Does your tinnitus persist despite trying all sorts of measures to stop it or at last calm it down?

You may want to have your TMJ checked by a TMJ disorder specialist.

TMJ stands for temporomandibular joint. Disorders of this joint are known as TMD: temporomandibular disorder.

If there’s something wrong with your TMJ, it just might be causing or worsening your tinnitus.

TMD can cause an assortment of symptoms, even though the most publicized are that of jaw pain when chewing or opening the mouth, and a clicking sound when chewing, yawning or opening the mouth wide.

Keep in mind that tinnitus can have many possible causes and sometimes no known cause, but having your temporomandibular joint checked out would be well worth it. 

“Tinnitus can be due to a pathology of the ear, but is most commonly a medical mystery,” says Brijesh Chandwani, DMD, BDS, Diplomate, American Board of Orofacial Pain, with Connecticut & NY TMJ.

“It can often be due to disorders of the TMJ which could be due to inflammation in the joint, or muscle disorder.

“In my practice, steroid injections into the joint often improves the tinnitus, and in other cases, oral appliances improves tinnitus.

“When steroid injections and oral appliances (mouth guard) do not provide benefit, I have tried using acupuncture and trigger point injections — also with intermittent success.”

Dr. Chandwani has 10+ years of experience focusing on TMJ disorders and sleep disorders.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.

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Top image: Shutterstock/Tibanna79