According to the American Tinnitus Association, a staggering fifty million Americans experience the constant, noticeable, ringing or buzzing in their ears known as tinnitus. Tinnitus can range in severity from slightly annoying to bothersome, and for a small portion of the population, it can be unbearable. But while there are many potential causes for tinnitus, one such cause may surprise you: temporomandibular joint disorder or TMD. We spoke to Dr. Alexandra George of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania about why TMD and tinnitus often go hand-in-hand and what you can do about it.TMD is a condition of the temporomandibular joint muscles of the jaw. It is estimated that this puzzling condition affects approximately 10 million people a year in America. There is no one cause for TMD nor is there one tried and true treatment. TMD can be caused by any number of things, such as genetics, accidental injury or improper bite. TMD can also cause a wide variety of symptoms, from jaw soreness and tightness to headaches, neck, sinus, and eye pain- and even tinnitus-based hearing loss, which scientists believe could be caused by the TMJ muscles throwing the nerves in the ears out of balance.