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 reports help clarify and corroborate the connection of hearing and cervical spine pain issues. McMurray Chiropractic Solutions hears stories of improvement in San Jose chiropractic patients for issues not always related to the issue that brought them into McMurray Chiropractic Solutions for chiropractic care. Patients are elated! McMurray Chiropractic Solutions is pleased for them. Let’s contemplate this side-effect of hearing loss improvement 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 publications for decades. 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 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) San Jose chiropractic patients report such issues occasionally, so McMurray Chiropractic Solutions 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 trigger 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 common in men. (3) Further, there is indication of interaction between the somatosensory and auditory brainstem structures, a pathway connecting 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 discovered projections from C2 dorsal root ganglion stretching to the cochlear nucleus. (4) Patients who have Kimmerle’s anomaly – an anatomical variant of the first cervical segment (C1) – often suffer with 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. McMurray Chiropractic Solutions considers this when caring for San Jose cervical spine pain patients with a hearing loss or deficit.

CHIROPRACTIC HELP FOR San Jose 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 recovered their hearing and eased 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 undergoing chiropractic spinal manipulation treatment. On a scale of 0 (no problem) to 10 (complete impairment), she rated her problems a 7 at the beginning of care and a 1 at the conclusion of 5 months of care. An audiogram was normal, too. (7) These are gratifying outcomes that San Jose hearing loss patients could embrace! McMurray Chiropractic Solutions is prepared for the chance to help!

CONSIDER McMurray Chiropractic Solutions FOR RELIEF

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

Schedule a San Jose chiropractic appointment to experience how McMurray Chiropractic Solutions may help ease cervical spine problems, neck pain and even possibly cervical spine related hearing loss.