Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsCausesDiagnosisTreatment
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment
If the cause of your hearing loss is still being determined or you have hearing loss with symptoms such as jaw clicking, headaches, or difficulty chewing, ask your healthcare provider about evaluating you for a TMJ disorder.
This article discusses the link between TMJ disorders and hearing loss. It explains how TMJ symptoms can affect your hearing, how it is diagnosed, and possible treatments for TMJ-related hearing loss.
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Symptoms of TMJ-Related Hearing Loss
Hearing loss occurs in about one in 10 people with TMJ disorders.Symptoms of TMJ disorder-related hearing loss include:
You’ll probably have other symptoms of TMJ as well. Common signs of TMJ disorder include:
Your level of hearing loss may depend on the severity of your TMJ disorder. One study found that those who had the most symptoms, including jaw stiffness, were more likely to experience hearing problems.
TMJ disorder is a relatively common condition and affects people of all ages, with about one-third of adults experiencing symptoms.
How TMJ Causes Hearing Loss
Since the TMJ is located next to the middle ear, a disorder in the jaw can affect your hearing. While the exact reason isn’t clear, it’s thought that pressure or inflammation from the TMJ can affect nerves and muscles in the area, leading to blockedeustachian tubes.
Some experts believe TMJ-related hearing loss occurs due to altered middle-ear/inner-ear pressure equilibrium.
Tinnitus and hearing loss can occur because the eustachian tubes cannot properly drain fluid from the middle ear.
Other Possible Causes of Hearing Loss
Diagnosing TMJ Hearing Loss
Your healthcare provider or dentist may suspect a TMJ disorder if you have symptoms of hearing loss, ear fullness, and tinnitus, but don’t have any signs of an ear infection or other ear-related condition.
Medical professionals and dentists can usually diagnose TMJ disorder based on a physical examination and your medical history.
Physical Examination
Your healthcare provider will examine your jaw to check for any stiffness, pain, and sounds like popping or clicking.
They may gently press on the side of your face while you open and close your jaw. They’ll note how wide you can open your mouth comfortably, with the normal range being at least 4 centimeters.
Imaging
Panoramic X-rays may be taken to confirm the diagnosis. These let the practitioner look at the TMJ as well as the jaw and teeth to make sure that there aren’t any other issues causing your symptoms.
Hearing Tests
You may also need to see an audiologist to assess the degree of hearing loss. Tools used to measure your hearing include:
Tests for Hearing Loss
Treatment for TMJ and Hearing Loss
Treatment for a TMJ disorder may help restore your hearing loss and relieve ear-related symptoms.
Treatment may vary depending on the cause of the disorder. TMJ treatments include:
In rare cases, your healthcare provider may suggestseeing an oral and maxillofacial surgeonto repair any damage to the TMJ.
While managing the TMJ symptoms may help to restore hearing loss, it’s not guaranteed. A 2016 systematic review of studies found insufficient evidence to prove that treating TMJ symptoms can improve hearing because they have different causes.
If treating your TMJ symptoms does not restore hearing, your healthcare provider may refer you to an audiologist. They can help you adapt to hearing loss and determine if hearing aids or other devices can help.
10 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Çebi AT.Presence of tinnitus and tinnitus-related hearing loss in temporomandibular disorders.Cranio. 2020:1-5. doi:10.1080/08869634.2020.1829290Mehta N.Temporomandibular disorders. Merck Manual Consumer Version.Kitsoulis P, Marini A, Iliou K, et al.Signs and symptoms of temporomandibular joint disorders related to the degree of mouth opening and hearing loss.BMC Ear Nose Throat Disord. 2011;11:5. doi:10.1186/1472-6815-11-5Effat KG.Otological symptoms and audiometric findings in patients with temporomandibular disorders: Costen’s syndrome revisited.J Laryngol Otol. 2016;130(12):1137–41. doi:10.1017/S0022215116009300Dalla-bona D, Shackleton T, Clark G, Ram S.Unilateral ear fullness and temporary hearing loss diagnosed and successfully managed as a temporomandibular disorder: a case report.J Am Dent Assoc. 2015;146(3):192-4. doi:10.1016/j.adaj.2014.12.012Cleveland Clinic.Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD).American Tinnitus Association.TMJ treatments.Dietrich L, Rodrigues IVS, Assis Costa MDM, Carvalho RF, Silva GRD.Acupuncture in Temporomandibular Disorders Painful Symptomatology: An Evidence-Based Case Report.Eur J Dent. 2020;14(4):692-696. doi:10.1055/s-0040-1716631Stechman-Neto J, Porporatti AL, Porto de Toledo I, et al.Effect of temporomandibular disorder therapy on otologic signs and symptoms: a systematic review.J Oral Rehabil. 2016;43(6):468–79. doi:10.1111/joor.12380NIH: National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.What can I turn to for health with my hearing loss?
