Originally posted 04/29/2009:

I have posted before about somatic causes of tinnitus (Somatic causes of tinnitus) and TMJ disorders and tinnitus (TMJ Treatment for Tinnitus).   As a follow-up to these two areas, I have been doing additional research on possible jaw and neck muscular involvement in tinnitus.   I know that I have nighttime bruxism and also have TMJ disorder.  However, up to this point, teeth grinding nighttime guards and TMJ treatment have not been effective in reducing my tinnitus to any great extent.  On the flip side, muscle relaxation with moist heat has been one of the few things that consistently been able to slightly reduce my tinnitus.  So, I set out to explore more about jaw and neck muscle relaxation.

To help relax neck muscle spasms, I followed the exercises on the following pages:
 
http://www.pmdi.org/PathakExercise1.pdf
http://www.pmdi.org/PathakExercise2.pdf
http://www.pmdi.org/PathakExercise3.pdf

A very important muscle in the neck is the sternocleidomastoid muscle which is thought to be involved in tinnitus.

For the jaw, the masseter and the lateral pterygoid muscles are important.   The lateral pterygoid muscle is not accessible externally to palpate, so intra oral massage is needed.  The following site gives some instructions on how to massage the lateral pterygoid muscle intra orally:

Travell & Simons' Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction Book Preview

http://www.painclinic.org/treatment-exercises-headneckshoulderarms.htm

A few days after completing jaw and neck muscle exercises, my tinnitus has dropped considerably and been that way for a number of days.  I don't know for certain if the significant reduction in my tinnitus is due to the jaw and neck muscle relaxation exercises as I also have been doing some additional things with my tinnitus such as laser treatment for my TMJ disorder and some new supplements.  However, my best intuition says that it is the muscle relaxation that is helping my tinnitus. 

UPDATE: 05/15/09:  Well, my tinnitus level has returned to its normal levels.  I have attempted to keep up with the jaw and neck exercises, but still my tinnitus has returned.  So, it could have been just a temporary downturn.  However, I do think that the jaw and neck exercises have helped some and I plan on continuing to complete them.