Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder refers to dysfunction of the hinge that connects your lower jaw to your temporal bone. Because this joint is located so close to the ears, TMJ disorder can sometimes affect their function, too. We review the connection below.
Symptoms of TMJ-Related Hearing Loss
Some of the more common symptoms of TMJ disorder include:
- Clicking or popping sounds in the jaw
- Lockjaw
- Difficulty chewing
- Jaw pain
- Facial pain
- Headaches
- Pain or stiffness in the neck and shoulders
However, sometimes ear symptoms can also result, such as:
- Feeling of fullness in the ears
- Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
- Hearing loss
The Connection Between TMJ & Hearing Loss
Although experts aren’t exactly sure how TMJ disorder causes hearing problems, many hypothesize that TMJ disorder can impact the function of the Eustachian tubes so that they are unable to drain fluid from the middle ears properly.
Diagnosing TMJ-Related Hearing Loss
Your health care provider may connect the two conditions if you’re experiencing both TMJ disorder and hearing loss.
To diagnose TMJ disorder, your provider will conduct a physical exam, take a medical history and order X-rays.
To diagnose hearing loss, an audiologist can administer a number of objective tests, which may include pure tone audiometry, speech testing, tympanometry, auditory brainstem response (ABR) testing and otoacoustic emissions (OAEs) testing.
Treating TMJ-Related Hearing Loss
According to one study, treatment for TMJ disorder is highly effective for addressing associated hearing problems, particularly feeling of fullness in the ears.
Some treatments for TMJ disorder include wearing a mouth guard, splint or other type of oral appliance as well as undergoing physical therapy.
Any hearing loss that isn’t resolved by treating your TMJ disorder will likely be treated with hearing aids, which are the gold standard of treatment for most cases of hearing loss. Hearing aids work by amplifying sounds to a level you can hear with ease, even in complex listening situations like Buffalo Bayou Brewing.
To learn more about the connection between TMJ disorder and ear problems or to schedule an appointment with an ear expert, call Hearing Systems today.