Tinnitus Increases with Jaw Movement

[bodhisattva]

I notice when i sort of push my lower jaw out, the T increases in volume. Does anyone else notice that? Does that help in diagnosing a cause? Obviously i need to ask a doctor but I would like to hear other's experience with this to see if it has helped you locate the source (and hopefully some relief from) the tinnitus.

Thanks

 

[Valentin]

the tinnitus produced when moving the lower jaw out is not the same at the tinnitus in your brain, you can feel it to be more external than internal.

 

[bodhisattva]

Interesting, for me they are both the same, just with increasing volume. I'm just trying, like all of us, to see if i can isolate a cause.

 

[Dana]

You suffer from what it's called "Somatic T", (just like me) totally different from T cause by ear. Look for somatic T on the Internet. It is caused by tense muscles in neck and face (especially sterno-cleido-mastoidian, masseter, pterygoid, ) and, what's worse, cross-talk in the brain stem caused by neuroplasticity (the signals that come from contracting muscles, instead of going where they are supposed to, they go to a very close point, where the sound signals go, and are interpreted as sound. That's why I joined this forum, to find more people with somatic (muscular) T and learn what they did about it. The treatment, from what I read consists in trying to relax the muscles (massages, physiotherapy) but what worries me is how that link in the brainstem could be broken.
There are many, may pages on the Internet about this issue. Since I only registered today, I just received a message that I can't post links just yet , (to avoid spammers, it makes sense), I wanted to give you examples of sites that talk about somatic tinnitus.

 

[Valentin]

i remember being a kid and pulling my jar out to hear that noise, i had no idea it could become permanent!

 

[bodhisattva]

You suffer from what it's called "Somatic T", (just like me) totally different from T cause by ear. Look for somatic T on the Internet. It is caused by tense muscles in neck and face (especially sterno-cleido-mastoidian, masseter, pterygoid, ) and, what's worse, cross-talk in the brain stem caused by neuroplasticity (the signals that come from contracting muscles, instead of going where they are supposed to, they go to a very close point, where the sound signals go, and are interpreted as sound. That's why I joined this forum, to find more people with somatic (muscular) T and learn what they did about it. The treatment, from what I read consists in trying to relax the muscles (massages, physiotherapy) but what worries me is how that link in the brainstem could be broken.
There are many, may pages on the Internet about this issue. Since I only registered today, I just received a message that I can't post links just yet , (to avoid spammers, it makes sense), I wanted to give you examples of sites that talk about somatic tinnitus.

Thank you soooooo much Dana! This all started from EXTREME stress, physical mental etc... i thought i was going to have a seizure one night from the anxiety and panic and muscular...tightness.

 

[bodhisattva]

i remember being a kid and pulling my jar out to hear that noise, i had no idea it could become permanent!

yep! i feel ya Valentin

 

[bodhisattva]

i remember being a kid and pulling my jar out to hear that noise, i had no idea it could become permanent!

btw i used to train in Muay Thai, a wonderful export from your country

 

[Valentin]

btw i used to train in Muay Thai, a wonderful export from your country

i'm a belgian expat in thailand

 

[bodhisattva]

i'm a belgian expat in thailand

So cool, I want to visit Thailand someday

 

[Dana]

Yes, bodhisattva, that's exacly right: somatic T appears not only from "injury to the head or neck", but from STRESS, which makes certain muscles get tense. The only medicine that help me is Rivotril (Clonazepam), which, among other uses, is used as a muscle relaxer. Unfortunately the T reappears afters the drug wears off, and causes blurred vision and sleepiness, so you cand only take it before you go to sleep. I don't recommend you using clonazepam (although very effective when you're really desperate) on long term. As I saw, from my own sad experience, that blurred vision isn't a temporary side effect, my eyesight was affected permanently. Valium (Diazepam) also is considered a muscle relaxer and lowers T.
Muscular (somatic) T goes away on its own, they say, only it take a very long time, as I can tell you from my experience. Some muscles that used to trigger T for me before don't do that anymore (opening my jaw, closing my left eye). At the beginning swallowing or pressing my teeth triggered T everytime, now only sometimes. Now only protruding my jaw forward and contracting my sterno-cleido-mastoidian does.
It is acknowleged that somatic tinnitus is the loudest of them all!
Let's hope for a cure or that it will go away on its own.
That's why T gets lowder when you put your head on the pillow, because you bend your neck and you contract your mastoidian. Try to sleep on your back. Good luck!

