The Process Of Hearing
First, lets review how hearing works. When your outer ear collects sound waves, the vibrations funnel into the ear canal, through the eardrum, and into the middle ear, where they vibrate tiny bones called ossicles. The vibrations then reach the innermost part of the ear, an organ called the cochlea. Here, the vibrations stimulate fluid and tiny hair cells, which translate the vibrations into electrical impulses. The brain detects these impulses via the auditory nerve and interprets them.
If any of these components fail to complete its job properly, you will experience auditory issues. Common complications include damaged hair cells, perforated or ruptured eardrums, ear infections, and otosclerosis.
Is There Medication That I Can Take
Yes there certainly is. You probably have heard of antibiotics. This type of medication is highly ineffective against viruses. Why???? Well an antibiotic, like penicillin for instance, acts or combats only bacterial organisms. It will do nothing against viruses. Like I mentioned above if this viral infection gives rise to a secondary bacterial infection, then an antibiotic will help, but only against the bacteria that is causing the problem.
Antiviral Medication
We treat bacteria with antibiotics, and we treat viruses with antivirals. If someone has tinnitus and it may be due to a viral infection, the chances of it being a Herpes Zoster type of virus is
very high.
The treatment for this type of viral infection will definitely depend on the preferences of the doctor.
They may prescribe , Valaciclovir or Famciclovir.
The dosage may vary : Valaciclovir : 1gram may be taken three times a day for 7-14days and Famciclovir 500mg may be taken every 8hours for 5days.
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Can Viral Infections Cause Tinnitus
Yes. As I had discussed previously, there are many causes of Tinnitus. Viral infections can most definitely be a cause of tinnitus in the ear. The virus can also interfere with the hearing and cause hearing loss which can be permanent or temporary. The brain picks up on this hearing loss and interprets other noises, which we hear as tinnitus.
The E.N.T
The ENT specialist has a very important job here. To confirm that the diagnosis is in fact a viral infection. He or she will examine the ear for any signs of wax build-up or inflammation of the ear drum. If there is inflammation of the ear-drum the person will experience pain and possibly a fever. He or she may also get headaches. The ENT will check the nose for any signs of sinus congestion. To 100%verify this he may order an MRIof the sinuses. Various blood tests,like autoimmune and thyroid tests may also be done.How does it feel?
Viral infections brings about various signs that the person may experience in his or her hearing. Apart from the obvious ringing or hissing noises, there is an effect on the actual hearing. A hearing test will show a drop in the hearing. Other conditions like Menieres Disease can also cause this drop. This is why it is important to make a note of what symptoms you are feeling.
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Can A Toothache Cause An Earache
The short answer is yes a toothache can cause an earache.
Often, this is due to the close proximity of the jaw joint, known as the temporomandibular joint , to the ear. When a tooth has decayed or is infected, the problem with the tooth can radiate from the jaw and be felt in the ear.
Conversely, a toothache can be the sign of an earache. In this case, cold and flu symptoms will likely be present as well. There are various causes and symptoms associated with each case. These will be discussed more thoroughly below.
The most pressing concern for many will be how to alleviate this pain, regardless of its source. Until a medical or dental professional can be seen, there are a number of home remedies that can be used to provide relief from jaw, tooth, and ear pain.
While 40% of annual costs for chronic pain are due to orofacial problems, research has shown that roughly half of those experiencing tooth pain do not seek treatment and only 33% of those who did not seek treatment cited financial reasons.
Yet, dental pain has been shown to have a massive effect on a persons ability to function, interfering with sleep, mood, eating, work, and social life.
The following will explain why a toothache may be the cause of ear or jaw pain, how to differentiate between a toothache and an earache, and the symptoms, causes, and home remedies for each.
What Else Have Your Patients Asked About Tinnitus And Dental Issues
Most patients arent aware of the connection between these two issues, and frequently we find that as we go through our comprehensive evaluation, it comes up in conversation. Theres always a chance we can help patients improve through individualized dental treatment. A lot of otolaryngologists also arent aware of the connection, and if they dont see a structural issue such as an ear infection, they may be at a loss as to what to do next. In those cases, patients may end up living with the discomfort. Thats why Im such a proponent of collaboration between providers. It frequently takes two or more specialized doctors to resolve an issue that involves more than one part of the body.
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Can Sinus Infection Cause Tinnitus
Hello All
I often get asked by folks that visit me in the pharmacy, whether it is possible for someone to get tinnitus as a result of a sinus infection.
