Ear Infection Or Tmj Related Ear Pain
To properly diagnose whether your ear pain is the result of an infection or TMJ disorder-related, you should consult a medical professional. However, be aware there are some important differences between the two types of pain.TMJ-related ear pain is most often felt in front of or below the ear. With ear infections, the pain is often inside the ear. If the pain sharpens when you move your mouth, this may also indicate a TMJ disorder is resulting in ear pain. Also, check for the TMJ disorder symptoms below, or see our TMJ disorder symptoms page.Often, its best to first rule out ear infections. A quick visual inspection is usually enough to diagnose these infections. With TMJ disorders, the most effective way to diagnose a problem is with a Cone Beam CT Scan, which produces a 3-D image of your jaw joint, combined with a physical examination of a doctor experienced in orofacial pain and TMD.
What Are Common Tmj Symptoms
TMJ has a number of symptoms that are hallmarks of this disorder:
- Jaw pain: Many people will wake with jaw pain or sore muscles from clenching their jaws or grinding their teeth
- Jaw clicking and popping: Others might experience a popping or clicking noise in their jaw, or the jaw might lock open or closed
- Head and neck pain: Still others have frequent head and neck pain as a result, even leading to migraines
Rheumatoid Or Psoriatic Arthritis
These forms of arthritis occur because your immune system attacks healthy joints. Both rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis are identified as autoimmune conditions.
You may experience joint pain throughout your body at different times, including in your TMJ, and certain triggers may cause the pain to flare up.
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Ear Pain Is A Common Symptom Of An Infected Rear Molar
It is fairly common for patients to experience ear pain before root canal therapy. If you have an infected upper molar, the bacteria may cause damage and pain in nerves that are very close to your ear.
In fact, itâs not unheard of for patients to think they have an earache when they actually have an infected rear tooth, since a severe toothache can cause similar pain and discomfort. If your root canal is successful, this pain will be completely eliminated. So, what might it mean if you still have ear pain after a root canal?
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Presence Of Osteoarthritis Or Rheumatoid Arthritis In The Tmj
Osteoarthritis is the most common form of degenerative arthritis. It can affect every joint in the body, including the TMJ. Osteoarthritis of the TMJ affects both the hard and soft tissues around the TMJ, changing the shape and functioning of the jaw.
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, autoimmune disease. It attacks the lining of the TMJ causing it to become inflamed and damaging the joint tissue.
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Conditions Linked To Tmj
There are also some conditions you should consider that might make you more likely to have TMJ. These conditions can either influence TMJ or be influenced by it. They include:
- Migraines
- Stress
- Teeth clenching and grinding
People with migraines are more likely to have TMJ. Sometimes, its because undiagnosed TMJ is actually the cause of the migraines. Stress leads to muscle tension, which leads to TMJ. One link between stress and TMJ is bruxism, though bruxism can be linked to many other causes in addition to stress.
Your Tmj Is Causing Your Ear Pain
TMJ Relief
I had the worst ear “infection” of my life last year.
It went on for an aggravating 8 months.
Multiple courses of antibiotics, anti-fungal powder, garlic oil, no swimming at all .
I saw multiple doctors and an ear, nose and throat specialist.
Nothing helped.
Even the doctors were convinced it was an infection.
After giving me several rounds of different ear antibiotics and steroids, I was then told that the pain was because the medicine stopped my wax production.
None of this was true.
I simply had TMJ disorder.
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Tmj Ear Pain Relief Exercises
If recommended by your doctor, TMJ and ear pain relief exercises are an important part of treatment. They can help:
- Strengthen the muscles of the jaw
- Increase mobility
- Relax tension in the jaw
- Promote healing
Here are seven of our favorite TMJ ear pain relief exercises that also help with other pain symptoms of TMJ.
How To Tell If Your Ear Pain Is Caused By A Tmd
Ear pain, ringing , and difficulty hearing are common symptoms of a TMJ disorder. However, these can also be the result of ear-related problems, such as an infection, impacted ear wax, and more.
There are a couple things you can try at home to help figure out if a TMJ disorder is causing your ear pain. First, place both hands at either side of your face where the jaw meets your skull. Slowly open and close your mouth and pay careful attention to the movement of the jaw. You should feel a smooth and fluid motion when both opening and closing any clicking, popping, or irregular movement of the jaw may be a sign of a TMJ disorder.
Second, check for other signs of a TMD. Headaches are another common symptom of a TMD, as well as general facial pain. If youve noticed your ear pain after recent dental work, it is possible that your procedure had caused some misalignment of the TMJ as we had discussed in our previous blog.
If you are still unsure, the best option is to seek professional care. Experienced dentists like Dr. Schick can help to determine whether or not your ear pain is being caused by a TMJ disorder. If so, they can recommend personalized treatment to help correct TMJ alignment and alleviate any pain or discomfort.
