Parotid Gland? Does Anyone Else Have This Symptom?

Hi,

I don't now whether or not this is related to my tinnitus/TMJ, but since my tinnitus really spiked up about 18 months ago, I have noticed that there is a crackling/squelching sound when I 'balloon' my cheeks out using air pressure, and there is also similar sounds when I press against the area where my parotid glands are.

I suspect my tinnitus is from jaw clenching due to anxiety and a deviated septum which causes me to teeth grind.

Does anyone else have this symptom and is it the result of my jaw issues or suggestive of the cause of my tinnitus in any way?

Thanks,


Simon

 

In the past, I have observed a squelching noise in and around my ears when I palpate that area. This has happened on a few occasions, but fortunately not for a while.

My personal belief is that it is part of Eustachian tube dysfunction. One of the problems with ETD is that many doctors - including eNTs - barely recognise anything other than total blockage of the Eustachian tube and the ear full of liquid (middle ear effusion) and worse still, others don't seem to recognise it unless there is infection (otitis media), even though, there are many states, including partial and intermittent blockage. Do you have excruciating pain when you start to salivate? It really is an appalling pain, so you would know if you had parotitis.

 

I don't experience any pain from the gland, but I do have some typical TMJ symptoms. I don't know if it's true TMJ or more what I'd call an overworked jaw - I have some stress and anxiety which causes me to use clench and I grind my teeth but have been getting treatment and now wear a night guard. My jaw muscles feel strained and tired, worn out etc.

I still have this squelching noise around my jaw though and I don't know why. I don't think it's the Eustachian tube as pressing down on the outside of my jaw shouldn't cause the ETs to make this noise, surely?

 

Fluid can leak into all manner of tissues in and around the ear. I remain convinced that mine is in part due to something akin to fluid buildup where it shouldn't be. I have read of fluid leaking into the tissues around the jaw with TMJ, so that could be it. Before the onset of my tinnitus, I had months of problems with my jaw fit due to systemic inflammation - often, it would feel as though my teeth were all out of alignment. I still occasionally suffer from this pain - maybe one day a week or so, but it has made no difference to the tinnitus.

 

You could be right. The only time that I have had any relief was when taking prednisolone. it didn't go away, but I'd say the tinnitus was down by close to 80%