My Tinnitus May Not Be Noise-Induced — I Have TMJ and Eustachian Tube Dysfunction

[Adamwynn]

So I got tinnitus from a concert a year ago, been pretty stable apart from recently due to stress.

However, I've always thought my tinnitus was from noise trauma, I've incurred no NIHL, and I've also got a clicky jaw and my ears crack when I swallow.

Went to the doctors and it turns out I have TMJ and Eustachian tube dysfunction. Which are now both being treated.

So maybe if and when the fluid in my Eustachian tubes goes away, my tinnitus will lessen? Who knows.

 

[Contrast]

Did you have an acoustic trauma or been exposed to loud noise? tinnitus can be because of multiple reasons usually hearing loss and TMD.

How do you know you don't have noise induced hearing loss?

 

[Adamwynn]

Contrast,

Yes I attended a concert where I stood too close to the speakers exactly a year ago to this day. That most likely caused it but there is a possibility that fluid in my ear may be amplifying it somewhat

 

[Contrast]

Just one more question, did they tell you no hearing loss from the loud speaker incident?

 

[Redocooking]

Good luck, keeping a healthy diet with nerve restoration foods in mind and 8 hours of sleep will help as well.

 

[Adamwynn]

Contrast, I have had multiple hearing tests done, one which was a week after exposure showed damage at 8kHz but then one 2 months after showed no damage and my hearing was classified as exceptional in both ears.

 

[MuffinMan]

audiograms aren't very accurate, I did 3 - 2 of them showed no damage at all while one showed very mild damage at high frequency.

 

[Contrast]

Contrast, I have had multiple hearing tests done, one which was a week after exposure showed damage at 8kHz but then one 2 months after showed no damage and my hearing was classified as exceptional in both ears.

temporary hearing thresholds are always cause some permanent damage. The cochlear hair cells recover but the ribbon synapses and fragile aspects of the audiotory nerve don't.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378595516302507


Did they test your hearing for speech in background noise? judging that they stopped at 8k, probably not.

 

[dpdx]

So I got tinnitus from a concert a year ago, been pretty stable apart from recently due to stress.

However, I've always thought my tinnitus was from noise trauma, I've incurred no NIHL, and I've also got a clicky jaw and my ears crack when I swallow.

Went to the doctors and it turns out I have TMJ and Eustachian tube dysfunction. Which are now both being treated.

So maybe if and when the fluid in my Eustachian tubes goes away, my tinnitus will lessen? Who knows.

My ears crack when they swallow.

 

[Adamwynn]

Contrast: if it has caused permanent damage then I guess I'll have to live with that, I've never had my hearing tested above 8khz but on those YouTube tests I can hear up to 18khz so I think I'm ok

Dpdx, maybe go to your doctor and ask them to have a look in your ears? And ask them about ETD, I'm on Avamys steroid nasal spray which will hopefully help clear it up but there's a lot of treatments available!

 

[cheyennes]

I was diagnosed with ETD and I have jaw issues that I suspect is TMJ; I have a doctor's appointment next month to talk about it since my ENT visit last month was a joke. How are you treating the ETD and TMJ? I have been taking Flonase and other allergy meds for two months with no real improvement.

 

[dpdx]

Contrast: if it has caused permanent damage then I guess I'll have to live with that, I've never had my hearing tested above 8khz but on those YouTube tests I can hear up to 18khz so I think I'm ok

Dpdx, maybe go to your doctor and ask them to have a look in your ears? And ask them about ETD, I'm on Avamys steroid nasal spray which will hopefully help clear it up but there's a lot of treatments available!

You need to do speech in noise test, it showed that I have hearing loss (hidden hearing loss)

 

[Adamwynn]

Cheyennes: I've been prescribed some Anamys corticosteroid nasal spray and advised to take Sudafed for 6 weeks in conjunctions with this to see if it's allergen based. As for the TMJ I'm making sure I keep my jaw relaxed and I've been fitted for a night guard to stop me from grinding my teeth, as well as relaxing my jaw

 

[cheyennes]

Cheyennes: I've been prescribed some Anamys corticosteroid nasal spray and advised to take Sudafed for 6 weeks in conjunctions with this to see if it's allergen based. As for the TMJ I'm making sure I keep my jaw relaxed and I've been fitted for a night guard to stop me from grinding my teeth, as well as relaxing my jaw

It seems like we have really similar symptoms. I'm on Anamys (called Flonase here), too. I hope you have a better experience! It's supposed to take several days to reach its full effect. I've been taking Sudafed religiously for three weeks to see if anything improves. I've found that inhaling steam for 20 minutes each day makes me feel a bit better temporarily, at least.

 

[JuneStar]

Yep, mine was caused by noise exposure but I have TMJ and ETD as well. Seems as if the noise exposure was the catalyst.

 

[ClubRacer]

My ears crack when they swallow.

I think everyone's does, mine always has, even before I ever had tinnitus