Extremely Unusual Tinnitus Manipulation — Squeezing Head/Temples

[AnthonyMcDonald]

Hey everyone. This is my first post! I'm glad there's a community of people out there who suffer from the same condition.

From what I've seen, a lot of people here have read through a lot of threads. Although I've been browsing around for quite a while, I still haven't been able to find anything similar to my exact tinnitus case.

My tinnitus is a very high pitch ~13,000Hz ringing.

Has anyone seen a situation similar to mine?

"Normal" tinnitus modulation:
1) Bend neck to the left - 2-3x increase in loudness on the left (bending neck to the right does nothing)
2) Move chin back/inward/press down to chest - 2-3x increase in loudness

Unusual modulation:
If I squeeze or press my temples/side of head in the right spot/general area (in front and above of the ears, pretty much in the middle of the head, NOT the TMJ) my tinnitus decreases in loudness by 80-90%, and when I let go it spikes very hard (2-3x loudness) for like a second and evens out (EEEEeeeeee).

I've searched all over the internet and haven't found anyone with the same effect. Maybe some of the veterans here have seen something like this?

Thanks.

 

[AnthonyMcDonald]

Bump?

 

[AnthonyMcDonald]

Anyone?

 

[Greg Sacramento]

1) Bend neck to the left - 2-3x increase in loudness on the left (bending neck to the right does nothing)
2) Move chin back/inward/press down to chest - 2-3x increase in loudness

If I squeeze or press my temples/side of head in the right spot/general area (in front and above of the ears, pretty much in the middle of the head, NOT the TMJ) my tinnitus decreases in loudness by 80-90%, and when I let go it spikes very hard (2-3x loudness) for like a second and evens out (EEEEeeeeee).

If you sometimes get headaches, then the problem most likely is with your cervical spine. This can include injuries or degenerative conditions, such as osteoarthritis. A bulging disk most common cause, even a very slight one. A tensed sternocleidomastoid muscle (left side) is also very possible.

Second most common with addition to any C-spine degenerative condition, is forceful or jerking of shoulders and one wouldn't need to get headaches.

Neck X-rays are suggested to start with as to what is described in first quote.

 

[AnthonyMcDonald]

If you sometimes get headaches, then the problem most likely is with your cervical spine. This can include injuries or degenerative conditions, such as osteoarthritis. A bulging disk most common cause, even a very slight one. A tensed sternocleidomastoid muscle (left side) is also very possible.

Second most common with addition to any C-spine degenerative condition, is forceful or jerking of shoulders and one wouldn't need to get headaches.

Neck X-rays are suggested to start with as to what is described in first quote.

Hey Greg! I've seen many of your posts and am very grateful for your reply! You're a legend here.

I do have a slightly herniated C3 - C4 disk as well as osteochondrosis and some small growths to the side on my spine. Is there any way to treat this condition?

Can cervical spine issues also cause hyperacusis? As I suffer from moderate hyperacusis.

Cheers.

 

[DimLeb]

@AnthonyMcDonald, some of those modulations also apply to me. I got mild tinnitus from some idiopathic cochleopathy according to my neuro-otologist (or maybe noise after all). It fluctuates a lot.

My tinnitus is a tone (or maybe 2) in the head centre and some soft white noise hissing at either side (mostly in left ear). Sometimes the neck bending increases the white noise at that side that I bend it. It almost sounds like an air exhaust opens up lol. I imagine that bending makes the cochlear nerve move (?) a bit so it changes what the brain receives? I don't know!

Also, in my left ear there are 2 independent layers of white noise, one of which I can modulate with the jaw clenching and releasing. If I clench the teeth of my left side jaw, I can reduce that white noise by 90% and when I let it, it restarts (ssss...).

Interesting stuff...

 

[anonymoose]

I believe the auricular nerve runs through that area. Can you look up an anatomy diagram and see if that's what you're pressing on?

 

[Greg Sacramento]

I do have a slightly herniated C3 - C4 disk as well as osteochondrosis and some small growths to the side on my spine. Is there any way to treat this condition?

Relaxing neck muscles/shoulders and using good posture. Magnesium Glycinate might help by taking one third of a 400 mg tablet, three times daily. Using 600 mg, divided into six pieces and taken six times daily can help more, but who can remember to do this six times a day. Liquid form works better. For you, all of this should help tinnitus.

Can cervical spine issues also cause hyperacusis?

Yes - 6% of the time. If cause was from concussion or whiplash - 52%. Longer than three months is 15%, but for those that don't practice good posture it's 28%. Hyperacusis should go away by practicing good posture.

 

[AnthonyMcDonald]

I believe the auricular nerve runs through that area. Can you look up an anatomy diagram and see if that's what you're pressing on?

I believe what I'm pressing on is the Auriculotemporal nerve...

Based on diagrams of what I've seen.

 

[AnthonyMcDonald]

@AnthonyMcDonald, some of those modulations also apply to me. I got mild tinnitus from some idiopathic cochleopathy according to my neuro-otologist (or maybe noise after all). It fluctuates a lot.

