Tinnitus from Atrophied Neck, Jaw Muscles Caused by Radiation Therapy

[Susan C.]

Dr. Nagler,

My question is if you have treated patients or know of research about developing tinnitus as a long term side effect of radiation therapy causing muscle atrophy in the neck and jaw area coupled with stress?

I am searching for confirmation of this situation to help me in discussions with my doctor here. The reception I have met as a tinnitus patient has not always been open or positive and so I must bring much quantitative evidence with me to build my case for receiving access to treatments.

My tinnitus presented September 2018 with 2 intense episodes of benign vertigo BBPV. It continues up until this time and I am trying many treatments to find some relief.

Kind regards,
Susan C.

 

[Dr. Nagler]

Hello @Susan C. Thank you for your interesting question. I can completely understand your frustration.

You wrote:

My question is if you have treated patients or know of research about developing tinnitus as a long term side effect of radiation therapy causing muscle atrophy in the neck and jaw area coupled with stress?​

I have treated patients with just about every cause of tinnitus imaginable. I am not sure that I have seen a case exactly like yours, but certainly I have encountered a number of individuals over the years with histories that are very similar.

I am searching for confirmation of this situation to help me in discussions with my doctor here. The reception I have met as a tinnitus patient has not always been open or positive and so I must bring much quantitative evidence with me to build my case for receiving access to treatments.​

Tinnitus is a subjective phenomenon. I am not aware of any quantitative method for directly measuring it. A knowledgeable and experienced audiologist can perform a tinnitus pitch and loudness match, which is an indirect quantitative measurement. And there are a number of quantitative measures that are designed to reflect tinnitus severity in terms of how your tinnitus affects your life. One of the more popular ones is the "Tinnitus Handicap Inventory" designed by Newman, Jacobson, and Spitzer. Another is the "Tinnitus Functional Index," which was developed by a number of collaborators including Yours Truly. You can find articles about either in a Google search.

But that said, I honestly cannot understand why you would need any sort of evidence at all to build a "case." I mean, if you are suffering, you are suffering. It seems incredibly unfair, not to mention totally unreasonable, to require that somebody justify his or her misery in order to access care.

I fear that I have not helped you all that much, but I sincerely wish you well.

Stephen M. Nagler, M.D.