When I Push My Tragus Into My Ear Canal, I Can Reduce My Tinnitus

[Jebbis]

I'm having a tough go of it this morning. It just feels loud right now and I'm remembering when I first got it--it definitely seems louder now than it did when I first noticed it.

I am so confused about my tinnitus because it behaves in ways I haven't seen talked about on here very much at all.

First of all, my tinnitus is unilateral in my right ear. It is a pure tone at about 1.7 kHz. My audiogram is normal.

My tinnitus came on one night last September when I was crying really hard lying on my right side. It started as more of a beep. This latest spike started March 29th, and has made it more steady.

I have made a discovery: when I push my tragus into my ear canal, I can reduce the volume of my tinnitus dramatically and sometimes make it vanish. I am sure this is not just the sound of my blood in my tragus as it has to do with pressure. It's like there is an off button inside my ear, but I have to make a tight seal with the tragus if that makes sense?

I have not heard many other cases where their tinnitus is somatic in this way. I am not even sure if it counts as somatic!

I just want some advice. I have seen the ENT twice, I have a doctor's appointment on the 10th of June. I'm planning to get a second opinion because I just feel like my tinnitus behaves differently from what I have seen here. My tinnitus is sure as hell not in my brain because I can turn it off in my ear.

I think I'm looking for hope, as I've lost some it seems... I have been doing good but some mornings are tough. I almost have to re-accept it every morning. It is loud.

Here are my other symptoms:

• occasional pressure behind right eye
• chronic right sided headaches that worsen with movement
• slight fullness feeling in right ear
• extra crunchy feeling/sound when I move my right ear muscles
• occasional pain right on the eardrum
• TMJ clicks on right side

If anybody has any ideas or positive thoughts, please share. Tough day.

 

[Damocles]

Sellotape your tragus to your ear canal. You're cured.

 

[Jebbis]

Sellotape your tragus to your ear canal. You're cured.

Thanks.

 

[Exit]

Isn't this like some people who have less tinnitus when their bad ear is on a pillow...? It's not that uncommon...

Some people also report less tinnitus when they have a finger in the ear because some of the sounds die out from the rumbling inside there.

 

[Jebbis]

Isn't this like some people who have less tinnitus when their bad ear is on a pillow...? It's not that uncommon...

...I think it's different.

My tinnitus ear is much worse on a pillow, and when I first plug my ear it is louder.

The thing is, when I start applying pressure, there's a certain point where it turns completely off, like there's an "off" button somewhere in there. But my tinnitus ear is definitely louder on a pillow, and in quiet places.

 

[Orions Pain]

Do you get the same effect if you use an ear plug or headphones with nothing playing (or anything blocking out ambient noise)? I'd look into that.

Since you mentioned TMJ issues, the tragus is actually very close to where your TMJ joint is located, so perhaps with pressing down on your tragus you're also somehow manipulating the TMJ joint and with that modifying the tinnitus. It's definitely pretty abnormal for tinnitus to go away or lower in the way you're describing.

 

[Orions Pain]

I should have said temporomandibular joint, lol no such thing as a temporomandibular joint joint

 

[Exit]

It could be TMJ, but I also have had all sorts of sounds disappear while I do stuff...
usually replaced by other sounds though. Except my reactive tinnitus usually disappears completely if I hold my hand over my ear like a cup.

 

[Jebbis]

Do you get the same effect if you use an ear plug or headphones with nothing playing (or anything blocking out ambient noise)? I'd look into that.

Since you mentioned TMJ issues, the tragus is actually very close to where your TMJ joint is located, so perhaps with pressing down on your tragus you're also somehow manipulating the TMJ joint and with that modifying the tinnitus. It's definitely pretty abnormal for tinnitus to go away or lower in the way you're describing.

Thank you for your sincere and helpful response, I really appreciate your thoughts.

Oddly, I do not get the same effect from ear plugs or head phones. It isn't so much about blocking out noise, it seems to be a pressure thing. Either I'm creating positive external pressure on the ear drum, or I'm cutting off some blood flow, or something.

It is very odd to me, and I know I am extremely "lucky" to be able to escape my sound on command, but unfortunately putting this much pressure on my tragus permanently cannot be healthy...

I'm just like everyone else here, desperate for information. I truly appreciate your response and insight, I was really curious how common this phenomenon is. Thank you, @Orions Pain.

 

[Jebbis]

Anyone else?

 

[seaweedgirl]

Hi Jebbis,

I have the exact same thing - if I press down on my tragus, I don't hear a thumping noise anymore. Though mine isn't constant tinnitus, it comes in random intervals lasting like 3-5 seconds (but can happen multiple times a minute on some days). The thumping only happens in my right ear.

Unfortunately, holding down the tragus is quite uncomfortable to do when sleeping! Haven't really found any other way of mimicking the pressure that a finger press provides.

Have you been to a TMJ specialist?