TMJ often presents itself in a variety of ways.
TMJ is often called the "great impostor". Why? Because TMJ often presents itself in a variety of ways. Often a physician or ENT specialist will be chasing the pain without any evidence of a problem in the ear. If you have ear symptoms that are not resolved, the problem could very well be TMJ.
Some of the symptoms that can result form TMJ:
Ringing and/or a roaring noise in the ears can be
the result of several factors. Exposure to very loud
noise, clogging of the external auditory canal by
ear wax, swelling or inflammation of the ear drum or
an overdose of aspirin can all cause Tinnitus.
However, a large number of cases are misdiagnosed
and are really the result of TMJ. Many of these
cases are the result of the patient having "unhappy
muscles" resulting from a "bad bite". The jaw
mechanism is a complex network of vessels, muscles
and nerves. When the bite is out of alignment, the
muscles, nerves and vessels of the ears can be
affected. Tinnitus is the result of irritation of
the malleus bone in the ear by certain ligaments and
other muscles of the ear and Eustachian tube. In
addition, the medial Pterygoid muscle can trigger
this irritation. The tensor tympania is a tiny
middle ear muscle that is attached to the malleus.
When it contracts, the tension on the tympanic
membrane increases. To much contraction can result
in a ringing.
If the cause of your tinnitus is an unstable bite, a
neuromuscular dentist can realign your bite so the
jaws work together, with less muscle tension. This
will relieve the ringing in the ears that was caused
by the unstable bite.
The Eustachian tube is a tube that connects the
middle ear to the back of the nose. Its primary job
is to regulate the pressure in the middle ear. The
Eustachian tube's secondary purpose is to rid the
middle ear space of any fluid, infection or debris.
Several small muscles located in the back of the
throat and palate control the opening and closing of
the tube. Swallowing and yawning cause contraction
of these muscles, and help to regulate Eustachian
tube function.
The Eustachian tube is normally closed to prevent
contamination of the middle ear. A common problem is
a failure of the Eustachian tube to regulate
pressure effectively. Partial or complete blockage
of the Eustachian tube can cause popping, clicking,
and ear fullness. This blockage can result from
swelling and inflammation associate with an ear
infection. It can also occur when the muscle
controlling the Eustachian tube goes into spasm.
When the jaws are out of alignment, the muscles have
to compensate for the malocclusion. This can lead to
muscle spasm and resulting in partial blockage of
the tube. By correcting the bite we can often
resolve the congestion.
Vertigo, otherwise known as dizziness, is usually the result of a disturbance in the inner ear. It can occur as a result of: Arthritis in the neck, Migraines or poor circulation. As noted elsewhere in this site, migraines and poor circulation to the blood vessels can both be the result of a misaligned bite. Correcting the malocclusion can often improve vertigo.