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Tinnitus Clogged Ears Or Ear Pain
Since the TM joint resides adjacent to the ears, its common to experience many TMJ symptoms in the ears. Patients can experience ear pain or clogged ears that they might pass off as an ear infection or allergies but is actually from TMD. TMD can also cause tinnitus . If your ears regularly have pain, stuffiness, or ringing, its best to get examined for TMJ.
What Are Risk Factors For Tmj Syndrome
Ongoing studies conducted by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research , part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, are focused on evaluating risk factors for TMJ syndrome in healthy individuals. Initial results have identified a group of physiological, psychological, sensory, and genetic and nervous system factors that may increase the risk of developing TMJ syndrome. New findings will allow us to better understand the onset and progression of TMJ syndrome. Furthermore, novel ways to diagnose and treat the condition can be developed. Below are some risk factors that have been identified:
Gender: Women are at higher risk of developing TMJ syndrome compared to men. Additionally, there may be differences in how women and men respond to pain and to pain medications.
Age: Studies of individuals between the ages of 18-44 show that the risk to develop TMJ conditions increases for women. This has been noted especially for women during their childbearing years. For men ages 18-44, there was no increased risk.
Pain tolerance: Studies suggest that people who are more sensitive to mildly painful stimuli have an increased risk of developing TMJ syndrome.
Genetics: There is some indication that genes related to stress response, psychological health, and inflammation may increase the risk for TMJ syndrome.
Chronic pain: Those who suffer from chronic pain conditions such as lower back pain and headaches may be at increased risk for TMJ syndrome.
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How The Ear Is Connected To The Jaw
Ears are dynamic organs, theyre controlled by muscles just like the rest of the face. One way to demonstrate this is to place your finger firmly inside of your ear and thenwidely open and close your jaw. Do you feel the movement? When one is on an airplane and an uncomfortable level of pressure builds up inside the ears eustachian tubes, passengersoften reach for a stick of gum. This is because the act of moving the jaw muscles can help relieve the ear pressure build-up.
Can This Dysfunction Be Treated
A doctor or dentist can generally spot TMD through a physical examination, but an audiologist or ENT may also suspect a problem with the TMJ if an individual complains of ear fullness, hearing loss, or tinnitus but doesnt display any common signs of an ear-related condition. The diagnosis may follow after your jaw has been checked for pain, popping noises, or stiffness. Your physician may also recommend that panoramic X-rays be taken to fully see what is going on with the jaw, teeth, and facial bones.
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The Incidence Of Tinnitus Was Found To Be 1146% Among Patients With Temporomandibular Disorders Tinnitus And Tinnitus Severity Levels Were Found To Have Significant Differences In Patients With Temporomandibular Disorders
In this October 2020 study in the medical journal Cranio, Dr. Ahmet Taylan Cebi from the Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Karabük University in Turkey Turkey offered these observations in patients with temporomandibular joint and tinnitus complaints.
- The incidence of tinnitus was found to be 11.46% among patients with temporomandibular disorders.
- Tinnitus and tinnitus severity levels were found to have significant differences in patients with temporomandibular disorders.
- No significant relationships were found between right and left ear pure tone audiometry test results in patients.
- For those of you, if not all of you reading this article, the pure tone audiometry test seeks to measure hearing loss. In some patients, there is hearing loss and in some no hearing loss, yet another compounding factor in tinnitus and TMJ.
The conclusion of this research is that there is a relationship between aural symptoms, tinnitus, and temporomandibular disorders. A brief note here: The most commonly reported aural symptoms in TMJ/TMD patients are otalgia , tinnitus,vertigo, and hearing loss.
These are the same observations we have seen in 28 plus years of clinical experience. Many people with tinnitus have TMJ and many people with TMJ and tinnitus. One more thing, many of these people have cervical spine instability as the origin of their problems.
Jaw Neck Shoulder Head Pain
The last common signs you have a TMJ disorder is pain in various locations in your body. Most patients will experience pain in their jaw and on their head, specifically in their temples, but it can also occur in the shoulders and neck. Patients might even feel sinus or eye pain and pressure. The pain travels to all these different locations because the TM joint is located near all of the nerves that connect to these different areas. The muscles in the face are also all connected to the muscles in the neck and shoulders. When the TM joint isnt working correctly, pain can have a domino effect throughout your body.
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Understanding Tmj Symptom: Ear Pain
Doctors dub TMJ disorder as an imposter as the condition shares several symptoms with other health conditions, like infections. Part of the reason is the jaw joints close proximity to vital regions of the head and the diverse symptoms. The TMJ is the joint that connects your jawbone to your skull. Found on both sides of your jaw, it works like a sliding hinge that allows you to move your jaw side to side, and open your mouth to speak, smile, yawn, chew, and swallow.
