People who suffer from temporomandibular joint disorder experience a range of vague symptoms that are as confusing as they are unpleasant. Many times, people don’t even realize they have TMD, because they fail to see a link between all their unpleasant symptoms.
Study Shines Light on Aural Symptoms
Temporomandibular joint disorder causes a myriad of symptoms, including jaw pain, facial tenderness, chewing difficulties, jaw popping, headaches and more. Additionally, many people experience aural symptoms, such as ringing or whirring noises within the ear. Also referred to as tinnitus, this condition can stem from a lot more than just TMD; however, a Japanese study suggests that, when it appears in conjunction with other specific symptoms, tinnitus may be a sign of TMD.
To reach their findings, researchers interviewed nearly 2,000 first-year college students. Among these, 543 showed signs of temporomandibular joint disorder, with many experiencing different symptoms. Once they identified these particular subjects, the researchers found a significant correlation between general TMD symptoms and tinnitus.
What it Means
Tinnitus can result from many causes, including ear blockages, head trauma, certain medications and more. That said, this recent study suggests that, when paired with other specific symptoms, tinnitus can be sign of temporomandibular joint disorder. According to researchers, people who experience tinnitus should suspect TMD as a potential cause if they are also experiencing one or more of the following:
- Headache
- Jaw clicking
- Shoulder pain
- Depression
- Difficulty in mouth opening
- Jaw pain
Getting Help
If you are plagued by tinnitus and/or any of the aforementioned symptoms, help is only a phone call away. Dr. Berry offers lasting TMD relief by providing a noninvasive treatment that focuses on the source cause of temporomandibular joint disorder: a bad bite. To learn more, please call (303) 691-0267 at the TMJ Therapy & Sleep Center of Colorado in Denver today.
