Can TMJ Disorder Cause Pulsatile Tinnitus? Do I Have Hope?

[Irina N.K]

Hello all,

I am 34 years old and have had intermittent pulsatile tinnitus in my left ear for about 10 years.
As of 8 months ago the pulsing has been incessant. It NEVER goes away. It feels almost violent. I can feel it thumping in my ear violently. I can't sleep. Nothing to my knowledge brought this on, it was pulsing one night like always but instead of waking up and it going away, it just never has now.

I have been to multiple neurologists, ENT, family doctors and a very expensive TMJ specialist.

I do have severe TMJ dysfunction and arthritis in my joint. Could this be the cause? Could it be pulsing because the bone on bone in the joint is so close to so many nerves?

The specialist said I can pay $3,000 for a special mouth guard (not covered by insurance) and get Botox for the rest of my life. That was his "solution"

ENT, Neurologist and multiple doctors have found nothing that can be causing this.I'm just so scared, something doesn't feel right, and it's maddening in the silence.

Has anyone with severe TMJ had this issue and is there anything you can offer that has worked for you?

I have tried multiple medications, natural herbs, massages, limiting stress, caffeine and alcohol (which make it tremendously worse) and nothing seems to even alleviate it even a LITTLE.

Thank you in advance for taking the time to read.

 

[Greg Sacramento]

@Irina N.K, it's very unlikely for TMJ to cause pulsatile tinnitus and more so in one ear. Almost 20% of tinnitus, not pulsatile, relates to TMJ.

Can you describe the sounds that you hear - do you hear a rhythm or a heart beat sound?

 

[Irina N.K]

Thank you for sharing this information with me!

Yes, I hear my heartbeat in my ear. It gets worse when I get out of bed, exercise, have caffeine, a salty meal or alcohol, so it must be related to something vascular I assume. I do not have high blood pressure and my MRI and MRA were negative for any abnormalities aside from a benign cyst that has always been in my brain. My hearing test also was perfect.

The doctors don't seem to have any idea, they say all they can think is that it could be from the TMJ. I'm just so scared it could be something more serious but no one seems to care enough to get to the bottom of it. They just want to give me a pill and tell me to "learn to love with it."

 

[Greg Sacramento]

@Irina N.K, have you been checked for styloid-stylohyoid syndrome that associates to jaw bone and joint on one side - side of pulsatile tinnitus? Treatment is easy.

https://tinnituschoices.blogspot.com/2017/09/pulsatile-tinnitus-and-tmj.html

The styloid process and related anatomy is the only association between the jaw and pulsatile tinnitus that I know of for someone being your young age.

Other thoughts: See a Conventional Radiologist that specializes in pulsatile tinnitus.

Hugs.

 

[Irina N.K]

Hey guys!

I have been to several neurologists, ENTs and specialists in the last 8 months for my pulsatile tinnitus. Every week it is getting louder and louder, more unbearable. There is a pressure also and severe light headedness.

CT and MRA of my brain were negative so the doctors have just said "deal with it" but something just doesn't feel right and I'm so worried and scared. Why is it getting louder and worse if no clear cause is being found? Is there anything I can do?

 

[Greg Sacramento]

caffeine and alcohol (which make it tremendously worse)

At your age and being female, consider getting checked for hyperthyroidism. This is frequently associated with higher systolic blood pressure or systolic hypertension. It is well reported, that caffeine-coffee and alcohol impacts the absorption of T4 - thyroid.

See a Conventional Radiologist where he might order a CTA, MRA and ultrasound of neck.

 

[Irina N.K]

Hello,

Thank you for your reply!

Yes, I have been checked and all my labs and thyroid were normal. I don't even have hypertension, my BP is usually 90/60.

I am not sure what other avenues to go down and it's becoming worse and worse but the day. I'm so worried

 

[Greg Sacramento]

@Irina N.K:

https://mymedicalscore.com/blood-pressure/90-60/

One possibility: Intracranial hypotension that can cause pulsatile tinnitus is a clinical manifestation of low cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) volume or pressure caused by a Dural CSF leak. More seen in females of age 30-35. There's an easy fix for this.

Idiopathic intracranial hypertension from Science Direct. Don't know if you have ever been pregnant.

"The prevalence of IIH among pregnant women is reported to be 2%–12%, and pregnant women develop IIH at approximately the same rate as the general population (Kesler and Kupferminc, 2013). Digre et al. found that 8.3% of IIH patients were pregnant at the onset of IIH and 14.7% were diagnosed with IIH while pregnant (Kesler and Kupferminc, 2013). When IIH presents during pregnancy, onset is typically during the first half of pregnancy with 61% of cases occurring in the first trimester (Kesler and Kupferminc, 2013). Pregnancy alone is not an independent risk factor for the development of IIH (Digre et al., 1984). Obstetric complications are not increased in women with IIH (Evans and Lee, 2010)."

 

[mohn]

How is your posture? Forward head, kyphosis etc.

 

[MarvinDeguzman]

Have you considered any medication for TMJ relief?