Some the preferred methods to gather this information include:

• Electromyography
• Sonography
• Transcutaneous Electrical Neuromuscular Stimulation (TENS)
• X-rays

The actual treatment plan will differ from patient to patient. Some of the various options include:

• Custom-made orthotics or mouthpieces, which are worn temporarily to realign the jaw
• Dental work, such as <a onClick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/article_exit_link');" href=http://www.colonialdentalgroup.com/porcelain_crowns.html>crowns</a> or orthodontics
• Surgery on the jaw joint
• Stress reduction techniques