My tinnitus is a tone (or maybe 2) in the head centre and some soft white noise hissing at either side (mostly in left ear). Sometimes the neck bending increases the white noise at that side that I bend it. It almost sounds like an air exhaust opens up lol. I imagine that bending makes the cochlear nerve move (?) a bit so it changes what the brain receives? I don't know!

Also, in my left ear there are 2 independent layers of white noise, one of which I can modulate with the jaw clenching and releasing. If I clench the teeth of my left side jaw, I can reduce that white noise by 90% and when I let it, it restarts (ssss...).

Interesting stuff...

I discovered that if I flex my jaw (not clench, just keep it open a bit and flex) a few times - EEEEeeeEEEeeeeEE - it changes my high pitch ring into a high pitch hiss for 2-3 minutes.

 

[DimLeb]

@AnthonyMcDonald, hmm I guess it's something to do with the jaw joint pressing on the cochlea or nerves passing by. I only wish someone could explain all these modulations and put them into use... Like sub-categorizing tinnitus types and helping with treatments. Pffff.

 

[Greg Sacramento]

I only wish someone could explain all these modulations and put them into use... Like sub-categorizing tinnitus types and helping with treatments. Pffff.

Somatic systems are very complicated and because of "all that can be humanly possible" needs to be considered on an individual basis. I have posted many generalist posts on jaw, neck and facial, but I often need to go "one on one" to see if I can note a single cause or multiple interactions.

The peripheral nervous system consists of the nerves and ganglia outside of the brain and spinal cord. The autonomic occurs involuntarily, without conscious control. Part of the peripheral nervous system transmits signals from the central nervous system to skeletal muscles, and from receptors of external stimuli, thereby mediating sight, hearing, and touch. All this is just a part of anatomy and other complexities of what may be going on.

Continued thought:

Often skeletal muscles place pressure on the C spine from strain postural positions and that then can cause all sort of problems. Structural jaw problems is one. Anything somatic can direct to the ears and/or brain.

 

[anonymoose]

I believe what I'm pressing on is the Auriculotemporal nerve...

Based on diagrams of what I've seen.

I'm in a somewhat similar boat as you--check my post history for the thread I made about mine if you're interested.

Long story short, I discovered the musculoskeletal nature of my tinnitus when I noticed that the frequency I couldn't hear would shift fairly dramatically day-to-day and sometimes hour-to-hour. One day I somewhat accidentally realized I could modulate this by moving through flexion (would completely cut off my ability to hear a frequency) through extension (would allow me to hear it perfectly well).

Through tons of PT I've been either narrowing the issue or shifting it to other "weak points" so to speak. I'm currently in a place where neck flexion/extension doesn't do anything, but if I rotate my head to the extremes left or right at those extremes I experience tinnitus in the opposite side of the direction I turn (e.g. turning right makes my left ear ring). All I can assume at this point is that nerves are either irritated, overly stretched, or overly tight and those particular movements are putting some sort of stress on them that's resulting in tinnitus.

The question is obviously: why doesn't everyone who turns there head left or right get tinnitus as a result? This is followed up by a question of: why am I suddenly sensitive to what happens to my nerves/tendons/muscles in a way that my ear rings (for me it's almost always my left ear except in very certain situations while laying down)? Tons of research makes me think there is a parasympathetic nervous system issue going on and maybe a little bit of neural plasticity. Some initial insult (in medical terms) causes the tinnitus, the brain learns the tinnitus, and then the parasympathetic nervous system makes me experience it more or be more sensitive to it.

Coming back to your case, I find it strange that pressing on a nerve (or maybe it's the muscle) causes significant relief, which then reverts with a bit of a rebound (the EEEEeeee). As far as I can tell, pressing on a nerve (even fairly hard) isn't enough in most cases to cease or greatly inhibit the signal it's sending. This makes me wonder if maybe you're pressing on a muscle (and thus increasing the tension on it) or maybe even pressing on a vein (and cutting off the flow of blood) and that's what's changing the tinnitus loudness. I recently went 7-8 full days without any ringing and for the last few days have been anywhere from a 0-2 with simple neck stretches resulting in relief when it starts to get closer to a 2.

There's a paper (easy to find if you search for it) of a man that had tinnitus for ~20 years who had complete resolution within a month or two with intermittent (e.g. 30 minutes a day, 2-3x a day) use of a soft cervical collar. For him they found certain neck postures (e.g. chin forward or backwards) that dramatically increased the volume of the tinnitus. I'd suggest looking up that paper and reading through it and working with a good physiatrist or PT to figure out what's going on structurally.

In my personal experience, significant efforts in increasing neck mobility (through stretching of muscles/tendons) is what ultimately resulted in a dramatic decrease in my tinnitus loudness. It's still there, but now instead of being a 4-5/10 in loudness constantly, it's anywhere from a 0-3 with 0 being completely gone, 1 being only there when I plug my ear and listen for it, 2 being a general ringing, 3 being an actual ringing I can hear in the background, and 4-5-6-7-etc. being louder and louder ringing).

