Cervical Spine Related Hearing Loss and Neck Pain Relief with Chiropractic

The timeless story 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 studies help explain and confirm the connection of hearing and cervical spine pain issues. Moses Chiropractic hears stories of improvement in West Palm Beach chiropractic patients for issues not always related to the issue that brought them into Moses Chiropractic for chiropractic care. Patients are delighted! Moses Chiropractic is excited 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 uncommon with cervical spine problems. The association of cervical spine and hearing has been discussed in the medical publications for decades. In 1994, one author presented 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 linked 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) West Palm Beach chiropractic patients report such conditions occasionally, so Moses Chiropractic is not surprised at all.

Cervical spine issues can affect ear vessels and/or nerves resulting in 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) Additionally, there is evidence of interaction between the somatosensory and auditory brainstem structures, a pathway connecting 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 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. Moses Chiropractic considers this when making a treatment plan for West Palm Beach cervical spine pain patients who have a hearing loss or deficit.

CHIROPRACTIC HELP FOR West Palm Beach 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 recorded that those who had chiropractic treatment in addition to routine medical care recovered their hearing and alleviated 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 problems a 7 at the start of care and a 1 at the end of 5 months of care. An audiogram was normal, too. (7) These are gratifying outcomes that West Palm Beach hearing loss patients could welcome! Moses Chiropractic is up for the chance to help!

CONSIDER Moses Chiropractic FOR RELIEF

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

Schedule a West Palm Beach chiropractic visit to experience how Moses Chiropractic may help improve cervical spine issues, neck pain and even potentially cervical spine related hearing loss.