Early Onset, Desperate and Hoping It Doesn't Progress Too Fast or at All

[mary oj]

Hello all,

I have been having problems with my TMJ since 2007 when I had a wisdom tooth pulled out. I have been suffering from bruxism too but couldn't afford to get a night guard. In 2010 however I woke up one morning and couldn't open my jaw and my ear felt so sensitive and painful (ischemic I guess).

My TMJ went on to be tolerable until recently when I overused my jaw and had some hard food and the tinnitus in my left ear began around July 5th or so (a month ago). I visited a couple of doctors and they didn't care. one just prescribed Prednisolone. Some dentist offered making me a night guard but I can't afford it right now so I'm using a soft one I already have.

Still this is getting louder already and my right ear is beginning to have tinnitus too. I think I'm neglecting myself, can I do anything to make it stop or not get worse?

 

[John CC]

Hi Mary It seems to me like an oxymoron, welcoming someone to a site devoted to Tinnitus, something no one wants, but which we live with. With that said, welcome. I too am new to this forum and I am relieved you have found it. I have found it to be an excellent source of information, and importantly support. Everyone knows what you are going through, and you are not alone, you have support at this site. There are others who regularly read, support and answer your questions. Just realize that this site is a world wide site, so if people do not respond right away, it is because they may be on another continent. So when you look for responses and your thinking, only 1 reply, give it some time.

The most upsetting time for people with Tinnitus is at the start. Not knowing what is happening, what is next, worse, better, cure, how long are all good questions. As for a cure, nothing medically as far as I know. However, there is lots you can do to help yourself. The first, as hard as this is, is to breathe and realize it can get better. Mine started the same way, in the left, and then moved to the right, and was it loud! It is getting better, knock on wood.

I encourage you to read the posts in the Introduce Yourself and Support sections. Read the questions at the start of the post that are questions that you have, and then read the responses. This may help you gain some insight into some of the issues and aspects of Tinnitus. From what I have started to learn is that, especially at the start, is that loud noise = bad (so at the start listen to your music at a lower volume and movies can be loud so be very wary), ear protection = good, being aware and not letting your guard down, e.g., going into a loud restaurant or coffee shop without ear protection and thinking it will be ok = not good, realizing and having and believing in your future and hope = good. Coffee Girl has had some really great posts that I recommend you look up, as well as Bill B., Fishbone, Micheal L. and Glnyis among others who have a lot of good ideas, and more experience than I do.

Best of luck, I hope this helps.
John CC

 

[mary oj]

Hi Mary It seems to me like an oxymoron, welcoming someone to a site devoted to Tinnitus, something no one wants, but which we live with. With that said, welcome. I too am new to this forum and I am relieved you have found it. I have found it to be an excellent source of information, and importantly support. Everyone knows what you are going through, and you are not alone, you have support at this site. There are others who regularly read, support and answer your questions. Just realize that this site is a world wide site, so if people do not respond right away, it is because they may be on another continent. So when you look for responses and your thinking, only 1 reply, give it some time.

The most upsetting time for people with Tinnitus is at the start. Not knowing what is happening, what is next, worse, better, cure, how long are all good questions. As for a cure, nothing medically as far as I know. However, there is lots you can do to help yourself. The first, as hard as this is, is to breathe and realize it can get better. Mine started the same way, in the left, and then moved to the right, and was it loud! It is getting better, knock on wood.

I encourage you to read the posts in the Introduce Yourself and Support sections. Read the questions at the start of the post that are questions that you have, and then read the responses. This may help you gain some insight into some of the issues and aspects of Tinnitus. From what I have started to learn is that, especially at the start, is that loud noise = bad (so at the start listen to your music at a lower volume and movies can be loud so be very wary), ear protection = good, being aware and not letting your guard down, e.g., going into a loud restaurant or coffee shop without ear protection and thinking it will be ok = not good, realizing and having and believing in your future and hope = good. Coffee Girl has had some really great posts that I recommend you look up, as well as Bill B., Fishbone, Micheal L. and Glnyis among others who have a lot of good ideas, and more experience than I do.

Best of luck, I hope this helps.
John CC

Thank you so much for the kind welcome...
I visited a doctor that confirmed it's cause by my TMD AND depression... so I have to seek further treatment so it doesn't get worse . But why shouldn't I think it will be ok? It's very hard to always prepare for the worst since in all these years of TMD, no one told me to seek treatment faster cause tinnitus is one of the complications...

