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, details the hearing restoration of a deaf janitor after spinal manipulation. (1) Fascinating! Today’s research studies help describe and confirm the connection of hearing and cervical spine pain issues. Apple Country Chiropractic hears stories of improvement in Williamson chiropractic patients for seemingly unrelated things that brought them into Apple Country Chiropractic for chiropractic care. Patients are elated! Apple Country Chiropractic is pleased for them. Let us reflect on this side-effect of hearing loss improvement 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 considered in the medical literature for years and years. 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 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) Williamson chiropractic patients recount such problems on occasion, so Apple Country Chiropractic is not surprised at all.

Cervical spine issues can affect ear vessels and/or nerves bringing about hearing loss, vertigo or tinnitus. Cervical spine injuries can cause 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 indication 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) have an effect on auditory responses (hearing). They have found 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. Apple Country Chiropractic considers this when making a treatment plan for Williamson cervical spine pain patients who have a hearing loss or deficit.

CHIROPRACTIC HELP FOR Williamson 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 improved their hearing and alleviated 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 having chiropractic spinal manipulation treatment. On a scale of 0 (no problem) to 10 (complete impairment), she graded her problems a 7 at the start of care and a 1 at the conclusion of 5 months of care. An audiogram was normal, too. (7) These are gratifying outcomes that Williamson hearing loss patients could embrace! Apple Country Chiropractic is up for the opportunity to help!

CONSIDER Apple Country Chiropractic FOR RELIEF

Listen to this PODCAST about how Cox Technic alleviates cervical spine related neck pain and shoulder pain.

Schedule a Williamson chiropractic visit to experience how Apple Country Chiropractic may help relieve cervical spine problems, neck pain and even potentially cervical spine related hearing loss.