Cervical/Neck Retraction

I used two splints. One was a hard professional made one in which I sanded down the front area so that my front teeth didn't touch. My teeth have moved a little so it was causing tooth pain so I stopped using it. My other splint was self molded, soft and made so it didn't touch any front teeth. I lost that splint. I did bite down on both the soft and hard splints. I found that a tissue works best to adjust jaw pressure.

I don't think that my sore teeth with feeling uneven on my left side has much at to do with my severe left side ringing. I received dental whiplash thru jaw and neck, but my neck has shown problems since. It can be sore anyplace and I will hear cracking sounds. So I think that the cervical spine as well as muscles is problematic. I also have loss of normal lordosis maybe caused by the dental experience, but I also have disc narrowing, joint hypertrophy narrowing of C4 - C7, spondylosis of C4- C7 plus facet arthritis.

I'm not sure if addressing my neck will help lower the ringing. I'm also not sure on how to treat my neck. To use a soft collar or not and what methods of PT are best.

I think the problem for many with somatic neck tinnitus is not knowing how to treat. There's free shown video exercises for loss of normal lordosis, but not other neck therapy individual therapy videos that help much, at least for most. Most of these videos have a lot of talk, but no video treatment shown for therapy that addresses conditions such as mine or others. There's articles saying 20% to 50% deduction in ringing from physical therapy, but no actual hands on video to support the claims.

80% of those with high pitch somatic tinnitus have cervical neck problems. To be able to address individual neck problems such as joint hypertrophy, arthritis, disc narrowing, muscle tightness or trauma stress and spondylosis - watching a video to receive exact treatment instructions is needed.

 

@Codaz @Dr. Jay Hobbs

To continue from post above, a spilt should give protection between the upper front teeth so that tongue pushing doesn't place pressure on front teeth. So a spilt or guard ban is needed behind the upper front teeth. Tongue pushing is discussed in detail in two books that I've read in relationship to the neck/jaw connection or just jaw alone.

I do think that the front upper and lower teeth should not be able to touch when using a spilt or guard. From front teeth pressure causing loss of bone tissue was the reason why I needed a front lower implant which caused my somatic T. Somatic T is often caused by pressure to the jaw and neck bending causing muscle spasms and trauma.

I really think that lack of hands on video instruction from above other post is why so many with somatic tinnitus have not gotten relief. There's so many non PT treatments that are mostly very temporary in reducing volume. Physical correction to the neck/jaw is needed for longer term health and maybe a reduction in the ringing.

 

Well dental labs don't exist for nothing, and are already 40-50 years open. So why not use a custom made one? They are fully covered by medical insurance and not extremely expensive.

If only I could predict pain episodes then life would be so much easier. Then I would no where the limit would be.

 

@Dr. Jay Hobbs From my linked video above "The Cranio-Cervical Mandibular Connection" and your NCBI link abstract in your response, plus other article links to the right of the NCBI link - may be the reason for many with somatic tinnitus.

From emailing those involved in this study, they are convinced that this connection is the source for many with somatic tinnitus. The C1 -C2 is in direct line to the mandibular. Clenching of teeth with muscle spasms, or forward head posture along with noise to the dorsal system are major reasons for any type of tinnitus and hearing loss.

They say: If there's an anatomic inline which carries to mid distal then there's possible joint hypertrophy, disk narrowing with possible spondylosis and arthritis. Even without neck problems beside the C1 and C2 which plays into TMD, this should be considered the number 2 cause of tinnitus and number 1 cause of somatic high pitch, mostly one ear tinnitus.

So correction of loss lordosis which is a very common problem, is considered to be somewhat natural, except for those with tinnitus. A neck brace and massage also has a purpose along with use of a P-stim. Exercise of pterygoid in an upward motion and then forehead. Plus rotation movements in the atlanto-occipital joint on restricted side. Last exercise suboccipital muscles.

I saw some rapid deduction from a 10 to a 5 for 20 hours. It's not from the lordosis exercise, but maybe from pterygoid exercises, a 40 minute gentle massage focusing on the c1 and c2 and then all other neck muscles. Then using a neck brace. My T is picking up now, probably from forward neck posture writing this post.

 

Well this in a short notice (in bold) is my tinnitus I and my therapists think. Today I had neck therapy again massaging close to C1 / C2. It turned down the T volume but gave some nausea. I'm practicing the forward head position with some excersizes.

 

Great work @Codaz and @Greg Sacramento . I think you are hot on the trail of some good help for yourselves...and others.

 

@ Dr. Jay Hobbs Had the same therapy on neck tonight, then went to bed. As soon as I laid down my T came back with a vengeance. I had almost a complete day with a deduction. So my T raised from the sound of a loud microwave oven back to a car with screaming brakes. I think that forward neck bending behind a computer is a real problem for me.

Maybe I need a real professional neck brace instead of a foam one. I just wish for a small deduction, but with my age related problems within neck as mentioned to you, it's going to take time. I may need more than applying pressure points to the C1-C2 area.