Rare Case of TMJ! Hearing Loss. Please Help!

Looking for help and advice from everyone on this forum!

This problem started 4-6 months after I had my 4 wisdom teeth extracted. The symptoms started with pressure in my ear then ringing shortly after. The attacks would happen every month but started going down to every 2-3 weeks now after 4 years the attacks happen everyday about 5-10 times.

The symptoms of the attack is characterized by pressure in my ears then ringing in one ear (sometimes right or left ear) which result in mostly low frequency hearing loss sometimes mid frequency. To relieve the pressure I have to open my mouth which makes a clicking noise to help relieve the pressure (which only works for 2-3 seconds)

I have seen over 30 doctors by now and have seen 10+ specialists and been at 5 different hospitals in the beginning they thought it was Ménière's disease but since I've never had vertigo I believed in my opinion it was cochlear hydrops.

Many of these doctors said it was all in my head and I needed a psychiatric assessment needless to say I got up and left because of there ignorance.

Finally 3 months ago I went to a chiropractor clinic at the hospital and they diagnosed me with TMJ.

Some of my triggers to an attack include:
1. Dairy (will cause an attack within 1-2 minutes
2. Wheat (will cause an attack within an hour of ingesting it
3. Marijuana (will cause multiple attacks very quickly also mid frequency hearing loss..
4. 2nd hand smoke (cigarette's and vaping if I smell it my ears will ring within 2-5 minutes
5. Wearing an over the ear headset (will cause pressure fluctuations and ringing in the ears within 1 minute
6. My sex life has diminished greatly the pressure makes my ears ring
7. Lying down when trying to go to sleep in any position will make my ears ring ( have to put both hands behind head for comfortable position)
8. A big trigger is also the position and movement of my head.. if I'm looking straight and then suddenly look down it will cause my ears to ring



After countless antibiotic ear drops and nasal sprays also countless other medications the only medication that seems to work is Valtrex 3,000 MG
The Valtrex takes away almost all the symptoms which include 0 pressure in my ear at all times , an attack will only happen once a day to twice a week (it varies) and I don't have to constantly keep opening my mouth to remove the pressure. The Valtrex is only a bandaid effect with the symptoms not with the problem itself!

My life has changed drastically I went from a happy person to hating myself and feeling depressed all the time because of this. Feeling alone because no body knows what's going on and can help me. I have also lost a lot of friends because there sick of hearing me complain and my family is sick of driving me to Appointments and hearing the same result.

If anybody out there can help me with this by giving me advice or telling me what doctor I can visit it would be greatly appreciated! I live in Toronto Ontario.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post all questions will be answered also this happen when I was 18 years of age when I got my 4 wisdom teeth extracted now it's been 4 years since this started happening

 

Ask your dentist for a mouth guard and buy a special neck pillow and a soft food diet when tinnitus is sever and ease jaw pressure.
Love glynis

 

Hello.
If you have response to Valtrex (Valacyclovir) then your symptoms must be from virus like herpes / EBV / CMV.

Have you done blood exams for these viruses?

I have similar symptoms like you except the food allergies.

Have you tried a very low dose of dexamethasone? If it is due to virus inflamation dexamathasone + valacyclovir would give the best results.

I got 1g valacyclovir before some hours to test my response but I got headache nausea dizziness (side effects).

Are you sure that valacyclovir works for you and it is not placebo?

 

I took two more Valtrex today and I had a minor attack in my left ear.. I think it’s just placebo where before I thought it worked.. guess I was wrong! I have had blood tests done every time coming back fine.. I think this all started when I got my wisdom teeth removed that’s what’s causing it


ANY other thing recommendations or advice?

 

I got yesterday 2 pills of Valtrex and my tinnitus exploded.

 

Have you tried dexamethasone in low doses?
Dexamethasone has high anti-inflammatory potency.
To me it resolves nearly 90% all symptoms of hyperacusis & tinnitus.

 

I've never tried it. What's your dose? I'm going to ask my doctor about it and see what he says.

 

Try 0.5mg and see your response after that you can increase or decrease the dose.
Are you male or female?

 

Also please report all the drugs you have taken in what doses and how many time.
Your problems maybe is drug associated

 

I don't take any prescriptions. I'm not prescribed any medication.
I've taken something to calm down and I notice my jaw isn't clenching as much but that only lasted for 2 hours i'm pretty sure i'm clenching even when i'm not sleeping and i never noticed it before.. therefore i need something to correct the clenching which is causing inflammatory

in my nerves by pressing down too hard

 

@koreytmj have you taken any benzodiazepines before?

Also I told you that to see if it is inflammation take some dexamethasone.
If the symptoms resolve in 2-10 hours then it is inflammation.

 

i tried xanax for the first time today 0.5 mg and it calmed me down alot.. i felt no pressure in my jaw but when it started wearing off i noticed more pressure/tension coming from my jaw because i was clenching a little which resulted in me having an attack..

 

Stop Xanax immediately or you will get suicidal tinnitus & hyperacusis from that.
Test your success with dexamethasone.

 

Anymore input or suggestions? Going to try and get that stuff you mentioned tomorrow.

 

any other opinions? none of the above worked.