Cervical Spine Related Hearing Loss and Neck Pain Relief with Chiropractic
The timeless 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 reports help describe and confirm the connection of hearing and cervical spine pain issues. Medical Spine and Sports Injury and Rehab Centers hears reports of improvement in Baton Rouge chiropractic patients for issues not always related to the issue that brought them into Medical Spine and Sports Injury and Rehab Centers for chiropractic care. Patients are elated! Medical Spine and Sports Injury and Rehab Centers is excited for them. Let us 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 issues. The association of cervical spine and hearing has been presented in the medical literature for years and years. In 1994, one author submitted 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 conditions 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) Baton Rouge chiropractic patients recount such conditions sometimes, so Medical Spine and Sports Injury and Rehab Centers 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 cause 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 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 found projections from C2 dorsal root ganglion stretching 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. Medical Spine and Sports Injury and Rehab Centers considers this when making a treatment plan for Baton Rouge cervical spine pain patients who have a hearing loss or deficit.
CHIROPRACTIC HELP FOR Baton Rouge HEARING LOSS RELATED TO CERVICAL SPINE ISSUES
Since that first chiropractic adjustment in 1895, chiropractic has recorded improvement for more patients with 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 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 pleasing outcomes that Baton Rouge hearing loss patients could welcome! Medical Spine and Sports Injury and Rehab Centers is up for the opportunity to help!
CONSIDER Medical Spine and Sports Injury and Rehab Centers FOR RELIEF
Listen to this PODCAST about how Cox Technic alleviates cervical spine related neck pain and shoulder pain.
Schedule a Baton Rouge chiropractic visit to experience how Medical Spine and Sports Injury and Rehab Centers may help relieve cervical spine problems, neck pain and even potentially cervical spine related hearing loss.
