Orphenadrine (Muscle Relaxer) for TMJD Treatment — Is It Ototoxic? Can It Make Tinnitus Worse?

My new ENT thinks most of my issues are related to my seemingly mild TMJD swelling and wants me to take a muscle relaxer to calm it down. It might even be the cause of my low frequency hearing loss.

I am clenching / grinding my teeth at night but my TMJ does really hurt unless I deliberately push on it. I don’t get clicking in my jaw unless I blatantly disregard my need to not eat hard to chew foods. My teeth/gums do hurt in the morning and I feel a numb ache in my lower jaw.

Anyway, the ENT prescribed me Orphenadrine 100 mg once daily.

I looked it up online and it does appear to be ototoxic. Even if it isn’t, it’s certainly not a harmless drug and can be habit forming.

I called my doctor and told him that it gives a warning about sudden drop in blood pressure. My normal blood pressure is already very low as it is 100 over 60 on average and he said I could take Advil or Aleve instead as they do the same thing. I am not sure about that and I have had bad experiences with pain meds (especially digestion).

I want to do whatever I can to help resolve the TMJ issues, even if they don’t appear to be that severe, because it makes a lot of sense that they are at the very least contributing/exacerbating my ear/hearing issue.

Does anyone have any experience with this muscle relaxer (Orphenadrine)? Did it help TMD? How were the withdrawal symptoms and side effects?

Thanks guys!