'Costen's syndrome'--correlation or coincidence: a review of 45 patients with temporomandibular joint dysfunction, otalgia and other aural symptoms.

Forty-five patients with temporomandibular joint dysfunction, and otalgia together with other aural symptoms (deafness, tinnitus, pressure/blockage and vertigo) were evaluated clinically and audiometrically. The theoretical mechanisms by which aural symptoms may be produced as a result of temporomandibular joint dysfunction are outlined and discussed in the light of the patients under review. The wide diversity in the incidence of additional aural symptoms apart from otalgia reported in the literature is noted, together with the general lack of full objective audiometric assessment. In 37 patients the aural symptoms were directly attributable to other coincidental otolaryngological pathology. Details of the remaining 8 cases are presented. The other aural symptoms of 4 of these patients were also probably accounted for by other coincidental otalaryngological pathology. It may be significant that 2 of the other patients were suffering from concurrent psychiatric disorders. Thus in this series at least 9% of the patients were considered to have other aural symptoms coincidental to temporomandibular joint dysfunction. This is compatible with the relatively common occurrence of both temporomandibular joint dysfunction and aural symptoms in the general population. This study leads us to believe that there is no direct aetiological basis to link temporomandibular joint dysfunction and other aural symptoms apart from otalgia.