Sorry that I don't know how to work forums... I have always been on social media and not "texty" places

Cheers,

 

[John CC]

Hi Mary Just thought of one or two more 'things' to think of, that might help you. One 'thing' that I have found has helped me is, especially at night trying to sleep, and no it does not involve counting or sheep. You can go online and there are tinnitus sound therapy sites that have music, or sounds that can help with your T. I listened to different sites, some spoke to me and some not so much. Some may sound strange at the start, but I have found that they grow on you, and eventually become relaxing. For night time, some of them run 8 to 10 hours, set your computer up and let they play over night. You can get sound machines for T, but this I find will do until that time.

A second 'thing' is to teach yourself how to be as calm as possible in the middle of a storm like no other storms. As hard as it sounds meditation can help. If you have already started before this great, get back into it. It helps you stay more balanced and calm. I am also a Reiki practioner, if you don't know what it is, think of it as an extension of meditation which can help raise, and also calm your energy. I have been working on myself and have found it to be beneficial. I imagine that there will either be a mediation group around, or a Reiki practitioner around. It is just something to think about.

A third 'thing' is that I would put out another thread on the Tinnitus Talk Forum asking about any connection between jaw immobility and tinnitus. There does appear to be a connection and you should explore it and find out more.

Hope this additional information helps. Remember, this forum is here to help , it is always here so please I encourage you to continue to use it to help you learn how to cope. I know it helped me.

Best of luck, JohnCC

 

[Greg Sacramento]

My TMJ went on to be tolerable until recently when I overused my jaw and had some hard food and the tinnitus in my left ear began around July 5th or so (a month ago).

Hi Mary: There's a few good articles that explain the TMJ and the tinnitus connection in detail. In a few words, over use of jaw, injury to the jaw or mouth that may relate to the neck, clenching of teeth from stress, and dental surgery that can include nerve injury and/or infection or having mouth opened too long without a minute of jaw relaxing during a dental procedure are a few things that can bring on TMJ. The connection of TMJ with tinnitus is two nerves on each side that share the same pathways of TMJ and the ear.

Any mouth guard should help in time. As John CC mentions relaxing music at night may help. I use a CD of pink rain or a flowing stream placed about 10 feet from my bed at just above a whisper voice. You can also use pink music from You Tube while using the computer or just as a source of sound when either sleeping or doing other things.

There is one very simple exercise that may help. Place and center both thumbs side by side under your chin where it meets your neck. Slowly from there without too much pressure move each thumb under the jaw to under each ear. Repeat 6 times and then stop. This can done every 20 minutes throughout the day. There are other exercises, but this one is called digastric and has been proven within trigger point therapy to help. Correct posture when walking, sitting and sleeping is also very important.

 

[John CC]

Hello Mary It is amazing how one can see the forest and not the trees. On the Forum page, where you can see all the Tinnitus Talk categories, to the right a little way down you will see a green bar that states audio player, click on it and a new menu will pop up with different tunes. Explore.
JohnCC

 

[TLion]

Hi Mary: There's a few good articles that explain the TMJ and the tinnitus connection in detail. In a few words, over use of jaw, injury to the jaw or mouth that may relate to the neck, clenching of teeth from stress, and dental surgery that can include nerve injury and/or infection or having mouth opened too long without a minute of jaw relaxing during a dental procedure are a few things that can bring on TMJ. The connection of TMJ with tinnitus is two nerves on each side that share the same pathways of TMJ and the ear.

Any mouth guard should help in time. As John CC mentions relaxing music at night may help. I use a CD of pink rain or a flowing stream placed about 10 feet from my bed at just above a whisper voice. You can also use pink music from You Tube while using the computer or just as a source of sound when either sleeping or doing other things.

There is one very simple exercise that may help. Place and center both thumbs side by side under your chin where it meets your neck. Slowly from there without too much pressure move each thumb under the jaw to under each ear. Repeat 6 times and then stop. This can done every 20 minutes throughout the day. There are other exercises, but this one is called digastric and has been proven within trigger point therapy to help. Correct posture when walking, sitting and sleeping is also very important.

Can you specify the exercise? I'm not sure I understand it completely .

 

[Greg Sacramento]

@TLion You Tube has similar videos to the one that I mentioned above. One is under 'TMJ Digastric Muscle' by Advanced Trainings. com titled Digastrics Technique for TMJ - Advanced Myofascial Techniques.

I see a myofascial therapy doctor who is extremely highly rated. She show me two TMJ exercises and it does help with my TMJ, but little can be done for my other facial problems and gum nerve damage. It may take years for healing if ever.

