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 return of a deaf janitor after spinal manipulation. (1) Fascinating! Today’s research reports help clarify and confirm the connection of hearing and cervical spine pain issues. Executive Chiropractic of Iowa hears stories of improvement in West Des Moines chiropractic patients for issues not always related to the issue that brought them into Executive Chiropractic of Iowa for chiropractic care. Patients are thrilled! Executive Chiropractic of Iowa is ecstatic for them. Let’s contemplate this side-effect of hearing loss recovery after chiropractic spinal manipulation.
THE HEARING AND CERVICAL SPINE CONNECTION
Hearing loss is not that unusual with cervical spine problems. The connection of cervical spine and hearing has been discussed in the medical literature for decades. 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 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) West Des Moines chiropractic patients recount such conditions sometimes, so Executive Chiropractic of Iowa 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 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) Additionally, there is indication of interaction between the somatosensory and auditory brainstem structures, a pathway linking the cervical spine to hearing function. Researchers are seeking ways to define 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 variant 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. Executive Chiropractic of Iowa considers this when treating West Des Moines cervical spine pain patients who have a hearing loss or deficit.
CHIROPRACTIC HELP FOR West Des Moines 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 underwent 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 linked to 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 graded her issues 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 pleasing outcomes that West Des Moines hearing loss patients could welcome! Executive Chiropractic of Iowa is up for the opportunity to help!
CONSIDER Executive Chiropractic of Iowa FOR RELIEF
Listen to this PODCAST about how Cox Technic eases cervical spine related neck pain and shoulder pain.
Schedule a West Des Moines chiropractic visit to experience how Executive Chiropractic of Iowa may help ease cervical spine problems, neck pain and even possibly cervical spine related hearing loss.
