Muscular Tinnitus and 'Ear Fluttering'

Hi fellow chosen ones

These past few days I have experienced an activity in what feels like my inner ear (perhaps middle ear) that I can only describe as a fluttering for 5/10 seconds. On reflection I remember it occurring on occasion (perhaps once a month or every two months) since my tinnitus began (Dec 2012).

Anyway this led me to do some research and I came across 'muscular tinnitus' on various websites (below I quoted a clinic in the US for a brief outline). Strangely, I havent found anything on TT about this variant of tinnitus. I'm wondering if anybody else experiences these flutterings and if they have been able to resolve their T by relaxing the muscles of the ear (muscle relaxants are suggested in addition to some kind of surgery). I'm not big on surgery - anyway could anymore enlighten me/us more of this.

Pls see description below:

Many thanks

Shambles

Muscular Tinnitus
Tinnitus may result from spasm of one of the two muscles attached to the middle ear bones, or from spasm of muscles attached to the eustachian tube, the channel which connects the middle ear to the back of the nose.

There are two muscles in the middle ear: the stapedius, attached to the stapes bone (stirrup) and the tensor tympani, attached to the malleus bone (hammer). These muscles normally contract briefly in response to very loud noise, or as a result of a startle reaction.

On occasion, one or both of these muscles may begin to contract rhythmically for no apparent reason, for brief periods of time. Because the muscles are attached to one of the middle ear (hearing) bones, these contractions may result in a repetitious sound in the ear. The clicking, although annoying, is harmless and usually subsides without treatment.

Should the muscle spasm continue, medical treatment (muscle relaxants) or surgery (cutting the spastic muscle) may be necessary.

Muscular tinnitus resulting from spasm of one of the various throat muscles attached to the eustachian tube is uncommon, but can also result in episodes of rhythmic clicking in the ear. This is called palatal myoclonus and usually responds to muscle relaxants.

 

I think the "tinnitus" they describe as a symptom of this fluttering is just the deep flutter sound you hear. I dont think they're talking about "normal" high pitched T.

Yes i have this. It doesnt bother me. happens once a week maybe, one flutter. Pretty normal.

But i have a muscle reaction in the ear thats troggered by my own voice, touching the ear and certain sounds. this is very annoying and i hope it will go away. i believe it is linked to anxiety

 

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/thread...edius-muscle-and-tensor-tympani-surgery.3924/

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/eardrum-vibration-tensor-tympani-myoclonus.1198/#post-37090
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/thread...ring-contracting-im-not-sure.3815/#post-37202

 

I think I have this only my spasms last hours and sometimes days it drives me nuts!! I hope the ENT finds a solution on how to solve this.

 

I get it so often that I am used to it now, I have it go on and off constantly for weeks at a time. Sometimes for days straight, no let up. It's annoying at first, like a thumping inside your ear/head. I don't find it a issue having now wrapped my head around it. I don't like it, it's something I just try and forget about. My T is so loud and painful it kind of puts everything else in the background including ear spasms. I also get constant random clicks it both ears, these stopped bothering me as well. I don't worry because I get breaks, sometimes even a few days with no ear spasm and clicks at all, I just think about the breaks when this comes around to annoy me. My regular high pitched T and horrendous H are tough to ignore through, wish I could do the same with them.

 

Have you tried wearing earplugs when the spasms start to try to stop them? I'm going to be trying this now since the muscle relaxers didn't help. Do you have jaw pain too? The muscles around my jaw feel like they are being pulled and twitch but is not as annoying as the ear spasms.

 

my muscles in my jaw have been twitching lately too and I do get the thump and a fluttery feeling sometimes in ears

 

@jeannie do you still have your wisdom teeth? I wonder if there's a connection, or maybe tmj?

 

I can make my left ear spasm when I play a d#note on my guitar. Not joking, just that note does it.

 

no I do not have my wisdom teeth, but went to a neuromuscular dentist today who seems to think I might benefit from an orthotic .. he seems to think my lower jaw has shifted back to far and my bite is off.replies??? good or bad...

 

@jeannie my dentist sent me to a TMJ specialist who designed a custom orthotic for me, that was 9 months ago and I wear it religiously and so far it has not changed my T at all. Hopefully you will have a better outcome. Keep my posted be curious to hear if it helps you. On a positive not it does keep my from grinding my teeth and wearing them down.

 

I get this occasionally, but I wouldn't call it Tinnitus personally. I wouldn't surprised if a lot of people get it. Sometimes I will be sleeping on my side and the ear or something in it flutters and thumps a little and then settles down. It's very minor compared to my tinnitus, although I must say I hardly heard the T today by just focusing on everyday activity and have the radio on, so maybe things could be worse.

