Bilateral muscular tinnitus due to myoclonus of extrinsic auricular muscles

Abstract

The muscular tinnitus due to an extrinsic auricular myoclonus is an extremely rare disorder which demonstrates a semirhythmic involuntary movement of the ear. We report a 33-year-old man with clicking tinnitus caused by focal myoclonic jerks of bilateral posterior auricularis muscle and bilateral temporalis muscle. This muscular tinnitus persisted except for when he was sleeping or breath holding. His symptom responded poorly to medical therapy but was controlled by botulinum toxin type A injection under electromyography monitoring with favorable outcome. Previous reports of this condition and possible therapeutic approaches are discussed. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.