 

[bodhisattva]

Yes, bodhisattva, that's exacly right: somatic T appears not only from "injury to the head or neck", but from STRESS, which makes certain muscles get tense. The only medicine that help me is Rivotril (Clonazepam), which, among other uses, is used as a muscle relaxer. Unfortunately the T reappears afters the drug wears off, and causes blurred vision and sleepiness, so you cand only take it before you go to sleep. I don't recommend you using clonazepam (although very effective when you're really desperate) on long term. As I saw, from my own sad experience, that blurred vision isn't a temporary side effect, my eyesight was affected permanently. Valium (Diazepam) also is considered a muscle relaxer and lowers T.
Muscular (somatic) T goes away on its own, they say, only it take a very long time, as I can tell you from my experience. Some muscles that used to trigger T for me before don't do that anymore (opening my jaw, closing my left eye). At the beginning swallowing or pressing my teeth triggered T everytime, now only sometimes. Now only protruding my jaw forward and contracting my sterno-cleido-mastoidian does.
It is acknowleged that somatic tinnitus is the loudest of them all!
Let's hope for a cure or that it will go away on its own.
That's why T gets lowder when you put your head on the pillow, because you bend your neck and you contract your mastoidian. Try to sleep on your back. Good luck!

Question for you, is yours constant otherwise? Mine is, it's made worse by jaw movements, but it's with me 24/7
I've tried xanax, which helps me sleep, and basically not care as much, but it doesn't decrease the volume.

Ah if i could only meditate again!

 

[Dana]

Yes, I can say I have permanent T. The level of it varies, though. The contracting of those muscles or stress or tiredness only makes it worse, and adds new sounds of different pitches in different places, but T is quasipermanent. In 6 years I can count only a number of hours when i was T free, but that happened when I was on vacation and very relaxed, Yesterday I felt suicidal, that's how high it's got, I think because I had carried a heavy bag and after that I stayed in front of my laptop while sitting on one side on my bed (how stupid of me to stay with my neck and head for hours is such a position!)

Yes, the problem of meditation... T took so much from my life, so much, but the most precious thing that if took from me was the ability to meditate, which was my preferred activity. It took if not my dearest, one of my dearest thing in life.
T made me supid. I can't meditate, think deeply, drift into imagination, analyse..
So "funny": last week, I bought about 15 (yes, 15) books about self healing with the power of our subcouncious to heal the body if you give it strong, sustained, positive suggestions, but that requires quiet times and meditation, to talk to yourself, to reach deep down your inner self. I bought those books for nothing, cause i can't meditate, can't talk to myself for a very long time.
I became a cretin: I can hear what other people think and say , but I can't think deeply on my own, my brain is empounded by the noise. I went to university for nothing, I should have been a computer programmer, but for that you have to really concentrate, which I can't do anymore. I would give an arm and a leg to get rid of T.
But let's stay positive: they say that if you want to heal YOU MUST BELIEVE IN YOUR HEALING!

 

[bodhisattva]

Yes, I can say I have permanent T. The level of it varies, though. The contracting of those muscles or stress or tiredness only makes it worse, and adds new sounds of different pitches in different places, but T is quasipermanent. In 6 years I can count only a number of hours when i was T free, but that happened when I was on vacation and very relaxed, Yesterday I felt suicidal, that's how high it's got, I think because I had carried a heavy bag and after that I stayed in front of my laptop while sitting on one side on my bed (how stupid of me to stay with my neck and head for hours is such a position!)

Yes, the problem of meditation... T took so much from my life, so much, but the most precious thing that if took from me was the ability to meditate, which was my preferred activity. It took if not my dearest, one of my dearest thing in life.
T made me supid. I can't meditate, think deeply, drift into imagination, analyse..
So "funny": last week, I bought about 15 (yes, 15) books about self healing with the power of our subcouncious to heal the body if you give it strong, sustained, positive suggestions, but that requires quiet times and meditation, to talk to yourself, to reach deep down your inner self. I bought those books for nothing, cause i can't meditate, can't talk to myself for a very long time.
I became a cretin: I can hear what other people think and say , but I can't think deeply on my own, my brain is empounded by the noise. I went to university for nothing, I should have been a computer programmer, but for that you have to really concentrate, which I can't do anymore. I would give an arm and a leg to get rid of T.
But let's stay positive: they say that if you want to heal YOU MUST BELIEVE IN YOUR HEALING!