 

Hi tinnitus friends,

Me and my especialist are thinking I have stapedium myocloni.

External noise and my Voice (normal-hight) also cause vibration. Also I feel my myocloni if I'm wearing earplugs or I'm speaking while I'm wearing headphones .

My specialist advises surgery.. . Im not afraid... I want to finish the myocloni. I have hyperacusis also, not tinnitus... if hyperacusis grow up its secundary I think... but... is the best election? I don't know... Seems yes.

Which especialist is TOP in this tòpic and I could recibe the best diagnosis, advice and ....

Thanks.

 

Hyperacusis without tinnitus is very rare. There is likely a physical problem in your case. I would seek a second opinion before choosing surgery.

 

I have a very small tinnitus, no problem.

Yes, I have a: myoclonic contraction of the muscle of the stirrup. He said this without see inside my ear.

In a few days Im going to France to visit a Doctor FONTAINE in a clinique-causse.com. Who knows...

 

@Ornitoring how long have you had the myoclonus? Mine is going on 9 months and it's finally getting a little better....I wouldn't do the surgery just yet do your research for me the risk aren't worth it.

 

You sure it's not TTS from your H?

 

Hi!

This is very interesting! Can you please describe your tinnitus? As in pitch, and does it sound a little like very rapid "metallic tics"?

 

Five years with myocloni...

 

Wow that's a long time I'm hoping mine goes away soon .

 

Im not a doctor I don't know how I can be sure. For this reason im loocking for a good specialist who make me a good diagnòstic and treatment. Wherever. I imagine somewhere exist a professional who knows about it.

A few days ago I went to visit the Clíniques-causse in France (dr. Fontaine)and said to me that I have high pressure liquid cochlea NOT mycloni!!!...but my doctor in Barcelona, Hospital Clínic (Joan Domenech) say Yes, I have stapedium myoclony.. I don't undertand... I'm sure Fontaine FAIL, I have middle ear myocloni symptoms, and pain.. pain like a contracture.
Fontaine said to me is better cut the hammer muscle and not stapedium muscle.. and the other doctor opposite. Its crazy.

 

It not metallic my sound.

My problem sound like a fly/butterfly try to fly inside my ear or a speaker crashed. Furthermore cause pain in the place (where middle muscles live I think and If the sound persists (depends of the extern noise or my sound voice) inclusive I have pain in the top of my ear.

I think sound metàl·lic is a hammer muscle problem but I not sure.

 

Yes. Get these too. I don't think it's as much muscular as nerves that are jumping like a twitch. It's probably more neurological in origin. This kind of noise isn't strictly speaking Tinnitus.

 

I had a acoustic traumatism. In my case I think the problem is muscular not neurological.

 

So I have had this for a while, and was wondering if it could be related to the hearing loss that I have in the same ear. Could the two be related or is it just a coincidence?

 

Perhaps. If your ear fail you ear is ill. If your ear is ill your ear became old.

 

Hi,

I don't know if my Tinnitus is muscular, but I think is caused by little muscular contractions. I put here an exemple of how it sounds. Is it similar to yours?

Tinnitus little spikes

 

High pitched intermittent sounds could be stapedial spasms, while low pitched could be tensor tympani spasms. But I just don't know right now. As they say in other threads, veli palatini, or the eartube palatal could be spasming. I need to research about them all, and I may eventually slowly reach a conclusion. I mean, there are reports, despite being rare cuz this condition is rare, where the sounds did turn out to be middle ear muscles, but there is also a possibility that it could be cochlear neoropathy or a phantom limb neurological issue in which case it would be best to stay with TRT on a longer basis.

 

Whatever it is I have whether TTTS or something else, it affects my ability to understand what people are saying but not consistently.
And when I call someone on the phone, the ringing of the phone in my left ear causes a reactive clicking or flutter in the right.
It starts when the phone held to my left ear rings and stops when it stops....over and over until it stops ringing.
Again though its not consistent.
I sleep sometimes with music playing on the computer and sometimes as I wake up I don't hear all of the instruments or what I hear is some weird combination of notes that are impossible to relate to what I have playing until either the music repeats or I get up.
I'm guessing the music ending resets or relaxes something but this has always been a major puzzle to me until I discovered websites like this one.
Sometimes I can hear perfectly and others I have to strain to pick out words from what people around me are saying. If multiple people are speaking at the same time It can be near impossible to follow a conversation.
I've also had instances where people were speaking and it was like my ears shut down and all I hear is a rumbling but that's rare.
My next doctor visit I'm mentioning all this. Previously, I only knew to say I had occasional hearing issues.

 

Do you have an update - did you get surgery and did it work or did it go away?