My Journey to Silence

[Shera]

@Shera

It did actually. They were constantly stuffed so I could never blow them, it hurt too much.

Sorry to hear about that, but it does give me comfort that maybe my systems will ease up then. I feel like everything says if you have ETD and it doesn't go away right away you're screwed. Even if it's TMJ related. My ETD definitely makes my T dance and spike.

 

[Adriel93]

Hello @Kara77
I truly believe that inflammation is causing my T&H because ever since I got H which was like 5 months ago, Ive been having pain and pressure need temples and jaw area. And when ever I clench my jay, my T gets louder. What do you recommend I should do? Do you think a mouth guard would help? The last time I saw my dentist she told me that she can tell I clench my jaw.

 

[Lane]

I truly believe that inflammation is causing my T&H

Hi @Adriel93,

You may want to check out THIS POST in which I talked about DMSO being good for inflammation. -- Best!​

 

[Adriel93]

@Lane thank you!

 

[Melike]

Is there any way I can get prescribed for steroids? I am very curious about how much of my T issues is related to my TMJD.

 

[kelpiemsp]

@newbieT

Splint worked just fine for me. I wore the splint almost 24/7. I'm not sure if a nightguard would work as well. I wore a NTI splint for reference. My teeth no longer touch or make a clicking sound. Who knew your teeth weren't supposed to touch?! I was clenching my teeth for a very long time before my T started.

What do you mean your teeth no longer touch?

 

[ClaudiaT]

@Kara77 How long did you take prednisone and at what dosage? At what point during the prednisone treatment did you go silent? It sounds like because your cheeks got chubby it might have been a longer course than my son was given (7 days x 60 mg). I am curious because my son definitely has a misaligned jaw. He had braces in two phases, they have been off for a year and our ortho just told us in a few years he will have to have ortho for a third time because his lower jaw is still growing and now his front teeth touch when he bites, not his molars. He's on his way back to his original underbite. He also grinds his teeth and hears popping sometimes when he moves his jaw. Yesterday was his last day of prednisone and his ringing did not improve (although his stress went through the roof so maybe that's why.)

 

[Shera]

@Kara77 How long did you take prednisone and at what dosage? At what point during the prednisone treatment did you go silent? It sounds like because your cheeks got chubby it might have been a longer course than my son was given (7 days x 60 mg). I am curious because my son definitely has a misaligned jaw. He had braces in two phases, they have been off for a year and our ortho just told us in a few years he will have to have ortho for a third time because his lower jaw is still growing and now his front teeth touch when he bites, not his molars. He's on his way back to his original underbite. He also grinds his teeth and hears popping sometimes when he moves his jaw. Yesterday was his last day of prednisone and his ringing did not improve (although his stress went through the roof so maybe that's why.)

I'm curious when did your son get T?

 

[ClaudiaT]

@Shera He got it July 6, 2018 - firecracker exploded next to his ear. If you click on my profile name, my original post (I think my only post), tells the full story. :-(

 

[Shera]

@Shera He got it July 6, 2018 - firecracker exploded next to his ear. If you click on my profile name, my original post (I think my only post), tells the full story. :-(

Yikes!

 

[Kara77]

Hi @Adriel93,

You may want to check out THIS POST in which I talked about DMSO being good for inflammation. -- Best!​

A splint will absolutely help the T and inflammation. Also look into neuromuscular massage therapy. Your teeth should not clench!

 

[Kara77]

Is there any way I can get prescribed for steroids? I am very curious about how much of my T issues is related to my TMJD.

Go to your general doctor and ask for steroids. Mine did because I explained the only thing that helped was steroids. But it's a bandaid and it will come back once the steroids leave your system. But it's immediate relief in my opinion.

 

[Kara77]

What do you mean your teeth no longer touch?

Apparently my back teeth were touching for 23 years of my life... that is a big no no. Clenching = not good for tinnitus.

