How Should Chronic Ringing In The Right Ear Along With Pain In The Jaw While Eating Be Treated?

Posted on Thu, 10 May 2018

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Thu, 10 May 2018 Answered on

Fri, 3 Nov 2023 Last reviewed on

Question : I've had ringing in my right ear for years thought it was tinnitus but lately it's been getting worse and now I have pain way back in my jaw especially when eating. When I'm not chewing it just kind of lightly aches. They seem to be related as the ringing seems to have increased with the pain.

Answered by Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh (31 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Tinnitus and jaw pain

Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome,

Any abnormal sound coming from inside the ear or brain such as ringing is put in the basket term tinnitus. It's more of a descriptive term than a cause. Tinnitus can be caused by many different things including medications, problems with the associated nerve, eustachian tube dysfunction, and problems with the blood vessels.

Evaluation for this requires a thorough exam of the head and neck, and usually also audiometric testing. Depending on the results of these, a head/neck MRI may be needed to see what is going on anatomically.

So, given that your tinnitus has been going on for years, and seems to be getting worse and is associated with jaw pain, I recommend you see an otolaryngologist (ENT doctor) to begin evaluation of the problem. It may be related to TMJ (temperomandibular joint dysfunction) but it would be very hard to make any guesses without your having a skilled examination of the ear and jaw joint.

I hope this information gives you a place to start. Please let me know if I can provide further information or clarification.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar