Pulsatile Tinnitus Related to Blocked Ears?

[Simon Czt]

Good morning, everyone!

1 month ago, after discovering what pulsatile tinnitus was, and being a hypochondriac, I kept checking to see if I didn't have it. 1 week later, I developed a slight "tum tum" in my left ear mainly, but I could only hear it in a very quiet room. After going to the osteopath, he put my jaw back in place, took care of the tension in my ears, and put my neck back in place.
When I came home, the "tum tum tum" had become almost non-existent even in a quiet room. So I didn't pay any more attention to it.

A week ago, while I was in a quiet room, I started to hear a slight "whoosh" in my ears. My anxiety became very strong at that moment. For the past 1 week, I have been able to hear a slight "whoosh" when I am in a very quiet room or in bed. I'm a little worried about that. I've had a feeling of blocked ears for a few months now, which is quite important on some days, and the day I heard the whoosh, my ears were pretty blocked because I went to the pool, so I wonder if it's not related? I saw that blocked ears cause a temporary hearing loss and I wonder if it has anything to do with it. But being sick for 1 week, having more pronounced cervical problems for a few weeks I wonder if it's not related? In addition to that, as I am sick, my ears are blocked, and I am also in a state of hypervigilance with regard to my body. What do you think of that?

Thank you for your answer.

 

[Simon Czt]

Anyone ?

 

[Greg Sacramento]

@Simon Czt You are saying that you are hearing a slight whoosh. If what you have going on, blocked ears, illness - if maybe a cold, Eustachian tube or sinus congestion, then the muscles and nerves in your ears would be sensitive. The neck often becomes tense from any of the above, but your neck may have been out of place if your jaw was. A question would be what did the osteopath actually do and was your neck and jaw actually out of place? Only asking this as it appears that you had tum tum before treatment and know a slight whoosh now. It's also possible that you had a tum tum for a length of time and now since getting your blocked ears, you can now hear it. If cause is a cold then your slight whoosh should go away. If you have sinus or eustachian tube, treatment may be needed. Probably see an ENT. The only other question would be is if you ever had a neck/head injury?

 

[Simon Czt]

Hello!

First of all, thank you for your answer

For the last week after going to the pool, my ears seem blocked. It was from there that the "whoosh" became a little more present (I'm almost sure), I had already heard it once two weeks ago, but I think it was because my ears were also rather blocked that day (I don't remember much).

I got sick a few days ago, I went to the doctor, my ears are clean, no problems on this side, but my nose and throat are stuck. I'm treating myself for that and I hope it goes away soon enough.

Concerning the osteopath, he released all the tensions from my ears a first time a month ago (when I only heard the "tum tum tum"), telling me that they were very tense, put my jaw back in place, and released the tensions in my neck (I don't know if it was shifted), which were also very tense, he didn't tell me anything else. My osteopath is very soft, it does not makes the bones "crack ".

It is also important to know that for the past month I have been spending a lot of time in front of my computer on my bed, and that my posture is very bad, and I think that this strongly accentuates my neck / cervical problems.

But two weeks after the session, I had a very stressful event, and my neck became very tense again. It was at the same time that I learned that my right jaw was dislocated, so I have been wearing a dental protector for a week and a half. So I went back to the osteopath which released the tensions mainly in the neck (it does this very gently).

My ENT says that my blocked ear problems can also be aggravated by my jaw problems. I have eustachian tube problems, I use an Otovent balloon and I use a nasal shower (I don't know if it's said that way in English) every day. I also had a tympanometry a little less than a week ago (just before I got sick though), and I was within the norm (at 18 I think). In addition to that, I have a staggered nasal septum, so when I get sick it gets blocked more easily from what I understand.

I think the pool event last week moved my neck/cervicals, because since then I have had a compressed nerve in this area, which causes my arm to feel numb for 1 week. I still have to go back to the osteopath.

Apart from this problem I have never had a big neck injury, but since I was a teenager due to my size I have back and neck problems (not very serious, just very tense sometimes). As for the head when I was a kid, I hurt my forehead, and near the eye, and I sometimes hit my head pretty hard, but that was when I was a kid, so I don't think it has any influence (?)

Overall I am a very anxious person, with very intrusive thoughts, and for the last 3/4 days, I have only been thinking about this PT problem, so I don't think it helps too!

Hoping to have given enough information, thank you very much

 

[Simon Czt]

?