 

[Kara77]

@Kara77 How long did you take prednisone and at what dosage? At what point during the prednisone treatment did you go silent? It sounds like because your cheeks got chubby it might have been a longer course than my son was given (7 days x 60 mg). I am curious because my son definitely has a misaligned jaw. He had braces in two phases, they have been off for a year and our ortho just told us in a few years he will have to have ortho for a third time because his lower jaw is still growing and now his front teeth touch when he bites, not his molars. He's on his way back to his original underbite. He also grinds his teeth and hears popping sometimes when he moves his jaw. Yesterday was his last day of prednisone and his ringing did not improve (although his stress went through the roof so maybe that's why.)

I took the prednisone 20 mg and tapered down for 2 weeks. My cheeks were puffy way before I took the steroids because of the misaligned jaw. Steroids is just temporary relief. Once the jaw is back in alignment, the inflammation will die down. It's not immediate, but you will see slight improvement each day. Like I said, 2 friggin years!!!!! You have to be patient. The inflammatin didn't build over night. I've literaly had 3 sets of braces, lol. It took forever for my teeth to be straight.

 

[kelpiemsp]

Apparently my back teeth were touching for 23 years of my life... that is a big no no. Clenching = not good for tinnitus.

Do they touch now when you close your mouth and bite down?

 

[Kara77]

@kelpiemsp

Not anymore!! The splint trained my jaw to relax

 

[Adriel93]

@Kara77 did you have to wear the splint during the day? My dentist ordered me a mouth guard because I clench my jaw as well. Hopefully it works for me. I heard it works wonders

 

[Melike]

I have a question for those who are experienced with TMJ related T @Shera @Kara77 .

Is ETD the only way that TMJD can cause Tinnitus?

My jaw specialist said yes I have inflammation around my jaw joints and it can lead to ETD but he doesn't think my Tinnitus is coming from an ETD issue.

I don't have any ear fullness or pressure issues normally, but when I am in higher altitudes, I don't feel fullness but something like aural pressure, like I can hear my blood stream working. Does not go away with pressure equalizing exercises or anything. It is a very uncomfortable feeling and prevents me from sleeping. Might that be also an indicator of maybe mild ETD?

Thank you in advance.

 

[Kara77]

@Adriel93

Yes, I wore splint during the day and night, even at work. When I would answer the phone, I'd take it out. My boss was really cool about it and he said I looked like a bunny with it! But it really did work for me.

 

[Kara77]

@Melike

Noooo, I think it's the other way around for me. I think the ETD was caused from the TMJD. When my jaw started clicking, the allergies and ETD ensued. The inflammation, in my opnion, causes the ETD and allergies. Once you fix the jaw, all the other issues will go away.

I only get ear ear fullness a handful of times. Just more pressure on my face where my sinuses are. Inflammation does cause tinnitus, so just keep on trying to reduce as much tightness and pressure around your jaw you can.

 

[Adriel93]

@Kara77 did you have hyperacusis like that?

 

[Melike]

@Melike

Noooo, I think it's the other way around for me. I think the ETD was caused from the TMJD. When my jaw started clicking, the allergies and ETD ensued. The inflammation, in my opnion, causes the ETD and allergies. Once you fix the jaw, all the other issues will go away.

I only get ear ear fullness a handful of times. Just more pressure on my face where my sinuses are. Inflammation does cause tinnitus, so just keep on trying to reduce as much tightness and pressure around your jaw you can.

Hey thanks for the answer!

The thing is my surgeon thinks TMJD only can cause Tinnitus through ETD. If you have TMJD but you did not end up with ETD, you are not likely to get T, thats what he thinks but I think inflammation around TMJ can certainly alter the nervous pathways out there and lead to tinnitus. I think this was also the case for you, it was not TMJD induced ETD causing your T, it was the inflammation around your hearing pathways. ETD was a side annoyance that came with it.

The strange thing is, I never had allergies in my life but they suddenly came 5-6 months before the tinnitus onset and I was very surprised. I was basically congested like 3 straight months before T came in. Maybe it was indeed my TMJD causing all those allergies, pressure issues and tinnitus. My case is very similar to yours I think. I had horrible ear & head pressure when it came but all the doctors thought it was due to my anxiety.

