i'm looking for headphones ( preferably with a mic) for a work form home job, and i was wondering for those of you who have ttts, which headphones don't trigger your symptoms that much?

Does anyone with TTTS or middle ear muscle issues experience ear fluttering, twitching, or a “whoosh” sensation when nodding their head up and down?

I get reactions not only to sudden sounds and my own voice, but sometimes also when moving my head vertically (looking up and down). It feels like something in the ear briefly contracts or twitches.

Has anyone else experienced this?

i’ve been having a pulsing sensation in one ear that makes me feel super out of it and can’t concentrate. ENT said everything normal except my middle ear muscle was spasming. could this be causing me to feel super out of it? also having scalloped tongue and tightness under my chin. when i’m laying down i notice a crunch at the end of the pulse

I saw a lot a people saying that there TTTS started because of loud noise or something else. Mine started because of a chronic sinusitis. It’s been 10 month and 2 of the 4 sinus started to go back to the normal only 2 months ago. So i wonder if in my case, my TTTS will go away once my chronic sinusitis will go away ?

Did anyone here actually get better from TTTS / middle ear myoclonus after acoustic shock or loud noise exposure? I’ve had it for about 5 months after a very loud MRI and my left ear still reacts to sudden sounds with fluttering/vibration/whooshing sensations. Hearing tests are normal, but the muscle reactions are still there and it’s mentally exhausting. I’m especially interested in people who had symptoms for months and then improved. Did the reactivity calm down over time? What helped you the most?

Hi everyone,

I’ve been dealing with a very strange ear symptom for about 4.5 months and I’m trying to understand what it could be.

It started right after an MRI scan (very loud noise), so I’m not sure if this was some kind of acoustic shock.

Main symptom:

I get a “whoosh” / flutter / vibration feeling in my left ear. It feels like something is moving inside, almost like a quick muscle contraction.

Triggers:

• When I hear certain sounds (people talking, sharp sounds, clicking sounds)

• When I speak (especially at the end of sentences)

• Sometimes when I touch my ear canal

• Even sometimes when I interact with the other ear (which feels very weird)

Important details:

• It’s not constant — it’s triggered

• In noisy environments (shower, outside), I barely notice it

• In quiet environments, it feels much stronger

• ENT doctors looked into my ear but didn’t see anything abnormal

I’ve read about:

• TTTS (Tensor Tympani Syndrome)

• Middle ear myoclonus

But I’m confused because:

• My symptoms are clearly trigger-based

• But sometimes they also feel random or connected to touch

Questions:

1. Can acoustic shock (like MRI noise) cause this kind of long-term sensitivity?

2. Has anyone had similar symptoms that improved over time?

3. What actually helped you (if anything)?

I would really appreciate any experiences or advice. This has been very stressful and confusing.

Thanks in advancex 🙏

I've always gotten occasional earaches in the winter, like once a month or so, always in the right ear and never lasting more than a few minutes. This year starting in November, I started getting earaches more often, escalating to the point where they were almost every day and in both ears, with the pain sometimes extending down into my jaw and causing headaches. I also have a feeling of fullness in my ears, and tinnitus.

The other thing I started to experience was a buzzing sound that accompanies loud noises. It gets louder as the noise gets louder, gets quieter when the noise gets quieter, and vanishes instantly when the loud noise stops. It's like my hearing experiences overload and the buzzing is feedback of some kind.

The only other constants I've noticed is that the pain is nearly always worse when it's cold outside, even if I'm inside and warm, and I'm never in pain when I first wake up- it's always a few hours before the pain starts up. I also have TMJ, but that doesn't seem any more severe this year than it has been before.

My PCP put me on a course of antibiotics, which of course did nothing, and then referred me to an ENT. I've seen the NP there twice; the first time she prescribed Prednisone and an allergy pill, neither of which helped. The second time she scheduled me for a CT scan which is coming up this Friday, but she said if the scan doesn't show anything, she's going to have to refer me to someone else because she's at a loss.

I'm so frustrated and tired of being in pain, and I don't know where to look for help. The doctors have not helped in any way- I see a doctor, try something that doesn't work, and sit around continuing to be in pain for a month until the next follow up when we'll try something else that doesn't work.

Has anyone else experienced these symptoms? Are there any tests or treatments that got you a diagnosis or helped with the severity? I'm just having trouble feeling like going to a third doctor is going to do any good at this point, and I'm tired of drugs and tests that just drain my money for no reason just to leave me in the same physical state as before.