 

[Greg Sacramento]

My ENT says that my blocked ear problems can also be aggravated by my jaw problems. I have eustachian tube problems

Both the Eustachian tube and jaw problems can influence the other and either can cause blocked ears. One thing can lead to another or influence another problem which would become more noticeable or intense. With this, also referring to your neck and shoulders as both a receiver and giver.

I would suspect that your jaw problem has dominance (sway). This sway would first be associated to neck problems - the C1 axis area - the c spine and neck / shoulders muscles.

As to what is causing your sounds and physical problems may be discovered by movement testing. There are websites that describe a 100 different testing methods for jaw, neck, facial, nose and everything else. I don't think that you should use advanced testing methods without supervision from a number of different specialized health professionals. With just natural movements, does any particular movement increase or decrease sound? Knowing this would be a helpful first step.

 

[tiniturtle]

I think that instead of guessing, speculating, and worrying about it, you should see a proper doctor for a proper diagnosis. PT is often a symptom of something more dangerous.

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/thread...d-to-do-to-get-answers-and-a-diagnosis.36645/

 

[Greg Sacramento]

@Simon Czt With displacement of the articular disk of the jaw as you describe would involve compressive force to your retrodiskal tissues. This could associate to pulling of the lateral pterygoid muscle. Trauma from this associates to cervical hyperextension or/and from hitting head. Retrodiskal tissue issues can cause blocked ears. Cervical hypertension - heading head can involve the occipital area - nerves, fibers in area, the C1 C2 axis area. Problems from hitting head effecting the bones in neck and with problems to the jaw may not show for years.

With any of this, other areas of neck and facial can receive input. From any of this, but more with jaw retrodiskal tissue stress with atlantoaxial not in place, a slight whoosh can be heard. Most of the time when injuries of the jaw happens with occipital neck trauma that controls associated movement, a cone beam study, a 30 second test - not loud will show this and the following: Periodontal problems, occlusion, airways, sinuses, nose, TMJs, maxilla, mandible and c -spine. This test will note any c spine joint space narrowing, any flattening and osteophyte formation of the medium atlantoaxial joint and so much more. A MRI would also be valuable. Treatment may vary from person to person, but a dentist made mouth guard will help with posterior wide joint space of the TMJ. Soft neck muscle treatment would also help.

 

[Simon Czt]

As to what is causing your sounds and physical problems may be discovered by movement testing. There are websites that describe a 100 different testing methods for jaw, neck, facial, nose and everything else. I don't think that you should use advanced testing methods without supervision from a number of different specialized health professionals. With just natural movements, does any particular movement increase or decrease sound? Knowing this would be a helpful first step.

Thank you !

Do you have the name of the site by any chance?

As for the movements that influence tinnitus, I don't know, I'll try tonight when I'm in bed (it's the only time I hear it a little more clearly), but I know that when I lower my head it increases.

My normal tinnitus can be influenced by opening my jaw, clenching my teeth or pressing the top of my skull with my hand.

 

[Greg Sacramento]

Most of your problems may have been caused or relate to past hitting of head.
This may also include your PT, but PT could be partly or completely separate, but it's hard to tell because your osteopath did have some success.
First lets continue to talk about your physical tinnitus, not PT.
Hitting head caused some neck problems that lead to your jaw as discussed in posts above.
Delayed action from hitting head until neck problems became more pronounced where your jaw simply got tagged.
This could become more pronounced from bad posture - hypertension of neck such as from computer use. This can make allergies, facial, sinus or ETD easier in developing problems.
Use of a well fitted mouth guard may help, but you should see a dentist, a Periodontist and get testing as discussed in posting above.
You may have to be careful with neck treatment until you have testing for PT.

PT
I have often mention that a radiologist is often the best doctor to see. A neuro-interventional radiologist for you as also mentioned by Tiniturtle.
If you had trauma from hitting you head as with neck and jaw, then veins, arteries or anything else may also be involved.
A good team of dentists and doctors/radiologist is needed, They will submit to insurance for approvals.
You should support your reasons for full medical care from hitting your head.

 

[Simon Czt]

Thank you very much for all this information!

That's a lot of information to digest all at once, ahah.

My "normal" tinnitus is due to a sound trauma, but it is somatic.

When I said I hit my head, it was when I was a kid, like everyone else hits their head, I never went to the hospital for that or had a head injury (except when i fell when i was 3 and i hit my forehead and my eye).

