Ringing that changes when I move my jaw or neck
Clenching, chewing, yawning, turning your head or pressing on the jaw can shift the volume or pitch.
Tinnitus is a ringing, hissing or buzzing that no one else can hear. For some people it shifts when they clench, yawn, look down at a laptop, or press on the jaw. It may flare after late nights, travel or a hard week.
Tinnitus is a symptom with more than one possible source, and hearing problems need to be checked first. In somatic tinnitus, meaning ringing that changes with jaw or neck movement, signals from those muscles feed into the hearing pathways. Common sources are tight jaw and neck muscles, a stiff upper neck, and sensitive nerves around the ear. When those stay guarded, the ringing can become more reactive.
ENT and audiology look after the ear itself. My part is the jaw and neck, using dry needling, a form of acupuncture, on the muscles that change your ringing. A tight sternocleidomastoid can crowd the great auricular nerve as it curves around the muscle toward the ear. Releasing that muscle gives the nerve room. The auriculotemporal nerve in front of the ear can also stay irritable. Electroacupuncture, with fine needles near it and a gentle current, is how I help change its signaling. I also work at the upper cervical spine, which links to the hearing pathways, to help calm a nervous system that is amplifying input.
Most people have had a hearing test and an ENT exam, and some have tried medication. Those steps matter, because they rule out hearing loss, ear disease and medication effects. When the workup is clear, the usual next step is reassurance. The jaw and neck muscles, and the nerves around the ear, aren’t part of a hearing workup, so they often go unexamined. Those are what I examine and treat.
I ask when the ringing started, which ear it favors, and what makes it louder or quieter, including clenching and head position. Then the exam:
I work alongside ENT doctors and audiologists. Should anything in the exam suggest checking back in with them, I’ll let you know and pass along my findings.
It depends on the cause. When ringing shifts with jaw or neck movement, treating those muscles and nerves may ease how loud and intrusive it feels for some people. Not every case responds to this kind of treatment.
Yes, if you haven’t had an ENT or audiology evaluation. Get prompt or urgent care for sudden hearing loss, ringing that pulses with your heartbeat, or significant vertigo. Ear pain, drainage or new neurologic symptoms need the same. Ringing that is new and in one ear, or a history of heavy noise exposure, also calls for a medical check first.
I look for change. If the pitch or volume shifts when you move your head, open your jaw or clench, the jaw and neck are likely involved. The same is true if it shifts when I press on certain muscles.
Usually a combination when more than one source is at work. Easing the large muscle on the side of the neck takes pressure off the nerve that wraps toward the ear. Electroacupuncture is added if a nerve stays reactive, and work at the top of the neck if the whole system is on edge.
Normal hearing tests are common with tinnitus. They mean major hearing loss hasn’t been found. They don’t rule out jaw and neck tension adding to the ringing, which is what I examine.
Nobody can honestly promise that. My aim is to ease the jaw and neck sources so the ringing reacts less to clenching, posture and stress. How much it changes differs from one person to the next.
Adults with pelvic floor, nerve and orthopedic pain, along with neurological conditions. Most of my patients come to me after other care hasn't fully settled things. If you're looking for general wellness acupuncture, I'm not the right fit.
We review your history and what you've already tried. I assess the muscles and nerves involved, and you're treated the same day.
It depends on the condition. Pelvic and orthopedic plans usually run 4 to 6 weeks. Neurological plans are usually 2 visits a week for 6 weeks or 3 a week for 4. After that, visits space out so the changes hold. These are typical timelines, not promises.
Yes. I work alongside doctors, physical therapists and specialists. If something I find needs a closer look from one of them, I'll tell you.
I'm an out-of-network provider. You pay at the time of your visit, and my office submits the claim so any reimbursement comes to you. Free benefit checks are available before your first visit through the verification form, and HSA and FSA cards work. I don't take Medicare or Medicaid, though some Medicare Advantage plans reimburse out-of-network care. Full insurance details
Yes. I treat adults, teens and children, though I don't specialize in infants or toddlers.
Yes. Book a free discovery call to ask your questions and see whether we're a good fit.
Dry needling is a form of acupuncture. Fine needles go into tight bands of muscle and trigger points to lower muscle tension and change how the area is signaling.
You may feel a brief twitch or a deep ache as the needle reaches tight muscle. It passes quickly, and any soreness afterward usually fades within a day or two.
It's generally safe with a properly trained practitioner. Needles are sterile and single-use, and I check your health history first, including blood thinners. In New York, dry needling can only be performed by licensed acupuncturists, MDs and DOs. Physical therapists and chiropractors aren't permitted to perform it.
Eat something light beforehand and wear loose clothing that lets me reach the area being treated.
Usually not. Ultrasound helps in a few specific cases, but it hasn't been shown to improve results for common trigger points. A careful hands-on exam is what guides the needle. More on ultrasound-guided dry needling
Dry needling aimed at the pelvic floor and the hip and abdominal muscles around it, for pain, tension and urinary symptoms driven by those muscles and their nerves. More on pelvic floor dry needling
Sometimes, depending on the muscles involved, and you'll be draped throughout. Treatment always follows your consent and comfort. I don't do internal exams or internal treatment.
No, though it helps if you've already seen a doctor or pelvic floor physical therapist. Bring any notes or imaging you have.
Completely. I've heard it all, and there's no judgment here, just a straightforward conversation so we can treat what's going on.
Yes, I treat adults of every gender and identity. After gender-affirming surgery involving the pelvis, bring your surgical notes and we'll decide together what fits.
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Evidence-based acupuncture and dry needling on the Upper West Side. From chronic pain and headaches to pelvic floor dysfunction, Dr. Jordan Barber pairs the highest level of training with care that actually listens.
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