I think before I answer this question, allow me to explain to you a little about our sinuses.
What exactly is the sinuses? What purpose do they serve? How do you get sinusitis?
Can sinus infection cause tinnitus? read further on to find out these answers.
Prevent It Before It Begins
You can prevent gum disease, and the hearing loss it can cause, by the very simple act of following a regular oral health care schedule. Brushing, flossing, avoiding foods high in acids and sugars, and visiting our office at least twice a year will ensure that you have great oral health.
If you feel that you may have early signs of gum disease, please contact us today so we can help.
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Sinus Toothache Symptoms And Causes
If you have both a sinus infection and tooth pain, the first thing you need to know is this: A sinus toothache is caused by the same inflammation of your sinuses that causes sinus headaches, the combination of sinusitis and tinnitus, and sinusitis and hearing loss.
Sinus infections can cause swelling and inflammation within the sinus cavities located along your jawline. When this occurs, your back upper teeth may begin to hurt due to the inflammation and increased pressure.
How To Avoid Toothache
Follow these tips to avoid toothache:
- Dont brush overzealously
All of us are aware that excess of everything is bad. Yet, we forget this universal truth when were brushing our teeth in the hope of getting that eye-catching smile.
While it may give us sparkling teeth, overzealous brushing may also wear down tooth enamel and cause tooth sensitivity. Thats why we suggest our readers use an electric toothbrush with a pressure sensor.
- Give up the habit of tooth grinding
Do you ever wake up with a headache for no reason? Find yourself clicking in your jay every time you open your mouth? Both of these are signs that you grind your teeth. Heres why you shouldnt.
Aside from causing misalignment of teeth, teeth grinding can also result in the deterioration of enamel thereby exposing you to toothache when hearing high-frequency sounds.
- Use an alcohol-based mouthwash
The build-up of plaque and gingivitis in your mouth can also cause toothache in the long run. Both these substances grow in silence until the damage theyve done results in extreme pain.
Thats why we recommend that you use an alcohol-based mouthwash on a daily basis. Not only will it keep both these substances at bay. But it will also give you a fresh breath.
- Visit a dentist
If you continue to experience toothache even after acting on the abovementioned tips, your problem may be more severe and might require a trip to the dentist.
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What Can The Er Do For Tooth Pain
Finding an emergency room with a dentist on staff or on call is extremely rare. Emergency room doctors cant do much more than provide antibiotics and/or painkillers. This may provide temporary relief, but toothaches, like most problems, dont fix themselves. You will still need to see a dentist to fix the problem.
A Case Of Sinusitis Caused By A Tooth
This person had chronic sinusitis for the last few years, that started shortly after she had a metal post put into one of her upper back teeth. Upon looking at her x-rays I noticed that the metal post that was put in one of her upper teeth looked like it had pierced through edge of the tooth and gone slightly into the bone. This caused an abscess that was leaking into her sinus.
Heres the x-ray of her upper right teeth:
To make the x-ray below easier to see, the tooth is green, the infection is red, and the sinuses are blue:
Sadly, due to the fracture in the tooth caused by the large metal post, the tooth had to be extracted.
The oral surgeon who extracted the tooth told me that the tip of the tooth broke off just above the metal post, causing the root fragment to get pushed into the sinuses during extraction. He had to open up the sinus to retrieve the root and he was able to suction out a lot of the infection he said it was a pretty bad infection.
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Rheumatoid Or Psoriatic Arthritis
These forms of arthritis occur because your immune system attacks healthy joints. Both rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis are identified as autoimmune conditions.
You may experience joint pain throughout your body at different times, including in your TMJ, and certain triggers may cause the pain to flare up.
What Is A Toothache
In order to understand what a toothache is, you have to start with the anatomy of a tooth, says Bill Dorfman, D.D.S., a dentist based in Los Angeles. Teeth are mostly composed of non-vital hard organic material, and this part of the tooth has no nerves or feelings, he says. The center of the tooth has a blood supply and nerve, functioning mainly to keep the tooth from becoming dehydrated and drying out. Once a tooth dries out, it becomes brittle and is more prone to fracturing. A typical toothache is when this nerve inside the tooth becomes inflamed or dies. Once the nerve dies, it produces toxins around the tooth which become an infection.
There are two classifications of tooth inflammation : Reversible and irreversible.
It is often tricky to determine if a tooth needs a root canal treatment or not, says Dorfman. We can administer many tests, but one of the simple ones is to see how teeth respond to hot or cold. Typically, if a tooth has no response to temperature, it is dead, but not always.
