Mechanically Influenceable Tinnitus

[mbsq]

I have fluctuating tinnitus that is stronger in the left ear. Recently I have been noticing more and more connections with behaviors and movements, and I wanted to ask whether the following might be an indication of some particular cause or route to remedy.

1. When there is air pressure coming from my throat, e.g. hiccups or burping, there is a momentary surge of a kind of high-pitched hissy tinnitus in the left ear.

2. When I apply pressure on the bone just above the left ear, I can influence the sound. At present I have a medium-pitched sound, maybe around 6000 Hz, in the left ear, and when I press, it momentary gets higher and a bit quieter and fuzzier.

I have an MRI scheduled for next month.

 

[Joe Beck]

My tinnitus is similar to yours. Pressing upwards on my upper teeth causes ringing, and so does turning my neck to the left. Mine started up June 1st, 2021. I don't have any clue what has caused it, though I have many medical issues that could have induced it. I had an MRI and the docs said it was normal, and I had my hearing checked and it seems I hear at an average or slightly above average level. So at least I didn't harm my hearing myself.

Everyone here is hoping you figure something out and that it gets better.

 

[mbsq]

I have fluctuating tinnitus that is strongly connected to neck position and movement. I have an increasingly strong hunch that maybe injecting corticosteroids directly into the upper spine or brain may alleviate it. Is there any support for this hunch, and if so, any known doctor that would perform this procedure?

 

[Tasty]

Hm, my dentist confirmed TMJD and neck issues so yea I see the correlation. Mine is as well somatic and fluctuates throughout the day — sometimes louder in left/right ear and sometimes it's the same.

 

[Joe Cuber]

I also have fluctuating somatic tinnitus, and I'm narrowing in on neck/cervical spine as the issue. I've noticed that what position my neck is in when I'm sleeping is correlated with louder days.

 

[Sam Marksmen]

SCM muscle, redundant, could be it. But vascular also, so somatic tinnitus it seems to me. I have an extensive set of head positions that fluctuate my tinnitus. I was in a car accident and sustained neck injury, although the cause of my tinnitus is from a reaction to medication. For mine I suspect blood pressure, TMJ and something like the SCM making it worse. I've read so many accounts of your kind that it makes me wonder if there is something to do about it. I do McKensey exercises every day and when I do, my tinnitus changes. Mine's also in left ear. Pressure change and an Eustachian tube that won't clear seems to exacerbate it as well.

 

[Joe Cuber]

There does seem to be a class of tinnitus, often unilateral with the ability to physically modulate it, that seems different than other types. At least a component of the tinnitus is somatic. I've heard this class being called somatosensory tinnitus.

I spoke with my therapist (who has like 10 years of treating patients with chronic pain, including tinnitus cases), and she says that that one approach is to do somatic therapy. Her idea is that tinnitus may manifest in our somatic memory, and that doing somatic therapy can ease the tinnitus. She asked me to get this book, which is in part a workbook, that walks you through it. It's called "The Somatic Therapy Workbook: Stress-Relieving Exercises for Strengthening the Mind-Body Connection and Sparking Emotional and Physical Healing". It arrives today, so I'd be able to describe it better once I get it.

 

[Sam Marksmen]

She asked me to get this book, which is in part a workbook, that walks you through it. It's called "The Somatic Therapy Workbook: Stress-Relieving Exercises for Strengthening the Mind-Body Connection and Sparking Emotional and Physical Healing".

Ok I found it on Amazon. I'm thinking of getting that book. If you can modulate it, and some positions lessen the tinnitus, it seems like an avenue to pursue. Thanks.

 

[Joe Cuber]

Ok I found it on Amazon. I'm thinking of getting that book. If you can modulate it, and some positions lessen the tinnitus, it seems like an avenue to pursue. Thanks.

Sure thing, I should also mention that my therapist recommended somatic therapy to me because I have had significant trauma in my history (childhood and recent). She thinks that my tinnitus experience is, in part, related to unprocessed trauma that's in my somatic memory. Somatic therapy is meant to help process the trauma and likely help with tinnitus.

 

[Sam Marksmen]

Ok, I ordered the book, thanks!

 

[Joe Cuber]

Ok, I ordered the book, thanks!

Nice! I just started reading my copy, not far enough into it to form any opinions. Will report back when I get further along.