As for the increase in PT when I lower my head, it seems "normal" to me, because the blood circulation increases in everyone when you lower your head (?)

I also did a lot of orthodontics for 5 years

As I said, I've had a mouth guard for 2 weeks, so on this side I'm already trying to fix my TMJ problem.

I'll go back to the ostheopat on friday, and i see my ENT on monday, I'll keep you informed!

 

[Simon Czt]

A little update! @Greg Sacramento

I went to my ostheopath, and when I came back, my PT was almost non-existent, but after 20 minutes, it was stronger than before. It has returned to the same stage as before the session. But I have the impression that it is slightly louder, even if I always hear it only in a quiet room.

I am afraid, not afraid of having a serious illness, but afraid that it will stay with me all my life, in addition to my normal tinnitus. I'm tired.

I am in a state of constant hypervigilance at the moment, with peaks of anxiety, and I have seen that hypervigilance can cause PT. What do you think of that? I have the impression that when I don't pay attention, it's not there at all, even in a quiet room.

I see my ENT on Monday, I'll talk to him about it.

Thanks again for all this advice

 

[Greg Sacramento]

I have seen that hypervigilance can cause PT. What do you think of that?

I don't see you as having hypervigilance as you are polite and you don't have a rudeness trait.

I have the impression that when I don't pay attention, it's not there at all, even in a quiet room.

It's rare, but some people can a have blood level pressure change where there's no force against artery walls. The artery most responsible is the vertebral artery when it comes to PT. For those with regular T, it's the vagus nerve.

The vertebral artery which runs thru the c spine has some associated function to muscle spasms within the neck and down into the lumbar spine. Emotional stress can also intense this artery in a flash of 2 seconds - as well as from hyperextension of neck. This runs in families. Somewhere, maybe an aunt or uncle has this same artery weakness and may have PT.

Surgical treatment is limited and often no treatment is attempted. This artery is less concerning than other arteries unless it's physically damaged or a part of the c spine or a spur is up upsetting it. Very gentle physical neck muscle release can help greatly. I still would highly consider radiological testing for your neck.

 

[Simon Czt]

Thank you very much @Greg Sacramento for taking the time to answer me, it allows me to organize my thoughts and take a step back.

When I say hypervigilance, I mean that I voluntarily put myself in a room with almost no external noise and I look to see if the PT is still there. I know it's a bad habit and I'm trying to get over it. When I do this, it's like I have a mini shock before I hear my pulsating tinnitus.

I know that my aunt has a lot of cervical problems, a few months ago after a stress blow, her cervicals got stuck.

I will discuss all these possibilities with my ENT, but I also think that a more thorough study of my neck is necessary.

I also have 6 physiotherapy sessions planned, to help my neck (since I had a compressed nerve). I think it might help me.

Thank you again for taking the time to answer me.

I had one last question. If ever it is related to this neck problem, my PT can stay low in intensity, or it can become very high in intensity?

I have the impression that it is bilateral with a dominance on the right. Can surgery solve this problem?

I'm sorry, I've been very scared for a few days.

 

[Greg Sacramento]

I went to my ostheopath, and when I came back, my PT was almost non-existent, but after 20 minutes, it was stronger than before. It has returned to the same stage as before the session. But I have the impression that it is slightly louder, even if I always hear it only in a quiet room.

I also have 6 physiotherapy sessions planned, to help my neck (since I had a compressed nerve). I think it might help me.

How do you know that you have a compressed nerve? Was it noted in radiological testing or is your osteopath suspicious (without radiological test results) that you have a compressed nerve?

A compressed nerve can have relationship to PT, but radiological testing is needed to know exactly everything that may be going on. From what you say in first quote above, as for me, I wouldn't have physiotherapy done with PT without radiological testing having been done first. I highlighted some words in first quote above and that is enough reason to get radiological testing before physiotherapy.

 

[Simon Czt]

@Greg Sacramento 2 weeks ago, I went to the pool, the next day I had my right arm numb for a few hours, and it calmed down, but the next day it was still slightly numb.

I went to my doctor the following week, he pinched parts of my right arm, touched my right neck and asked me if I was in pain. He concluded that I had a compressed nerve in my neck, causing numbness in my arm. He told me to go for an ostheopathy session and if things didn't get better, to do the physiotherapy sessions he prescribed for me.

My arm since yesterday's osteopathic session is better.