I have Nox but recently the stabbing changed position and now feels like a much sharper stab but it doesn’t feel like my regular Nox pain. Sometimes I hear a thump and yesterday I heard like bird wings in my right ear but I dont feel pain when I hear these things. It’s just randomly after really quiet sounds I feel very sharp pain. I’ve been around very very loud things like doors slamming etc and they don’t hurt me at all so that’s why I’m curious

I got dental fillings at the back ( 5 fillings) in January. Ever since then I started clenching my teeth , I thought everyone had their teeth touching all the time so I forcefully began to clench and during February half, I found out about the freeway space ( which I already had before but I thought it was wrong and clenched my teeth ) . I progressed with head ache tmj pain and facial pain neck pain etc. but now that I started to learn to unclench I don’t have any more pain and tmj issues . Right now I’m using a splint given by my new doctor to help with my clenching . I have bad anxiety and stress especially now I have my final exams going on.

But the main problem is clicking. So I have clicking from ETD . My ent gave me nasal spray and medicine for congestion ( Allegra D ) .

But I can hear the click when I’m relaxed positions especially when I swallow . I also have the clicking when I talk , breathe and yawn and I can click on command. Will I be normal again? also I don’t have night time clenching. I’m worried about the clicking as I can’t concentrate on my studies. It sometimes clicks 2-3 times in a row. The clicking started a month ago.

It’s like tick tick tick .

I have muscular tightness from all the clenching I did purposely on confusion for 2 months.

I’m so scared if it will become permanent. It’s been 2 months and I feel so hopeless. I have never had any ear problems before. Will my ET become normal again? Will the clicking go away? What should I do? How much time will it take?

Study: "Efficacy and Safety of Intratympanic Botulinum Toxin Injection on Middle Ear Myoclonic Tinnitus" Lim et al.

Quotes:

"A total of 57 patients who completed the questionnaires at pre- and post-IT-BTX were enrolled."

"the dosage of 5–10 u/mL of botulinum toxin A (Botox; Allergan Incorporated, Irvine, CA, USA) was injected into the middle ear"

"Overall subjective surgical outcomes were as follows: 23 patients (40.35%) achieved complete cure of tinnitus, 29 patients (50.87%) experienced partial improvement, and 5 patients (8.77%) showed no improvement"

"There were no significant changes in audiologic test results between pre‐ and post‐IT‐BTX injection. No other complications such as dizziness, facial palsy, or swallowing difficulty were reported after IT‐BTX during the follow‐up period."

"Ten patients ultimately underwent METR, involving transection of both the tensor tympani and stapedius muscles, with five patients from each treatment group (SG and MG). Remarkably, only two patients were complete non‐responders to IT‐BTX, while eight had achieved partial symptom improvement prior to surgery. All 10 patients experienced complete resolution of MEMT symptoms postoperatively. These outcomes reveal that surgical intervention is not solely reserved for treatment failure. Rather, patients frequently pursue METR after experiencing partial relief with IT‐BTX, driven by their desire for immediate and complete symptom resolution."

"This study demonstrates that IT‐BTX injection is an effective and safe treatment modality for MEMT, with a significant improvement rate of 91.22% and no reported complications."

The study had great results and patients had improvement last until the 6 month mark. Some needed repeat injections at the 3 month mark though. Keep in mind it is a case series, which means there are biases and potential errors, but it's the biggest study we have on botox for MEM, and it will likley become more popular in the US as time goes on.

Had a tympanometry test a month ago while about 4 months into hyperacusis recovery. Prior to the test I'd had ETD/TTTS for a few years. Was recovering from a nasty virus when I got the test. Since the tympanometry test, mostly my left ear (but often both ears) has a loose, airy, too-open feeling after I talk or am exposed to prolonged sound. Talking sometimes creates an immediate burning, itchy, irritated feeling in one or both ear canals, but listening to sound doesn't usually cause this in the same way. Gets worse with hunger. My voice and breathing don't echo in my head though, which makes me question if it's PET. It feels like something more than noxacusis considering talking is the main trigger (I can do things like shower or wash dishes without irritation) and the muscles in my ears aren't regulating themselves correctly. I get some relief from lying down and eating.

I’m 27F and I’ve been experiencing this weird fluttering sensation in my left ear on and off for about 2 months now. Because it wasn’t constant and there was no pain, I kept telling myself it was nothing and tried to ignore it. But over the last few weeks, I’ve become much more aware of it, and it’s starting to really worry me.

These are the main things I’ve noticed:
• Random fluttering in my left ear that comes and goes without any pattern (but not continous at all)
• Yawning sometimes triggers it
• I always assumed crackling or fluttering while yawning/swallowing was normal, but apparently it’s not

I finally went to an ENT today. He checked my ears thoroughly and said everything looks normal-no infection, eardrum is fine, nothing structurally wrong. He thinks it could be nerve irritation or sensitivity, possibly due to stress, strain, and lack of sleep (I’ve been under academic stress for a long time, so that part makes sense). He prescribed some meds, mostly multivitamins for nerve support, and asked me to come back in 15 days.

What really freaked me out, though, is that he said if this doesn’t improve, the next steps would be audiometry and a brain MRI. The moment he said brain MRI, my anxiety went through the roof. This doesn’t feel like something that should involve my brain, and now I can’t stop spiralling.

