Discourse brought up some threads on this topic, but they were all quite old, so I’m starting this one.
Since 2023, I’ve been bothered by tinnitus/ear pressure/hyperacusis (all sounds feel uncomfortably loud), and vertigo. I’ve only had two episodes of vertigo, once in 2023 and once in April of this year. The April one was followed by an epic bout of vomiting. And a few days after that, strong pain in my left ear canal.
I went to an EENT about a week or so ago, and he said that because I didn’t have hearing loss and because my jaw joints were painful when he tested them, he thinks it’s temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJD). A lot of EENT websites say that TMJD can have symptoms like what I’ve described above.
But when I had that huge bout of vertigo and vomiting in April, all my symptoms just disappeared right afterwards. For a week or two I hadn’t a bit of tinnitus, etc. Does that sound like TMJD? It seems to me that TMJD would be constant and that a bout of vertigo wouldn’t make it go away. I’m fearing Meniere’s Disease, which is more serious and may result in hearing loss, if what I’m reading is correct.
Who has had TMJD? Do you get tinnitus, hyperacusis, vertigo and vomiting from it?
I’ve had TMJD since 1997. I have tinnitus, yes. That other stuff? No.
I am prone to getting water stuck in my ears, and water in my ears does quickly lead to nausea, but nothing anywhere near vertigo. Never had hyperacusis. I do get the feeling of “full” ears but my GP looks in there for me all the time and says they’re clear.
I would say that perhaps you are clenching and grinding because of the other stuff, and that is giving you the tender joints. I would not let anyone dismiss you as having TMJD and throwing their hands up, because we all know nobody likes to treat TMJD.
I agree, I think it’s something more.
FWIW, I had TMJ (which, at the time was called Tri-Mandibular Junction) as a late teen; it was more common in women, so I was an outlier. My right jaw would lock up and make the most awful POP when it finally released. It was painful, but had no effect on the ears. It eventually went away (or maybe I finally “grew into” my jawbone).
I am a Meniere’s patient and have a strong family history of the condition. (My aunt actually had her nerve(s) severed to halt the vertigo and nausea. She was left deaf in that ear, but could otherwise function very well post-surgery.)
What you are describing sounds very much like Meniere’s, including the almost unbelievable nausea that can accompany attacks/episodes.
I also happen to have TMJ issues. When I eat a sandwich, for example, I sound like a hyena cracking bones. (That’s a quote from my father.) The TMJ is quite distinct from the Meniere’s and preceded it by many years. My ENT has never suggested that the Meniere’s symptoms might be related to my TMJ.
Of course, I am not a doctor.
Oddly enough, my last flare-up of TMJD stuff led me to a vestibular physical therapist with the Cleveland Clinic who also happened to specialize in treating TMJD. I’m not sure if you need any rehab/physical therapy for your vertigo but if you do, see if any of the vestibular PTs in your network mention TMJD on their profile. They can give you some exercises to cool off that joint pain.
Please get tested for Lyme disease. To make a long story short, my husband had various joint-related issues for 2-3 years, including a dislocated jaw that happened spontaneously, without any injury. The dentist was treating the dislocated jaw with an orthodontic appliance. Anyhow he suddenly had a big problem with a swollen knee and they found that he has Lyme. Googling shows that Lyme can cause this. Acute arthritis of the right temporomandibular joint due to Lyme disease: a case report and literature review - PMC