Cervical Spine Related Hearing Loss and Neck Pain Relief with Chiropractic
The traditional story of the first chiropractic adjustment by DD Palmer, the founder of chiropractic, involves the hearing restoration of a deaf janitor after spinal manipulation. (1) So interesting! Today’s research reports help clarify and confirm the connection of hearing and cervical spine pain issues. Amelia Chiropractic Clinic hears reports of improvement in Fernandina Beach chiropractic patients for issues not always related to the issue that brought them into Amelia Chiropractic Clinic for chiropractic care. Patients are elated! Amelia Chiropractic Clinic is pleased for them. Let us reflect on this side-effect of hearing loss recovery after chiropractic spinal manipulation.
THE HEARING AND CERVICAL SPINE CONNECTION
Hearing loss is not that rare with cervical spine problems. The relationship of cervical spine and hearing has been presented in the medical literature for years and years. In 1994, one author presented a discussion of the existence of a “vertebragenic hearing disorder” that comes with tinnitus, a feeling of ear pressure, otalgia and deafness due to functional deficit of the upper cervical spine. He attached issues like cervical vertigo and hearing disorders in 15% of patients with cervical spine issues and hearing losses of 5 to 25 decibels in 40% of them. (2) Fernandina Beach chiropractic patients recount such conditions sometimes, so Amelia Chiropractic Clinic is not shocked at all.
Cervical spine issues can affect ear vessels and/or nerves resulting in hearing loss, vertigo or tinnitus. Cervical spine injuries can trigger pain and limits in range of motion. The chance of hearing loss in patients with limited left rotation ability is high. Such hearing loss after a cervical spine injury is more common in men. (3) Further, there is evidence of interaction between the somatosensory and auditory brainstem structures, a pathway joining the cervical spine to hearing function. Researchers are working to find the pathway and understand better how spinal nerves like those of C2 (the second cervical spine segment) influence auditory responses (hearing). They have discovered projections from C2 dorsal root ganglion extending to the cochlear nucleus. (4) Patients who have Kimmerle’s anomaly – an anatomical modification of the first cervical segment (C1) – often have chronic tension-type headaches and neurosensory-type hearing loss. (5) What does this indicate about the connection between hearing and the cervical spine? A connection. Amelia Chiropractic Clinic considers this when treating Fernandina Beach cervical spine pain patients who have a hearing loss or deficit.
CHIROPRACTIC HELP FOR Fernandina Beach HEARING LOSS RELATED TO CERVICAL SPINE ISSUES
Since that first chiropractic adjustment in 1895, chiropractic has documented improvement for more cases of hearing issues. A study of 90 patients who had cervicogenic sudden hearing loss reported that those who had chiropractic treatment in addition to routine medical care bettered their hearing and eased their neck pain effectively after 10 days of care. (6) A case of hearing loss and tinnitus associated with cervicogenic neck pain in a female patient whose hearing and tinnitus were improved after undergoing chiropractic spinal manipulation treatment. On a scale of 0 (no problem) to 10 (complete impairment), she rated her issues a 7 at the beginning of care and a 1 at the conclusion of 5 months of care. An audiogram was normal, too. (7) These are pleasing outcomes that Fernandina Beach hearing loss patients could accept! Amelia Chiropractic Clinic is ready for the chance to help!
CONSIDER Amelia Chiropractic Clinic FOR RELIEF
Listen to this PODCAST about how Cox Technic eases cervical spine related neck pain and shoulder pain.
Schedule a Fernandina Beach chiropractic visit to see how Amelia Chiropractic Clinic may help improve cervical spine problems, neck pain and even potentially cervical spine related hearing loss.
