Buzzing, Static + Ringing Tinnitus, Slight TMJ, Right Ear Crackles When I Yawn — Is This Somatic?

[Demi Chadwick]

Heya, I'm fairly new to tinnitus and since this sudden onset I've done all I can to understand tinnitus.

I've had my ears checked numerous times but my GP has told me they look fine and there's nothing they can do which seems like what everyone else is told. I had an audiologist check my hearing and for my age my hearing is pretty good.

I understand this is still early days and since it started Apart from the first two weeks of tears, stress and anxiety... I've dealt with it pretty well and ensured that I can do all I can to avoid this situation getting worse.

Now initially my tinnitus started in my left ear, it was so loud I couldn't hear anyone over it, I had to leave work and go home but the day after, though it was still there it settled quite a bit. After a week or so my tinnitus travelled to my right ear (bizarre I know) and I don't hear it in my left at all unless I'm stressed but it almost feels like it's in my fore head and neck just below my ear.

A few discoveries I've made is that when I get a spike /second sound which is like a low ring I can alter it by tilting my head. My 'standard' tinnitus is like a light buzzing/static and it's not that bothersome at-all I can cope with it. But sometimes for no reason that second sound will come in and my ear almost feels muffled and clogged. It settles down after a while but I don't know why it happens.

I also learnt that I have slight TMJ and recently my ear on the right side crackles when I yawn. I don't know if this is all related and I don't even know if my tinnitus could potentially be somatic?

But anyway I just wanted to post my experience and speak to anyone about my situation who potentially has experienced the same as I'm fairly new to it and I don't know anyone personally who's dealt with tinnitus.

 

[Joe Cuber]

Your 2nd sound might very well be TMJ related. Is the 2nd sound in one ear only?

I had a component of my tinnitus (I primarily have tinnitus in my right ear only) that was related to my jaw.

I went to a dentist who happens to be knowledgeable about jaw muscles, and she noticed that one of my jaw muscles on my right side was like twice the size of the one on my left. She suspected I clench my teeth on the right at night and perhaps subconsciously during the day. She got me a mouth guard to wear at night and showed me how to massage my muscle back to a more normal size.

Since then, I don't often hear that component of my tinnitus. I have other components though that seem to be related to my spine, neck muscle, and skull bone alignment, so I'm seeing a chiropractor in hopes of getting better alignment.

Like you, mine is relatively new (2 months for me). I do have some minor hearing loss, which my audiologist says is what put me at risk to begin with. How are you coping now?