The digastric muscle - first exercise is to pull this muscle gently. Dr. Mandell has this pulling exercise on You Tube. The second exercise is for digastric TMJ.

This second exercise that mentioned in a post above is to place both thumbs above your Adam's Apple - the space between the front lower chin and top of the front of the neck. Push in with both thumbs gently without touching the Adam's Apple. Move each thumb stretching skin in a U shape under the jaw to the TM joints in front of the ears.

 

[mary oj]

Thank you so much @John CC and @Greg Sacramento. I am going through nothing (being unemployed) and a lot at the same time (depression) that I am just tired of reading and reading and not being able to provide myself with help. @John CC Since I can see that you live in Toronto too, can you kindly recommend any clinics/specialists that can help me at this stage? It's been 2 months now...
Thanks in advance..

 

[John CC]

I am going through nothing (being unemployed) and a lot at the same time (depression) that I am just tired of reading and reading and not being able to provide myself with help.

Hi Mary oj I hate to disagree with you but not are not going through nothing. Being unemployed is something, especially when it gives you all the time in the world to think of your situation, which just feeds how you feel about your situation, and it thus creates this loop that can, at times, be very hard to get off of. I have as of yet, not gone to a clinic or seen anyone other than an ENT (absolutely no help there), my doctor (he was pretty good, making me somewhat fortunate) and an audiologist at Hearing Canada (she has been really good and a good source of informtion). A friend of mine did forward a note to me recommending Metro Hearing and Tinnitus Clinic, it is in Mississauga. I looked at its website, and it appeared to be interesting. However, I was not thinking of going to it yet as, from what I have been reading in this forum, and from some other sources, that it is best to wait about 3 months before attending clinics as your tinnitus before this time is still settling down and may change. This change period appears to vary tremendously between individuals, with a wide range of timelines for it to settle down. This is just an impression at this point in time. Greg S. or Michael L or Bill B. would be better sources of information on this one. My doctor also told me that it is a good idea to wait three months and then make decisions. Do you have an audiologist who tested your hearing at the onset of your t.? If you do call to see if you can check in with her for a cople of min. and ask. I noticed that the Metro Hearing and Tinnitus Clinic also charges for their service.

To help get me through this time I have turned to this forum for support and thoughts. Have you tried also looking at the Success Stories section on the forum home page? I found it did give me some optimism, in the 'that can be me' category of thinking. Remember, life can be filled with opportunities, however, seeing them during the initial onset of tinnitus is not easy to say the least. The first couple of months, from everyone I have talked to who already have it, agree that this is the hardest period. It is so easy to say, and yet not easy to do, that is to believe in your future, and in yourself. At the start I didn't know how I was going to make it through the weekend, it was hard to believe in anything. Now I am catching my breath and believing in the future again. I know it can be hard, depression is insipid in the way it obscures the good things in life, like believing in your future as well as seeing it, and seeing a positive one. However, the fact that you have gone on to this forum, actually reached out for assistance and support tells me that you can see your future, so start to realize you can come through this, and come through this well.

You have had your t. for two months now. Has it always stayed at the same level or has it begun to fluctuate?
Are you listening to any tinnitus sound therapy websites? I have found that they have helped me a lot, especially at night when I am trying to sleep. My doctor also prescribed me Nortripyline just before I go to bed. It is not designed to deal with the t., but it is supposed to help with the anxiety around it. The two combined have helped me a lot. I have also been meditating for years, and that has also helped me deal with this.

Let me be clear though, I too have days that are not a lot of fun, and are just hard, and slow. I have found, especially at the start I didn't really want to eat, just watched tv and hoped for something good as I tried to protect my ears. Then I realized I also needed to go out just to fight 'cabin fever' as well as not over protect my ears, so I went out for walks to clear my mind, and that helped. I go out in the evening when it is quieter. Sitting at home doing nothing is not easy, as I find it becomes easy to listen to your t., so if you can get out, see a friend, but in a quiet location (avoiding loud coffee shops - I have found Panera Bread coffee shops are quieter than others, though I still wear ear protection) may help you get out and change the focus of your mind. Do you have ear protection? You can buy at Home Depot, Canadian Tire the foam ear plugs, and they are not expensive.

I live out in Oshawa east of Toronto, how about you? If you are out in the west end, you actually are close to the Metro Hearing and Tinnitus Clinic which I believe is out in Mississauga.

As always, best wishes, and you have all my support.
JohnCC