As with other joints in the body, the TMJ can get injured from trauma and wear and tear. The main symptom of TMJ disorder is pain and soreness in the jaw area that can sometimes radiate all the way to the ear, neck, shoulders, and even cause headaches. It can also cause when you open or close your mouth, jaw locking, soreness of the facial muscles, ringing in your ears, or even hearing loss. About 80% of people with TMJ disorders report earache.
What Does The Tinnitus Of Tmj Disorder Sound Like
I have had patients state that they cannot go to restaurants or parties because the ringing in their ears is so intense that the additional outside noise drives them crazy, says Dr. Haddad.
I have also had patients who are suffering from intense migraine headaches and vertigo, but have a low ringing in one or both ears .
No TMJ patient is the same. They all experience their symptoms at differing intensities, intervals and accommodate to the best of their bodys ability.
Therefore, it is more important for a diagnosing doctor to identify the consistent clinical signs of a TMJ disorder, treat their patients with a conservative and predictable approach, and let the patients body respond at its own pace.
The sounds in the ear that TMJ disorder can cause include a swooshing or whooshing noise, the sound of blood flowing, or a hissing, buzzing or fizzing, which may be of a very high pitch.
Dr. Haddadlectures nationally on cosmetic dentistry, TMJ disorders and practice marketing, and utilizes the latest technology to ensure the utmost in patient comfort and care.
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. Shes also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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Why Tmj Ear Pain Occurs
An aching ear is a common symptom for people with a TMJ disorder. Because the TMJ is near the auditory canal, pain and inflammation in this joint can affect the ear. A ringing sound in the ear, also known as tinnitus, is often a part of TMJ ear pain. An ENT specialist can examine your hearing and eardrum to determine if your earache is related to the TMJ.
Common Symptoms Of Tmj Disorder
There are some symptoms of TMJ disorder that are unmistakable. Clicking and popping in the jaw, for example, are very rarely anything other than TMJ disorder. Other signs of the disorder are easy to confuse with different health issues. Headaches can be misdiagnosed as migraines earaches are usually thought to originate in the ear canal, not a joint located near it. To diagnose TMJ disorder, we take a step back and look at all of your symptoms to piece together the puzzle. Here are signs that you could have TMD:
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How To Tell An Ear Infection From Tmj
If both an ear infection and TMJ could be causing your symptoms, how do you tell the difference? Its likely you have an ear infection if you:
- Are sick or were sick recently
- Have a fever
- Experience ear discharge
An ear infection usually accompanies another illness. If you dont have another illness, then you probably dont have an ear infection. Fever is a good sign that you have an infection of some sort. If you have a fever, you should suspect an ear infection. Finally, TMJ wont cause anything to drip from your ears. If you have ear discharge , then you probably have an infection.
On the other hand, suspect TMJ if:
- A doctor rules out infection
- Symptoms dont resolve spontaneously or with antibiotics
- You have other TMJ symptoms
- Earache flares with jaw activity
If your doctor tells you that you dont have an infection, its probably best to believe them. Remember: ear infections are uncommon in adults. Ear infections tend to resolve on their own, though in some cases they might need treatment with antibiotics. However, if these dont work, then maybe its not an ear infection.
There are many TMJ symptoms, and almost no one experiences the same ones. Dont rule out TMJ just because you dont have jaw pain or headaches. Of course, if jaw activity, like chewing or talking, causes your ear symptoms to flare, its probably TMJ and not an ear infection.
Does Poor Oral Hygiene Affect Your Ears
Poor oral hygiene appears to be the cause of ear infections, as the accumulation of bacteria in the ears often leads to infections and the mouth is a breeding ground for bacteria. Surprisingly, one study found that there was no significant link between ear infections and poor oral hygiene. The link between mouth and ear infections is simply the pain you may feel in your teeth and jaw if your ears are infected.
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What Are The Treatment Options For Tmd
Treatment for disorders of the TMJs varies and depends on the cause of your case and how severe it is. For mild cases, self-care remedies to reduce soreness and tension in the joint may help. These remedies include:
- Eating soft foods
- Exercises designed to help your jaw muscles relax
- Avoiding chewing gum and very chewy foods
- Alternating moist heat and ice on the jaw to bring relief
- Avoid clenching or tensing your jaw
- Apply moist heat to the area
Anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen or naproxen and muscle relaxants can also help relieve uncomfortable TMD symptoms.
But, for long-term relief, we recommend that you talk to us about your treatment options. In many cases, we can help relieve your TMJ pain with an oral appliance that can help correct problems with the upper and lower teeth, which is often the cause of issues with the TMJs.
Are you experiencing unexplained ear pain, ringing in the ears or spells of dizziness? If your earache is a sign of TMJ disorder, the good news is that we can help.