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) So interesting! Today’s research reports help clarify and confirm the connection of hearing and cervical spine pain issues. Spinal Care Clinic hears reports of improvement in Burlington and Hamilton chiropractic patients for seemingly unrelated things that brought them into Spinal Care Clinic for chiropractic care. Patients are elated! Spinal Care Clinic is excited for them. Let us consider 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 association of cervical spine and hearing has been considered in the medical literature for years and years. In 1994, one author gave a discussion 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) Burlington and Hamilton chiropractic patients recount such conditions occasionally, so Spinal Care Clinic is not shocked 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 possibility 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 say about the connection between hearing and the cervical spine? A connection. Spinal Care Clinic considers this when treating Burlington and Hamilton cervical spine pain patients who have a hearing loss or deficit.

CHIROPRACTIC HELP FOR Burlington and Hamilton HEARING LOSS RELATED TO CERVICAL SPINE ISSUES

Since that first chiropractic adjustment in 1895, chiropractic has documented improvement for more patients with hearing issues. A study of 90 patients who had cervicogenic sudden hearing loss reported that those who had chiropractic treatment in addition to routine medical care improved 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 undergoing chiropractic spinal manipulation treatment. On a scale of 0 (no problem) to 10 (complete impairment), she rated 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 Burlington and Hamilton hearing loss patients could welcome! Spinal Care Clinic is ready for the opportunity to help!

CONSIDER Spinal Care Clinic FOR RELIEF

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

Schedule a Burlington and Hamilton chiropractic appointment to explore how Spinal Care Clinic may help ease cervical spine problems, neck pain and even possibly cervical spine related hearing loss.