Tinnitus and Inner Ear Spasm in Response to Some Sounds

[LuisaMassari]

Hi everyone, let me introduce myself... I am 24 years old and I come from Italy. I suffer from tinnitus since April 2020. I do not know the exact cause yet but I think it was a mix of several factors... Badly treated cold / virus and dental malocclusion.

So far my hearing tests have not found any damage in particular. Being a quiet girl I never went to nightclubs and pubs and rarely listened to music at home.

I decided to sign up because in addition to tinnitus I feel a sort of spasm in response to some sounds, especially with voices and some loud music. I hope to find some solution by comparing myself with you. I enclose the last audiometric test I performed.

Thank you.

 

[Clerkp]

You may be experiencing middle ear myoclonus which is when the muscles in your ear are sensitive to certain sounds. This started happening to me after my tinnitus spiked over the summer inexplicably. They can flutter or in worse cases then can cause clicking sounds. I am dealing with some sound induced flutter. It's pretty annoying and seems more sensitive than usual. The fluttering stops when whatever sound caused it stops. Some people suffer from this full time I had it checked by an ENT - he prescribed a muscle relaxer but it didn't do much other than make me tired. It's annoying for sure but I'm going to live with it for now. The only guaranteed treatment is surgery and I'm not at that point of bother. FWIW, it seems to be ever so slightly improving over time but more time will tell.

It is interesting that you mention dental. It seems that some of this can be tied to TMJ and perhaps an irritated nerve. If I massage my TMJ and put pressure on it, the fluttering subsides, stops or lessons so my theory is that it is nerve related and could be connected to TMJ, posture etc.

Good luck.

 

[Bodycount2022]

Hey Luisa

What do you mean by badly treated cold? Wasn't it a normal cold for 1 week? Do you think it could have been COVID-19?

I know this feeling of spasms for special sounds, I had that in my acute phase of hyperacusis for half a year in response to some sounds and tried to avoid them for several weeks.

 

[buttercake]

It might be your stapedius (over)contracting, which is a type of middle ear myoclonus.

The role of the stapedius is to dampen loud sounds via contraction (tympanic reflex).

For some reason yet to be understood the loudness threshold is lowered in some people, and this causes the stapedius to react in conjunction with noises that are usually not dangerous or harmful. I have it too. I can provoke it "at will" e.g. by snapping my fingers close to the right ear.

 

[GregCA]

I decided to sign up because in addition to tinnitus I feel a sort of spasm in response to some sounds, especially with voices and some loud music.

Consider avoiding loud music from now on.

 

[LuisaMassari]

Hey Luisa

What do you mean by badly treated cold? Wasn't it a normal cold for 1 week? Do you think it could have been COVID-19?

I know this feeling of spasms for special sounds, I had that in my acute phase of hyperacusis for half a year in response to some sounds and tried to avoid them for several weeks.

I had 3 weeks of nasal congestion and a lot of mucus and my ears felt full. I did not think about COVID-19 because I had no fever and I was strong.

I waited two weeks before going to an ENT and he did a Tympanometry which made my tinnitus worse and two months later I developed TTTS.

Do you think the Tympanometry could have triggered this problem even though it was a silent exam (I only felt a slight pressure)?

 

[LuisaMassari]

You may be experiencing middle ear myoclonus which is when the muscles in your ear are sensitive to certain sounds. This started happening to me after my tinnitus spiked over the summer inexplicably. They can flutter or in worse cases then can cause clicking sounds. I am dealing with some sound induced flutter. It's pretty annoying and seems more sensitive than usual. The fluttering stops when whatever sound caused it stops. Some people suffer from this full time I had it checked by an ENT - he prescribed a muscle relaxer but it didn't do much other than make me tired. It's annoying for sure but I'm going to live with it for now. The only guaranteed treatment is surgery and I'm not at that point of bother. FWIW, it seems to be ever so slightly improving over time but more time will tell.

It is interesting that you mention dental. It seems that some of this can be tied to TMJ and perhaps an irritated nerve. If I massage my TMJ and put pressure on it, the fluttering subsides, stops or lessons so my theory is that it is nerve related and could be connected to TMJ, posture etc.

Good luck.

In my case this contraction occurs in the left ear where I do not have tinnitus. My fear is that it was caused by a Tympanometry that I did two weeks after the onset of tinnitus in the right ear, because the day after the exam I felt a change in the tone of the tinnitus. The exam was silent; I only felt a slight pressure.

 

[Juan]

Do you think the Tympanometry could have triggered this problem even though it was a silent exam (I only felt a slight pressure)?

No, I do not think so.

 

[Juan]

Being a quiet girl I never went to nightclubs and pubs and rarely listened to music at home.

Avoid loud music.

Try physiotherapy, just in case your ear flutters are related to some neck or shoulder issue... tension, etc.

Your audiogram is very good. Do not worry too much if the tinnitus is not very intrusive. Try to live normally. Stay away from loud sounds.