Can TMJ disorders cause tinnitus and how can physical therapy help?

At first glance, it doesn’t seem like a ringing in your ears is linked to a temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder. But, it actually could be. 

Ringing in the ears is known to medical professionals as tinnitus, and it can easily be the result of a TMJ disorder. Physical therapists can help you learn the links between tinnitus and a TMJ disorder. These specialists also offer treatment options that can help address both of these issues. 

So, what does tinnitus have to do with a TMJ disorder?

They are quite closely connected, actually. One medical study reports that 60% of people who develop a TMJ disorder also develop ringing in the ears. TMJ disorders occur when a structure that is part of the jaw joint is irritated, damaged or injured. They often lead to symptoms like jaw pain, headaches, difficulty opening or closing the mouth, and tinnitus. 

There are two reasons ringing in your ears and TMJ disorders are connected: 

1. The inner ear/temporal bone connection — The inner ear actually resides within the temporal bone, which is part of the TMJ. This means that any clicking or popping in the TMJ can trigger ringing in the inner ear.

2. The links between the inner ear bones and the jaw — These two issues are also connected by links between the inner ear bones and the jaw. The hammer and anvil bones in the inner ear evolved from the jawbones. As a result, there are still nerve and muscle connections between these two bones and the jaw. These connections can be the reason your TMJ issue is triggering ear ringing. 

How can a physical therapist help you?

Physical therapists can address the tinnitus and other TMJ symptoms you’re experiencing. They can do so by treating the underlying physical cause or causes of your TMJ disorder and helping you obtain many benefits. A few ways that your physical therapist can treat your TMJ disorder and provide benefits for you include: 

• Myofascial release where your physical therapist uses their hands to identify and break up soft tissue knots in the jaw joint area. 

• Joint mobilization sessions in which the clinician uses their hands to gently move your jaw through its normal range of motion. 

• Therapeutic exercises designed to stretch and strengthen the jaw joint’s soft tissue structures. 

Peak Performance offers treatment for TMJ disorders and tinnitus

Experiencing tinnitus as a TMJ disorder symptom? The physical therapists at Peak Performance Sports & Physical Therapy are primed to help you. We can do a free screening to pinpoint the type of TMJ disorder you have and the symptoms it’s causing. Next, our clinicians can develop a treatment plan for you that’s customized to your condition, symptoms and recovery objectives.

Contact us today for more information about how we can help address TMJ disorders or to schedule an initial appointment.