Ear Fullness and Spikes After Ceasing Use of TMJ Guard

Hi,

This doesn't concern me at all but I am saying it for the benefit of @PeteJ, @JohnAdams and other people I know have TMJ concerns on here.

I always sleep with a TMJ splint; have for years. Recent insanity around my job and COVID-19, has my sleep messed and I've gone a full week without the splint.

For the past two days I have been waking up with ear "stuffiness", which clears with chewing and pseudoephedrine. This morning, my ears were also really crackly (much more than usual), and, I had some short but piercing tones in one ear.

I will obviously be sleeping with my ($1700!) guard again starting tonight, but I just wanted to mention this because:
* my TMJ was somewhat handled with stretching and a split
* I stopped doing the splint and stretches
* within a week, my ears were "stuffy" bordering on "blocked", crackling more, and I am getting blaring fleeting tinnitus on waking
* I had no other noise exposure, etc during this time (haven't even run a car engine barely, COVID-19 shit).

If you have tinnitus and ear symptoms and untreated TMJ, treat your TMJ.

 

I do wonder if there's any likelihood I also have TMJ. Mostly because I

A) Clench my teeth all the time. I try not to but if I don't actively make myself not do it, I do it.
B) Popping/crackling of the jaw to an almost absurd amount. Also, when I feel for the movement with my finger, right side feels very off.
C) Pretty sure my jaw deviates to the left when I open it.

And of course the bloody tinnitus. Right now there's just no way for me to see a dentist as they're running on emergency cases only, and I'm not insured for any dental work either...

 

This sounds a lot like TMJ

Clenching all the time can, I think, mess with bloodflow and the ability of the e-tubes to drain, especially if you lock them shut in your sleep. I think this is why a bite guard helps me.

You could try a much cheaper night guard from a pharmacy.

 

The right side of my jaw pops when I chew but doesn’t really bother me, what bothers me is when I swallow it crunches or when I move it certain positions which is also accompanied with mild pain... Could this cause my ototoxic induced tinnitus to become worse? If so, is a splint really enough to cure this thing?

 

Somewhat related to this thread...

I use a splint. In October I had a middle fossa craniotomy to have an osteoma removed from my internal auditory canal (in hopes of tinnitus improvement or cessation). I feel that the procedure altered my bite from effects of the incision (closure and scar tissue).

So now I basically have a custom splint that no longer matches the bite pattern I had. I haven’t had any worsening of tinnitus from it, but I developed TTTS symptoms within a month or so or the surgery and I wonder if they may be related. Prior to the surgery I rarely had ear fullness anymore. Now it’s a daily occurrence. I also have mild distortion in my right ear when the fullness occurs. This is when I first noticed the fluttering reaction of the tensor tympani to my hyperacusis sensitive frequencies. I’ve developed lots of ear pain and tenderness. I really haven’t had pain and tenderness since 1-2 months of acquiring tinnitus till this recent flare-up. Also, I’ve had ear pressurization issues since developing tinnitus, but they’ve increased substantially in this same period.

I can’t really afford to have a new splint made right now. Sleeping without it definitely causes issues though.

 

Hi @linearb
I am new to the forum and currently suffering benzo induced tinnitus.
Reading posts, I have seen you have good knowledge of the matter.
Could I send you a PM?
Clicking in your profile page I cannot see the option.
Thank you very much.

 

@Healing2020 I PM'd you

 

None is the above for me. I have severe TMJD (need surgery) and wearing a splint causes me to clench down harder on it, causing more pain.

I realize I am probably the minority here, though and wish they helped!

 

I was always under the impression splints were to help keep your jaw aligned and prevent clenching?

I wear a nightguard because I grind my teeth at night, but now I also clench all night because of the nightguard. At this point I choose the clenching over cracking a tooth from grinding and needing a crown. But my chiro said I could try a sports guard that would keep my jaw opened wide enough to inhibit the clenching reflex. However, this means I might start breathing out of my mouth at night which is also not a good thing. Also my hygienist didn't agree with my chiro; she gets Botox injections for her clenching. But that's risky too!

 

@racedy, hi there!

My oral surgeon at the Mayo said that it’s about a 50/50 chance of a night guard helping with the clenching. The other 50% tend to clench down harder I guess.

I haven’t tried Botox yet. Just physical therapy and steroid injections into my joint.

I hope you get some relief!

 

@jeas, thanks! Botox may help with tinnitus in addition to clenching... I have wondered if a muscle relaxer might have a similar (although more temporary) effect.

I usually sleep on my back without a pillow (just a rolled up shirt or hand towel under my neck) which keeps my jaw in a position where it is relaxed and doesn't want to clench. It helps! I've found that I don't wake up with a sore neck like I do when I sleep wrong on my pillow.

 

It's an old post but maybe by memory do you know if this blaring tinnitus on walking was presenting in thumping or ringing or?

 

Did your TTTS settle down?

 

It has. I still have it, but I don’t feel thumping nearly as regularly. After surgery I could rub my right eyelid and it would cause thumping. I think I had a lot of sensitization from the surgery that took a long time to subside.

 

I'm having issues with my right ear now. About 6 months ago I went to a chiropractor who did TMJ work and he messed up my ear and it feels full now and my jaw pops a little...

I've had the same TMJ splint for almost 5 years now, do you think a new splint will help with the right ear issue?

I had ear issues before, just pain if I can remember and the splint I got 5 years ago helped with that... I'm hoping that my jaw will align better with the new splint.