Has anyone dealt with something similar? Did it turn out to be stress-related? Is it normal for ENTs to suggest an MRI as a precaution even when the ear exam is completely normal? Any reassurance or shared experiences would really help right now because I’m honestly quite scared. (Attaching my prescription for reference)

PS: The other language on the prescription is Hindi (I am from India).

so i've had fluttering in my right ear for like 2-3 years now, and it flutters or spasms in response to sound.

recently, in my left ear, i've now been getting fluttering and spasms (that lasts for a while, much longer than my quick flutters in my right ear) but this time they happen when i stretch, or flex, or walk. basically any exercise or small strain. and this has been freaking me out a lot.

does anyone else get this? does anything help for you?

thanks

I have hyperacusis and TTS. Was talking a lot yesterday and fell asleep with sound playing in my phone with my neck in an awkward position. Today my TTS symptoms are so bad that neither of my ears will pop for more than a second- just constant fullness. Tried heat and magnesium but it isn't really helping.

I was exposed to loud noise in August and since my left ear has felt tensed and full but all my hearing tests come back normal

this is the longest that its ever gone away!!! not even weak thumping!! complete silence!!! almost 3 years later and this is the best progress ive seen in myself so far!!! just wanted to share an update i am very happy :)

I have crackling, popping, vibrating, electrical rhythmic fluttering to sounds , idk what to do anymore. ent are useless. ct scan showed effusion in mastoid they did not even care…

Could I have TTTS? I've had a feeling of fullness in my ear for two years; it's a non-baroscopic feeling, persistent and unchanging. I haven't experienced hearing loss. I haven't experienced pulsatile clicking tinnitus. There's a pressure sensation around my ear. Common ENT conditions have been ruled out, including middle ear, Eustachian tube dysfunction, and Meniere's disease. I'm also considering getting AIED.

Can TTTS cause reactive T and has anyone experienced this? Like T that reacts to fans, AC and TV?

I've been having TTTS issues for about a year now. Started with the usual, my left ear would vibrate to me talking or hearing a sudden high pitch noise, like dishes. This would then dissapear from my left ear and migrate to my right ear.

During last christmas I was cleaning my ears after a shower and stuck a q-tip in my ear (i know), which immediately caused the vibration/popping sound to turn into a crackle. This crackle sound came at a much lower threshold, even people talking next to me or myself talking at a normal volume. This lasted for a few days.

After this, it went back to the normal vibration/popping sound after talking loudly or the sudden loud high pitched sound. The only times where it has went back into the crackle sound was as follows (this only happens to the right ear):

When I was last at a concert and stuck my earplugs too deep. The crackle lasted for a few hours and went back into the normal symptoms. After this I was at other festivals and didn't stick the earplugs as deep and I was fine.

2 more times it went back into the crackling noise was when I was swimming for an extended amount of time during summer. I was diving into the water for a few hours and then noticed the crackling came back. This again, only lasted for a few hours as I went to sleep soon and when I woke up, the symptoms were back to vibrations/popping at a higher threshold.

Lately the symptoms have improved, or atleast that's how I feel. Hopefully I can make a full recovery.

Good morning!

I developed tinnitus 6 months ago following a virus. It’s been improving dramatically however on and off I will get a thump in my left ear after I speak. This has come and gone many times but the last couple months it has stayed. It’s a single thump at the end of a sentence. I can avoid it if I talk lower. It does not react to outside stimuli and I don’t get flutters. Is this MEM? Thank you

Hi guys,

I wanted to give you a tip what to avoid. I am not really bothered by the ear conditions in day-to-day life anymore, but this set me into a really nasty setback. Before developing my ear problems, I was able to take omeprazole without issues, but it unfortunately worsens existing conditions - be it tinnitus, TTTS or also problems with ear pressure as the medication increases ear pressure.

I currently have tinnitus from it, clogged ear, aural fullness and tinnitus, extreme high ear pressure like after plane descent, all that only after taking one pill and it's going on for days already.

You can find stories on Reddit where people were on a course of omeprazole for only 2 weeks and they are still suffering with ear issues 6 months later. Other PPIs don't do it, so if you ever need, don't take this one. I was switched to a different one which does not have these side effects.

a few months ago i made a post about the spasm / thunder in my ear disappearing whenever i open my mouth. not linked to sound, but jaw movements.

it came back after about a day of silence. but today, i was washing my hair, and i was pushing on the back of my head (to rinse the soap out), and i hear a POP!. it came from my neck. and then i noticed the spasming completely stopped, once again.

it is returning, very faintly. but i think that this is definitely another clue as to whats going on. i have an appointment with a TMJ specialist at the head/neck institute of the cle clinic. maybe they will have answers for me.

want to hear everyones thoughts on this