Chronic pinched nerves can become damaged over time, leading to hearing loss or tinnitus. Typically, tinnitus is a symptom of the condition that caused the pinched nerve itself.
Tight neck muscles may cause pulsatile tinnitus. Many people who have pulsatile tinnitus also experience frequent tension headaches, which tight neck muscles can cause.
The most common way that cervical neck instability causes tinnitus or ringing in the ears is because it disrupts eustachian tube function or if it causes compression of the carotid sheath or carotid artery.
Studies show that patients who suffered head and neck injuries, such as a car accident, or who have neck pain or stiffness for other reasons, such as arthritis, are more likely to experience tinnitus. In addition, nerve endings in the neck make connections in the hearing centers of the brain.
Cervical spine abnormalities can affect the ear vessels and or nerves with different mechanisms. Ear dysfunctions following cervical spine injuries can be manifested as hearing loss, vertigo, or tinnitus.
Performing a series of repetitive cervical movements and muscle contractions of the neck has been proven to be successful in treating cervical tinnitus. The chosen movements should have as purpose normalizing cervical spine mobility.
Conditions including diabetes, thyroid problems, migraines, anemia, and autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus have all been associated with tinnitus.
The vestibulo-cochlear nerve, or eighth cranial nerve, carries signals from the inner ear to the brain. Tinnitus can result from damage to this nerve.
Diagnosis: Diagnosis of cervical tinnitus is by history. It is a subjective tinnitus, that the examiner cannot hear. One must rely on the patient to document a sound that changes according to neck movement.
Because tinnitus can be associated with ear disease, it is imperative that you obtain medical clearance from an otolaryngologist (ear, nose and throat physician) to rule out any health-related conditions that could be the cause of your tinnitus or could be treated through medical and/or surgical intervention.
Neurologic causes include head injury, whiplash, multiple sclerosis, vestibular schwannoma (commonly called an acoustic neuroma), and other cerebellopontine-angle tumors.
There is a point located along the hairline near the temple, one on each side of the head. Acupressure practitioners refer to this point as ST 8 or touwei. In a 2006 study, researchers found that using these two points provided an effective treatment for tinnitus.
In muscular tinnitus, the sound is often described as a “clicking” noise and is usually associated with myoclonus affecting muscles near – or in – the ear. Myoclonus is an involuntary spasm or jerking of a muscle or group of muscles caused by abnormal muscular contractions and relaxations.
In some cases the pressure induced by muscular tensions may lead to tinnitus or hums. Patients describe it as an ear popping and a continuous beeping. Other symptoms can be vertigo, dizziness and in certain cases, tingling in the hands.
Disruptions of the trigeminal nerve caused by neuralgia may also induce or contribute to tinnitus by affecting the vasculature of the inner ear. The trigeminal nerve is the source of innervation for blood vessels around the spiral modiolus and the stria vascularis of inner ear [31, 38].
The pathophysiology of tinnitus is closely related to that of acquired hearing loss, and there is increasing evidence that inflammation may contribute to the pathophysiology of hearing loss [5,6]. Accordingly, inflammation may also be one of the key processes in the development of tinnitus.
With cervical spondylosis – neck arthritis, the bony growths may compress the vertebral arteries, resulting in tinnitus. Typically, a stiff neck and pain aggravated by activity accompany tinnitus.
Tinnitus is often associated with: age-related hearing loss. inner ear damage caused by repeated exposure to loud noises.
Not only can tinnitus be a secondary condition that develops after service as a result of TBIs, hearing loss, head and neck trauma, etc., but it can also lead to other conditions such as depression, anxiety, migraines, and sleep apnea.
Common tinnitus triggers include:
Stress/anxiety. Sleep deprivation. Certain noises. Loud noises and noise-induced hearing loss.
In many cases, chiropractic care can help with tinnitus symptoms; especially when TMJ, head injuries, or neck injuries are involved. In the case of TMJ, also known as temporomandibular joint disorder, it's believed that connections between ligaments, muscles and/or nerves in the jaw affect tinnitus.
Diane says acupuncture can reduce symptoms of tinnitus in some cases. “It's particularly effective for ones that might be associated with hypertension because of its effect with blood circulation,” she points out. “Also, [it may help] pain conditions such as chronic neck pain or TMJ.”
Physiotherapy can help with Tinnitus by being able to identify triggers that can lead you to obtain tinnitus. This will then allow us to help educate and prevent these triggers from occurring to get you back to work, lift or exercise.