 

[AnthonyMcDonald]

I'm in a somewhat similar boat as you--check my post history for the thread I made about mine if you're interested.

Long story short, I discovered the musculoskeletal nature of my tinnitus when I noticed that the frequency I couldn't hear would shift fairly dramatically day-to-day and sometimes hour-to-hour. One day I somewhat accidentally realized I could modulate this by moving through flexion (would completely cut off my ability to hear a frequency) through extension (would allow me to hear it perfectly well).

Through tons of PT I've been either narrowing the issue or shifting it to other "weak points" so to speak. I'm currently in a place where neck flexion/extension doesn't do anything, but if I rotate my head to the extremes left or right at those extremes I experience tinnitus in the opposite side of the direction I turn (e.g. turning right makes my left ear ring). All I can assume at this point is that nerves are either irritated, overly stretched, or overly tight and those particular movements are putting some sort of stress on them that's resulting in tinnitus.

The question is obviously: why doesn't everyone who turns there head left or right get tinnitus as a result? This is followed up by a question of: why am I suddenly sensitive to what happens to my nerves/tendons/muscles in a way that my ear rings (for me it's almost always my left ear except in very certain situations while laying down)? Tons of research makes me think there is a parasympathetic nervous system issue going on and maybe a little bit of neural plasticity. Some initial insult (in medical terms) causes the tinnitus, the brain learns the tinnitus, and then the parasympathetic nervous system makes me experience it more or be more sensitive to it.

Coming back to your case, I find it strange that pressing on a nerve (or maybe it's the muscle) causes significant relief, which then reverts with a bit of a rebound (the EEEEeeee). As far as I can tell, pressing on a nerve (even fairly hard) isn't enough in most cases to cease or greatly inhibit the signal it's sending. This makes me wonder if maybe you're pressing on a muscle (and thus increasing the tension on it) or maybe even pressing on a vein (and cutting off the flow of blood) and that's what's changing the tinnitus loudness. I recently went 7-8 full days without any ringing and for the last few days have been anywhere from a 0-2 with simple neck stretches resulting in relief when it starts to get closer to a 2.

There's a paper (easy to find if you search for it) of a man that had tinnitus for ~20 years who had complete resolution within a month or two with intermittent (e.g. 30 minutes a day, 2-3x a day) use of a soft cervical collar. For him they found certain neck postures (e.g. chin forward or backwards) that dramatically increased the volume of the tinnitus. I'd suggest looking up that paper and reading through it and working with a good physiatrist or PT to figure out what's going on structurally.

In my personal experience, significant efforts in increasing neck mobility (through stretching of muscles/tendons) is what ultimately resulted in a dramatic decrease in my tinnitus loudness. It's still there, but now instead of being a 4-5/10 in loudness constantly, it's anywhere from a 0-3 with 0 being completely gone, 1 being only there when I plug my ear and listen for it, 2 being a general ringing, 3 being an actual ringing I can hear in the background, and 4-5-6-7-etc. being louder and louder ringing).

Thank you for the detailed reply. Gave me a lot to think about.

Are there any neck stretches / video in particular you would recommend?

 

[Greg Sacramento]

I do have a slightly herniated C3 - C4 disk as well as osteochondrosis and some small growths to the side on my spine. Is there any way to treat this condition?

Read this:

Upper Cervical Nerves Can Induce Tinnitus (alliedacademies.org)

This is a remarkable treatment. Seen it done and bullseye, tinnitus is gone.

Resolution of long standing tinnitus following radiofrequency ablation of C2-C3 medial branches--a case report - PubMed (nih.gov)

1) Bend neck to the left - 2-3x increase in loudness on the left (bending neck to the right does nothing)
2) Move chin back/inward/press down to chest - 2-3x increase in loudness

Because of this, you shouldn't mess with neck until seeing a physical therapist, as other judgment needs to be made, including examination of posture (forward posture) and muscles.

C3-4 cervical facet joints can radiate to the occipital area, frontotemporal and even periorbital regions.

 

[anonymoose]

Thank you for the detailed reply. Gave me a lot to think about.

Are there any neck stretches / video in particular you would recommend?

As the poster above me said, I'd recommend seeing a professional as your situation is almost assuredly at least a little different than mine.

Definitely don't want to accidentally make the tinnitus worse!

 

[Peter Q]

Thank you for the detailed reply. Gave me a lot to think about.

Are there any neck stretches / video in particular you would recommend?

@AnthonyMcDonald, you may have already seen this article:

https://www.caringmedical.com/prolotherapy-news/tinnitus/

 

[AnthonyMcDonald]

@Greg Sacramento, hello again Greg. I have gotten catastrophically worse in the past months and get worse literally every day. My hyperacusis has become phenomenally bad and I can't leave the house to get nerve ablation and my tinnitus is getting continuously worse every day. My jaw also cracks and pops quite often.

Do you think Lidocaine patches on the neck might help?

Another detail is that some people hypothesize that this issue could be cranial nerves. But nothing is certain. I also pop my ears quite often.