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Do You Have Ringing in Your Ears? We May Be Able to Relieve That Pressure
Posted on 2/20/2019 by Dr. Michael Allard
Tinnitus is also known as ringing in the ears. If you have ever experienced tinnitus, you already understand what it feels like. You hear a sound that is usually high pitched, even though there is nothing making the sound.
If you put your fingers over your ears the ringing will usually get worse, because the sound is internal. If you are experiencing tinnitus, your first stop should be to an ear, nose, and throat specialist. You should also mention it when you come to see us.
Tinnitus and TMJ Dysfunction
TMJ refers to the muscles and joints in your jaw. With TMJ disfunction, there is something that is not right with your jaw. Tinnitus can be one of the symptoms of a TMJ dysfunction. Other symptoms include pain in the jaw and headache.
Bruxism
Bruxism is the grinding of the teeth. Often people grind their teeth when they sleep, and they have no idea that they do it. Teeth grinding and teeth clenching can both lead to tinnitus.
Impacted Teeth
Impacted teeth are teeth such as wisdom teeth that cannot come in all the way because the jaw is too crowded, or because they are crooked. Impacted teeth can also cause ringing in your ears.
Sleep Apnea
With sleep apnea, someone misses breaths while they sleep. Often the sleep apnea is caused by an obstruction. The same obstruction can lead to tinnitus.
We can help you with any of the mentioned problems. The solution could be as simple as a mouthguard at night. Treating the problem will relieve the pressure that leads to tinnitus. Not only will you be able to finally live without your ears ringing, you will also have taken care of an oral issue that you might not have known that you had.