Amen sister. I do find that i can sort of reach "the relaxation response" if i turn on a sound maker and let myself relax...i just have to tune out that voice that wants to say "do i hear it? is it still there?"

 

[Dana]

What sound masker are you using, may i ask?

 

[bodhisattva]

Simply Noise, i use the "white noise" setting and try to keep the volume just above where it knocks out the T, but not too loud. I have it on my phone and also use it on my computer

http://simplynoise.com/

 

[sandra72]

Sounds like mine. When i put my jaw down the sound is mutch lower but when i put my jaw forwarths its louder. When i turn my head the sounds is louder. What do you hear? I hear like if there is any gas on, like white noise. I have it for 7 months now and stil affaid that it can go louder in time. I also have days that its very low or gone. But every morning when i wake up the sound is there.

 

[Sjoerd]

I notice when i sort of push my lower jaw out, the T increases in volume. Does anyone else notice that? Does that help in diagnosing a cause? Obviously i need to ask a doctor but I would like to hear other's experience with this to see if it has helped you locate the source (and hopefully some relief from) the tinnitus.

Thanks

Somatic is very common.

 

[David Tholfsen]

Somatic, sounds like me as well. Singing and changes in pressure really seem to do it for me. If I fly somewhere or have a head cold it really screams.

 

[Dana]

Excuse me David, but what you say sounds more like dysfunction of the Eustachian tubes than somatic T. Only my opinion.

 

[Dan77]

Dear All,

Because of the things I faced and the things I saw in the world, I believe it's all due to microwaves hearing concept, may be that's why you wont have this when you are under water and it reduces while you are having a shower. I also believe that we should push our governements to stop this crime.

Regards,
Dan

 

[David Tholfsen]

Thanks Dana, I'll look into it.

 

[DebInAustralia]

I have tinnitus that can be modulated by movements of my jaw etc...

Have a look at the research conducted by Dr Susan Shore. She is specifically interested in this type of tinnitus..and is working on a device that might help with this.

They are currently recruiting for human trials in Mitchigan, USA.

If you are interested in the trial, I will forward the contact info of a researcher I have spoken to personally by phone about the study recently. Unfortunately, I did not meet their intitial criteria due to my hearing loss, but this might not apply to you.

Susan Shore and her team believe that when the brain receives less auditory input (in my case an ear infection), the somatic nerves try to compensate. Unfortunately, this makes for a lot of noise! I am sorry I haven't been able to copy and paste her research, but you will easily find it in a google search.

hope this helps

deb

 

[Worker]

I also have somatic t and am interested as to why it started for everyone with somatic. Please post if you wish to post on the forum. It is devestating and life changing.

 

[Dana]

I will get back to you and tell you the story, I promise!

 

[Mad maggot]

It's possible you could have TMJ disorder. i have it also and have been wondering if it might be the cause of many of my neurological symptoms as I wore a special splint in my mouth for over twenty years for this. It can also cause tinnitus. I fell down two flights of stairs and landed on top of my head on a concrete floor when I was six years old and so my skeleton including my skull and jaw are rather a twisted mess. But it might be an idea for you to research TMJ disorder and see if this could be causing your tinnitus. Big it is then there's a possibility you could rid yourself of it completely. I going to see a specialist about it tomorrow as my splint was very old and no longer works. I'm hoping a new one might rid me of the tinnitus and oscillopsia I've had for the last seven years.

 

[Rebelonthelake]

I've had tinnitus for only a couple of weeks, but I can see how it could drive you nuts! It absolutely gets louder if I jut my lower jaw straight out. Would be very interesting to know the physiology behind that! I wake up with it. Pretty much it's around all day, but of course distractions help. Tough to go to sleep, but I do have a muscle relaxant that helps me sleep (cyclobenzaprine 5mg). Think I'll try a heating pad on my neck tonight to see if that has any effect.

 

[PhysioNERD]

OP, I had somatic tinnitus as well, I cured it with a tmj splint therapy stage 1 and then progress to stage 2

 

[Maggie-Mae]

When I was eating hard chewy lollies last night and today (I've got a sweet tooth!) I noticed chewing down would cause my T to screech a little louder. Over the past month I have also noticed jaw pain or pain around that sorta area. The Orthodontist I went to last month noted I had some TMJ dysfunction and didn't seem too surprised when I told him I suffered from Tinnitus and that he would talk to me more about it next session. Maybe they're linked? But the bottom line is, you're not the only one. Goodluck :3