Cervical Spine Related Hearing Loss and Neck Pain Relief with Chiropractic
The classic account 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 studies help explain and corroborate the connection of hearing and cervical spine pain issues. Chiropractic Solutions hears stories of improvement in San Jose chiropractic patients for seemingly unrelated things that brought them into Chiropractic Solutions for chiropractic care. Patients are elated! Chiropractic Solutions is pleased for them. Let’s consider this side-effect of hearing loss improvement after chiropractic spinal manipulation.
THE HEARING AND CERVICAL SPINE CONNECTION
Hearing loss is not that uncommon with cervical spine problems. The connection of cervical spine and hearing has been discussed in the medical publications for decades. 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) San Jose chiropractic patients report such conditions on occasion, so Chiropractic Solutions is not surprised at all.
Cervical spine issues can affect ear vessels and/or nerves causing hearing loss, vertigo or tinnitus. Cervical spine injuries can trigger pain and limits in range of motion. The likelihood 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 indication of interaction between the somatosensory and auditory brainstem structures, a pathway linking the cervical spine to hearing function. Researchers are working to define 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. Chiropractic Solutions considers this when caring for San Jose cervical spine pain patients with a hearing loss or deficit.
CHIROPRACTIC HELP FOR San Jose 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 recorded that those who had chiropractic treatment in addition to routine medical care bettered their hearing and alleviated their neck pain effectively after 10 days of care. (6) A case of hearing loss and tinnitus linked to cervicogenic neck pain in a female patient whose hearing and tinnitus were improved after having chiropractic spinal manipulation treatment. On a scale of 0 (no problem) to 10 (complete impairment), she rated her problems a 7 at the start of care and a 1 at the end of 5 months of care. An audiogram was normal, too. (7) These are pleasing outcomes that San Jose hearing loss patients could welcome! Chiropractic Solutions is prepared for the opportunity to help!
CONSIDER Chiropractic Solutions FOR RELIEF
Listen to this PODCAST about how Cox Technic eases cervical spine related neck pain and shoulder pain.
Schedule a San Jose chiropractic appointment to explore how Chiropractic Solutions may help ease cervical spine problems, neck pain and even possibly cervical spine related hearing loss.