10 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Çebi AT.Presence of tinnitus and tinnitus-related hearing loss in temporomandibular disorders.Cranio. 2020:1-5. doi:10.1080/08869634.2020.1829290Mehta N.Temporomandibular disorders. Merck Manual Consumer Version.Kitsoulis P, Marini A, Iliou K, et al.Signs and symptoms of temporomandibular joint disorders related to the degree of mouth opening and hearing loss.BMC Ear Nose Throat Disord. 2011;11:5. doi:10.1186/1472-6815-11-5Effat KG.Otological symptoms and audiometric findings in patients with temporomandibular disorders: Costen’s syndrome revisited.J Laryngol Otol. 2016;130(12):1137–41. doi:10.1017/S0022215116009300Dalla-bona D, Shackleton T, Clark G, Ram S.Unilateral ear fullness and temporary hearing loss diagnosed and successfully managed as a temporomandibular disorder: a case report.J Am Dent Assoc. 2015;146(3):192-4. doi:10.1016/j.adaj.2014.12.012Cleveland Clinic.Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD).American Tinnitus Association.TMJ treatments.Dietrich L, Rodrigues IVS, Assis Costa MDM, Carvalho RF, Silva GRD.Acupuncture in Temporomandibular Disorders Painful Symptomatology: An Evidence-Based Case Report.Eur J Dent. 2020;14(4):692-696. doi:10.1055/s-0040-1716631Stechman-Neto J, Porporatti AL, Porto de Toledo I, et al.Effect of temporomandibular disorder therapy on otologic signs and symptoms: a systematic review.J Oral Rehabil. 2016;43(6):468–79. doi:10.1111/joor.12380NIH: National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.What can I turn to for health with my hearing loss?
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Çebi AT.Presence of tinnitus and tinnitus-related hearing loss in temporomandibular disorders.Cranio. 2020:1-5. doi:10.1080/08869634.2020.1829290Mehta N.Temporomandibular disorders. Merck Manual Consumer Version.Kitsoulis P, Marini A, Iliou K, et al.Signs and symptoms of temporomandibular joint disorders related to the degree of mouth opening and hearing loss.BMC Ear Nose Throat Disord. 2011;11:5. doi:10.1186/1472-6815-11-5Effat KG.Otological symptoms and audiometric findings in patients with temporomandibular disorders: Costen’s syndrome revisited.J Laryngol Otol. 2016;130(12):1137–41. doi:10.1017/S0022215116009300Dalla-bona D, Shackleton T, Clark G, Ram S.Unilateral ear fullness and temporary hearing loss diagnosed and successfully managed as a temporomandibular disorder: a case report.J Am Dent Assoc. 2015;146(3):192-4. doi:10.1016/j.adaj.2014.12.012Cleveland Clinic.Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD).American Tinnitus Association.TMJ treatments.Dietrich L, Rodrigues IVS, Assis Costa MDM, Carvalho RF, Silva GRD.Acupuncture in Temporomandibular Disorders Painful Symptomatology: An Evidence-Based Case Report.Eur J Dent. 2020;14(4):692-696. doi:10.1055/s-0040-1716631Stechman-Neto J, Porporatti AL, Porto de Toledo I, et al.Effect of temporomandibular disorder therapy on otologic signs and symptoms: a systematic review.J Oral Rehabil. 2016;43(6):468–79. doi:10.1111/joor.12380NIH: National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.What can I turn to for health with my hearing loss?
Çebi AT.Presence of tinnitus and tinnitus-related hearing loss in temporomandibular disorders.Cranio. 2020:1-5. doi:10.1080/08869634.2020.1829290
Mehta N.Temporomandibular disorders. Merck Manual Consumer Version.
Kitsoulis P, Marini A, Iliou K, et al.Signs and symptoms of temporomandibular joint disorders related to the degree of mouth opening and hearing loss.BMC Ear Nose Throat Disord. 2011;11:5. doi:10.1186/1472-6815-11-5
Effat KG.Otological symptoms and audiometric findings in patients with temporomandibular disorders: Costen’s syndrome revisited.J Laryngol Otol. 2016;130(12):1137–41. doi:10.1017/S0022215116009300
Dalla-bona D, Shackleton T, Clark G, Ram S.Unilateral ear fullness and temporary hearing loss diagnosed and successfully managed as a temporomandibular disorder: a case report.J Am Dent Assoc. 2015;146(3):192-4. doi:10.1016/j.adaj.2014.12.012
Cleveland Clinic.Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD).
American Tinnitus Association.TMJ treatments.
Dietrich L, Rodrigues IVS, Assis Costa MDM, Carvalho RF, Silva GRD.Acupuncture in Temporomandibular Disorders Painful Symptomatology: An Evidence-Based Case Report.Eur J Dent. 2020;14(4):692-696. doi:10.1055/s-0040-1716631
Stechman-Neto J, Porporatti AL, Porto de Toledo I, et al.Effect of temporomandibular disorder therapy on otologic signs and symptoms: a systematic review.J Oral Rehabil. 2016;43(6):468–79. doi:10.1111/joor.12380
NIH: National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.What can I turn to for health with my hearing loss?
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