I'll get my splint in a few months. Like you said, I was clenching all my life and I had zero idea about the rule that back teeth should not touch. I try to keep my upper front teeth with the lower front right now and do some chewing muscle strengthening & relaxing exercises. I don't know if they have been helping because my tinnitus literally fluctuates between 0.1 to 10 every day and changes every friggin hour.

 

[Bob den Hartog]

Apparently my back teeth were touching for 23 years of my life... that is a big no no. Clenching = not good for tinnitus.

Wait, what?

My back teeth always touch! That's their natural state! They fit!

Like you said, I was clenching all my life and I had zero idea about the rule that back teeth should not touch.

ME TOO!

 

[Bob den Hartog]

Also another thing that's kindof bothering me is the fact that I hear crackling or popping in my ears whenever I swallow.

ME TOO!

Another time, I was massaging the bone area behind my right ear, and noticed it was far more tender than on the left side. When I got to one particular point, my t volume went down significantly. When I let up the pressure, it came back. When I opened my mouth wide to make the t even louder, pressing on the same point again made the volume go down significantly.​

ME TOO!

Well, that used to be the case, before my severe worsening and completely changing of T overnight.

Which is when I clench my jaws, according to my dentist...

(...)

Wait a minute...

 

[Tanni]

Wait, what?

My back teeth always touch! That's their natural state! They fit!



ME TOO!

Hang on, me neither... Keeping my front teeth together feels unnatural, and I look like I'm gurning at people. Is this what I should have been doing all this time??

 

[Bob den Hartog]

Hang on, me neither... Keeping my front teeth together feels unnatural, and I look like I'm gurning at people. Is this what I should have been doing all this time??

Yup, same! Also, I really have to actively push my lower jaw to the front in order to make these teeth touch (I have a bit of an overbite), and in order to have the back teeth to touch, the lower only has to go back a little. So they always touch in my resting state. Now, I have been told by my dentist that I clench my teeth - and I do sometimes during the day, but apparently I do so heavily at night.

Anyhow, ever since I started reading this thread a few minutes ago I grabbed my new splint and started wearing it.

 

[Tanni]

Yup, same! Also, I really have to actively push my lower jaw to the front in order to make these teeth touch (I have a bit of an overbite), and in order to have the back teeth to touch, the lower only has to go back a little. So they always touch in my resting state. Now, I have been told by my dentist that I clench my teeth - and I do sometimes during the day, but apparently I do so heavily at night.

Anyhow, ever since I started reading this thread a few minutes ago I grabbed my new splint and started wearing it.

I have a splint too but I take it out in my sleep!! My body really does feel like my own worst enemy sometimes.

Might try wearing it during the day too, even though it does make me look like ridiculous

 

[Bob den Hartog]

I have a splint too but I take it out in my sleep!! My body really does feel like my own worst enemy sometimes.

Might try wearing it during the day too, even though it does make me look like ridiculous

Haha, YES! I wore it the first time last week, but when I woke up, I saw it lying next to me in bed.

Don't remember which night I wore it, but last Friday was my quietest T-day in weeks. It can't be thát easy, right...?

 

[Bob den Hartog]

I also have Hyperacusis, but I just remembered that when this started a few months ago, it started with a weird, cool sensation flowing around my temple? The very first time this sensation started, was when I did a massaging-the-temples exercise off a YouTube video, which was apparently for releasing fluids from the Eustachian tubes (since I thought I had ETD after my ear syringing). Didn't hurt, but that followed with once in a while a warm ear, and then a painfully warm ear... Would thát be inflammation?

 

[Tanni]

Haha, YES! I wore it the first time last week, but when I woke up, I saw it lying next to me in bed.

Don't remember which night I wore it, but last Friday was my quietest T-day in weeks. It can't be thát easy, right...?

Probably shouldn't admit this, but the first time it happened I Googled to see if it was possible to swallow it in your sleep, as I was sure this was what happened

Thinking about it, the week I wore it every night was quite a quiet week for me. Maybe there is a little something to it.

I'm thinking of seeing a specialist TMJ/Tinnitus dentist in my area soon. I'll let you know how I get on.