When a toothache is reversible, it means that when hot, cold or pressure is applied to the tooth, pain will subside and go away as the tooth heals. Also, if the tooth responds only while the stimulus is on the tooth, its likely inflamed, but can still heal.
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Tinnitus Clogged Ears Or Ear Pain
Since the TM joint resides adjacent to the ears, its common to experience many TMJ symptoms in the ears. Patients can experience ear pain or clogged ears that they might pass off as an ear infection or allergies but is actually from TMD. TMD can also cause tinnitus . If your ears regularly have pain, stuffiness, or ringing, its best to get examined for TMJ.
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How Is An Abscessed Tooth Treated
Goals of treatment are to eliminate the infection and prevent complications. Treatment options include:
- Incision and drainage: Your dentist makes a small incision in the abscess to drain the pus. Sometimes a small rubber drain is placed to keep the area open for drainage.
- Root canal: This option helps to eliminate the infection and save your tooth. This common procedure removes the tooths infected inner pulp, and fills the space with material to prevent another infection. The inner pulp is important when the tooth is growing but once its mature, the tooth can survive without the pulp. After the procedure, your tooth should be back to normal, though you may need a crown to protect the root canal. If you care for the restored tooth properly, it can last a lifetime.
- Tooth extraction: Sometimes the tooth cannot be saved, and your dentist may need to pull or extract the tooth allowing pus to drain from the socket.
- Antibiotics: If the infection is limited to the abscessed area, you many not require antibiotics, but sometimes your dentist may recommend them to assist with your dental treatment. It is important to know, that while this medication may help fight off remaining bacteria, it will not get rid of the cause of the infection, which is the affected tooth.
What Causes Tooth Infection
When healthy, our teeth are covered by a tough, mineralised layer called the enamel, which protects the underlying softer layer of the tooth, the dentin and pulp. The innermost pulp layer of the tooth contains nerves and blood vessels that provide innervation and nourishment to our teeth.
Things get complicated when one starts to ignore their oral hygiene routine. As a result, a fine layer of food and bacterial debris forms on the surface of the teeth. This layer, called the plaque, gradually hardens and becomes the dental calculus. Both the calculus and plaque offer an excellent breeding environment for harmful bacteria. These bacteria utilise the sugars from the plaque and calculus and release toxins that damage the enamel layer of the teeth and expose the underlying dentin and pulp.
At this point, you will only be sensitive to hot and cold foods. However, if this condition is not treated timely, bacteria penetrate the teeth and lead to an infection of the dental pulp. The only option to save the affected tooth is to perform a root canal treatment procedure. You can know more about root canal treatments by visiting the website of the British Endodontic Society.
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Ear Pain After A Root Canal: What You Need To Know
If youâve recently had a root canal and your ear has started to hurt, you may be wondering whether these issues are related. The team at Nashoba Valley Dental wants to keep you informed about any possible side effects of root canal treatment and what to do to care for them. Hereâs everything you need to know about ear pain after root canal therapy:
Treatment Options For Tinnitus
While tinnitus can cause depression or worse when left untreated, Dr. Sydlowski says there are ways to manage it. If you notice that youre having trouble with your hearing or balance, dont ignore whats going on. The sooner you reach out for help, the better. In fact, Dr. Sydlowski says sudden changes in your hearing should be considered a medical emergency and addressed immediately.
If you have a sudden change to your hearing loss, its really important to have it assessed correctly quickly because there is a window to potentially improve it. Your audiologist can refer you to an ENT physician who may prescribe steroids, which are not always effective, but the sooner we can manage it, the better the chances that we might be able to restore that sudden change. Most of the time, an inner ear hearing loss thats caused by circulatory problems, noise, aging or certain medications is usually permanent. But there is a small sub-segment of cases where we might be able to improve it.
The main thing to keep in mind with tinnitus is that no matter how frustrating it can be, there is help.
Dr. Sydlowski adds that an interdisciplinary team of specialists will often work together to find comprehensive solutions for the management of tinnitus.
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Maintaining Your Dental Health And Hearing Starts With You
If youre like most people, learning about the connection between tooth decay and hearing loss might be surprising. But, now that you know about it, you can take action to help prevent it.
It all begins at home with your daily oral hygiene routine. The simple act of brushing twice a day, flossing at least once a day, and using a mouthwash to kill even more harmful bacteria can make a big difference in keeping those gums and pearly whites clean and strong. Stick to this routine and your dentist is sure to be impressed when he or she checks your teeth at your next appointment!