Treating TMJ Disorder First

Do you deal with occasional – or even constant – ringing in your ears?

If so, you’re not alone. Millions of people suffer with this condition, called tinnitus. It can be one of the most annoying conditions you’ll ever have to deal with – and finding a natural treatment for tinnitus can be extremely difficult. Thankfully, your dentist can help. How so? A dentist can treat ear ringing by focusing not on the ringing itself, but on what may be the root cause: TMJ disorder.

What Is Tinnitus and How Is It Related to TMJ Disorder?

Tinnitus is a condition in which a person experiences occasional ear ringing. In more severe cases, the ringing may be constant and progressively louder.

Currently, there are no known cures for tinnitus, according to the medical community. However, there are some effective treatments available, especially if you talk to your dentist about your condition.

When I review a patient’s health history and see that they have tinnitus, one of the first things I do is ask them about pain. This is because TMJ disorder is often linked to tinnitus and can cause pain in the ears, around the eyes, in the jaw joint itself, as well as headaches or chronic migraines.

How are TMJ disorder and ear ringing linked? When the jaw is out of alignment, this strains the muscles, tendons, and nerves of the head and neck, including those that innervate the inner ear. Not only does this lead to pain, but it can also lead to ear ringing.

Natural Treatment for Tinnitus: Steps You Can Take at Home to Reduce Symptoms

There are various treatments that have proven effective for tinnitus. And if you have tinnitus that’s secondary to TMJ disorder, there are things you can do at home to reduce your symptoms.

Switch over to a Soft Food-based Diet

When the muscles of the head and neck are strained, chewing certain foods can exacerbate symptoms, including ear ringing. It’s best to reduce or eliminate the following, especially during a TMJ flare-up:

• Hard to chew foods, like crusty bread
• Chewy foods, like jerky, steak, or semi-hard caramel
• Crunchy foods, like corn nuts, apples, and carrots
• Chewing gum.

Stick to soft foods or liquids, such as smoothies, soups, yogurts, and pasta.

Reduce Tension with TMJ Exercises

You know that feeling you get when your hamstrings are really tight and you do a nice, long, deep stretch? The relief is incredible, isn’t it?

You can do the same thing for your jaw. When your facial muscles get tight, you can perform a number of jaw tension and stretching exercises that will give you fast relief.

Try Alternating Heat and Cold During a Flare-up

When you experience jaw pain, try alternating a hot pack and a cold pack, like a heating pad and a bag of frozen peas. Alternate every 15 minutes or so as needed. The heat will relax your muscles and the ice will reduce inflammation. Anti-inflammatory pain medication will also help.

How a Dentist Can Help: TMJ Treatment for Tinnitus and Pain Reduction

Would you like a natural treatment for tinnitus? Your dentist can help.

Clenching and grinding of the teeth can lead to a TMJ flare-up, with symptoms ranging from facial fatigue, a migraine, or ear ringing.

Seeing a dentist is crucial if you want to find relief. I can provide you with a custom-fit orthotic that has been a successful treatment for tinnitus for many of my patients. This device places the jaw in the ideal position, affectively correcting your bite while you wear it. This will reduce the stress placed on the jaw joints.

In many cases, the device can be disposed of once normal function is restored. In other cases, more treatment is needed, including bite equilibration, physiologic orthodontic treatment, or physiologic restorative treatment or a combination of there.

All of these TMJ remedies can have a direct impact on tinnitus, though, giving you relief from annoying ringing in your years.

Is Your Tinnitus Caused by TMJ? Talk to Your Dentist to Find out More

The only way to know for sure whether you have tinnitus caused by TMJ is to see your dentist. When patients come into my practice for their initial consultation and I determine that they have this disorder, I can offer them an effective treatment for tinnitus.

Thankfully, you have options. You don’t have to bear annoying tinnitus if it’s caused by TMJ disorder. My team can provide you with a safe, effective, natural treatment for tinnitus that will help you once and for all!

Do you think your tinnitus might be caused by TMJ disorder? Do you suffer from jaw pain and headaches? Contact us today to learn more about your treatment options.