Cervical Spine Related Hearing Loss and Neck Pain Relief with Chiropractic
The classic story of the first chiropractic adjustment by DD Palmer, the founder of chiropractic, involves the hearing return of a deaf janitor after spinal manipulation. (1) Fascinating! Today’s research studies help clarify and corroborate the connection of hearing and cervical spine pain issues. Pure Chiropractic hears reports of improvement in Concord, NC chiropractic patients for seemingly unrelated things that brought them into Pure Chiropractic for chiropractic care. Patients are delighted! Pure Chiropractic 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 discussed in the medical literature for decades. In 1994, one author presented an idea of the existence of a “vertebragenic hearing disorder” that accompanies with tinnitus, a feeling of ear pressure, otalgia and deafness due to functional deficit of the upper cervical spine. He tied 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) Concord, NC chiropractic patients report such problems on occasion, so Pure Chiropractic is not shocked 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 usual in men. (3) Further, there is indication of interaction between the somatosensory and auditory brainstem structures, a pathway joining the cervical spine to hearing function. Researchers are seeking ways to describe the pathway and understand better how spinal nerves like those of C2 (the second cervical spine segment) have an effect on 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 suffer with chronic tension-type headaches and neurosensory-type hearing loss. (5) What does this say about the connection between hearing and the cervical spine? A connection. Pure Chiropractic considers this when making a treatment plan for Concord, NC cervical spine pain patients with a hearing loss or deficit.
CHIROPRACTIC HELP FOR Concord, NC HEARING LOSS RELATED TO CERVICAL SPINE ISSUES
Since that first chiropractic adjustment in 1895, chiropractic has recorded improvement for more cases of hearing issues. A study of 90 patients who had cervicogenic sudden hearing loss reported that those who underwent chiropractic treatment in addition to routine medical care recovered their hearing and relieved 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 graded her issues a 7 at the beginning of care and a 1 at the end of 5 months of care. An audiogram was normal, too. (7) These are satisfying outcomes that Concord, NC hearing loss patients could embrace! Pure Chiropractic is up for the opportunity to help!
CONSIDER Pure Chiropractic FOR RELIEF
Listen to this PODCAST about how Cox Technic relieves cervical spine related neck pain and shoulder pain.
Schedule a Concord, NC chiropractic visit to explore how Pure Chiropractic may help relieve cervical spine issues, neck pain and even possibly cervical spine related hearing loss.
