Health problems that affect the ear are incredibly disruptive. They are also all too frequently misdiagnosed, which mean they are also improperly treated.
If you are experiencing recurring ear ailments and medication hasn’t been able to offer any long-term relief, it’s very likely that your complaints are the result of problems related to your temporomandibular joint (TMJ), the “hinge” that connects the jaw to the skull.
An infectious earache should respond to drug therapy and subside with little recurrence. However, an earache that comes back again and again is almost certainly caused by a condition known as temporomandibular joint disorder, or TMD. This wide-ranging disorder results in a painful bite imbalance that affects the muscles and nerves in proximity to the jaw. Because the TMJ is adjacent to the inner ear, the radiating pain is often mistakenly read by the body as an earache.
Another non-infectious, but common cause for ear pain is also related to dental pressures. Bruxism is the grinding of the teeth and it often happens when the bite is out of alignment. The pain in the back teeth radiates upward into the jaw, and because the bundles of nerves for the ears, mouth and jaw overlap, it is common for the body to send confusing pain signals.
Tinnitus is a medical condition that is commonly referred to as “ringing in the ears” because sufferers perceive a ringing or buzzing noise in their ears and/or head when there is no external source for the sound. Tinnitus is also a potential outcome of TMD. Many doctors don’t recognize this, so they fail to address the underlying joint misalignment and the ailment continues unabated.
Fort Collins Headache Center alleviates your symptoms for good by correcting the problems with the TMJ. Using state-of-the-art, FDA-approved therapies culled from the fields of neuromuscular dentistry and sports medicine, Dr. Jared Ward creates a treatment plan based on your specific conditions. In less than 12 weekly sessions, you can be completely symptom free.
To begin the process, schedule an evaluation exam. In just 20 minutes Dr. Ward will be able to tell if you are a candidate for treatment. To set your appointment, call Fort Collins Headache Center at 970-627-8517 or use the contact form on this page.
