Could Problems with Upper Cervical Be the Cause of My Tinnitus?

Hey guys, I got my xrays from chiropractor. Definitely seems like my upper cervical is messed up. I have had a few slight adjustments but nothing changed with my tinnitus so far. Only thing to make my tinnitus slightly decrease is pushing really hard under my ear on my temporal bone.

Wondering if anyone has any ideas to help me? At my wits' end.

 

Nate,
I am in the same boat as you. My upper neck is messed up as well. I have been seeing an UC chiro for about 6 weeks now with no change. He has made an adjustment on 4 of the 6 visits. He insists that he can help, but tells me it takes time for the body to heal after years of damage. I can also nearly take away my tinnitus by pushing near my temporal bone or I can also decrease the intensity by looking straight up. I can move my tinnitus from ear to ear by tilting my head in that direction.

 

I just realized that pushing on my temporal bone doesnt reduce the intensity but when I release my fingers it spikes suddenly so I was a bit fooled there. Mine seems to only spike with head and jaw movements. I was seeing a normal chiropractor but I will stop as they seem to not be doing anything to specifically help my UC. Going to try Trigger point therapy as recommended by someone on this site. Can only keep on pushing forward. Cant give up and let this get to me. I dont think my anxiety could be any worse. Wish you luck and I hope the chiro helps. They told me the same thing that it will take time but I do not specifically have a UCC like you do.

 

Let me know how the trigger point therapy goes. I might have to look into it if the chiro doesn't work. Best wishes to you in this!

 

@Greg Sacramento Yes I will be going to a message therapist for TPT as you suggested. Already canceled my chiro! Got high Hope's! Also made this post before I Pm'd you

 

I think anybody who's dealing with upper cervical issues should consider atlasprofilax. Below is a link to the only chiropractor in the U.S. that does this treatment (which originated in Europe). I had it done, with great results. Here's a LINK to some short video testimonials I posted here on TT. -- I found the atlasprofilax technique to be more helpful than the numerous NUCCA adjustments I got.

Dr. Brian Elijah D.C. - Bloomington, MN

The blurb below is at the link above...

AtlasPROfilax®

AtlasPROfilax® is a unique, European technique that moves your atlas bone into its correct and natural position. The atlas bone (or C1) is the gateway from your brain to your body. Your vagus nerve, central nervous system, immune system and digestion function better when your atlas is in its natural position. Enjoy less pain, more energy, range of motion, flexibility, balance, better sleep and moods.

 

Don't all upper cervical chiros try and move your atlas back into the correct place? Also does the neck try to re-align itself in its natural position by itself? … Going to start a different Upper Cervical Chiro this Wednesday, she has a different technique than the previous guy I have seen. Will keep you posted.

 

Is the top photo before your 1st adjustment and the bottom photo after your first adjustment?

 

I think there's about a half dozen different kinds of upper cervical work. I did orthogonal upper cervical for several years, and got a lot of benefit from it. Getting a single AtlasPROfilax atlas repositioning did something that none of the other therapy I'd tried ever did, including the upper cervical work.

Dr. Brian Elijah who does the AtlasPROfilax atlas repositioning--the only chiropractor in the U.S. who does it--mentioned that he has to control himself when he goes to continuing education classes for chiropractic. He says he wants to get up and shout, "You've got it all wrong". I believe he was mostly referring to his perspective that all chiropractic work should begin with the specialized atlas repositioning first.

 

They both were before my first adjustment. just two different types of images. The only atlas chiro in canada is 10 hour drive from where i live. I also don't drive so got no idea how that would work.

 

The cause of your tinnitus isn't from your neck or jaw so why would you even go to a upper cervical chiro?

 

I developed serious and chronic neck issues from a head injury/whiplash as a teenager. I've tried many different therapies to deal with those neck issues for many years, including various kinds of upper cervical chiropractic. When I got tinnitus in Feb. 2018, it was kicked of by an ototoxic drug.

I wondered for a long time whether that drug injured my brain, or my inner ears, or both. I've now got enough evidence to believe that it was actually what the drug did to the muscles in my body that was responsible for a large part of my tinnitus. I noticed right away my neck became much worse, as well as my lower back and right shoulder. My muscles also pulled a slightly problematic knee way out of its normal alignment.

A listing of the possible side effects of the drug included muscle "twitching", but what I experienced was more like spasming. It really did a number on all my muscles, including those in my neck and TMJ areas, which is where tinnitus often originates. I don't know that muscle issues are responsible for 100% of my tinnitus, but I've come to believe they're likely responsible for "most" of it. -- I'd say about 75% or so.

 

Does the neck try to re-align itself on its own? I go to my 2nd upper cervical chiro on Wednesday for my first adjustment. The first upper cervical I didn't like, no one on one time. He had another guy adjust you also, had 6 adjustment tables in a big room and didn't listen to me. I told him I might need an occipital lift and he said that that would misalign me more. He was a one trip pony.

 

@Lane I'm still trying to figure out why my tinnitus is randomly annoying 55% of the time and the other 45% of the time not annoying and very low. When the tinnitus is on my right side, it's louder, when it's not on that side, but on my left side, it's still there, but very low and not annoying.

 

Are you in pain? Funny thing is I'm not in pain, I can just tell my neck and jaw are not aligned or normal.

 

I suspect that in some cases it can. But I've also heard that if things stay out of alignment in the neck long enough, the neck will begin to "self-fuse". In other words, develop a stiffness so that the misaligned vertebrae don't have a chance to move and continue to cause various kinds of discomfort and friction. Pain may actually decrease as the neck self-fuses, but it's really best to try to find a way to get the neck to stay in alignment in whatever way(s) work best. For me, that was atlasprofilax, and I'm now doing weekly physical therapy sessions with a talented therapist.

 

Has did your tinnitus go down since the AtlasPROfilax?? I started a new NUCCA today, she is the second NUCCA I tried and 4th chiropractor. She said my atlas was off 4.5 degrees, I go back Saturday. I will keep ya posted.

 

My tinnitus still fluctuates regularly, but the AtlasPROfilax seems to have taken the edge off of it, and lowered the lower end of my tinnitus intensity. Not earthshaking progress, but a move in the right direction. I've accepted the fact that whatever progress I'm able to make will likely be incremental (and somewhat agonizing ).

 

How many times did you get adjusted?

 

Hello
I am Karine and I am French. I am going to try the method of AtlasProFilax for exactly the same problem on Saturday.

I am the victim of an accident on the public place. My head hurt with a metal post: since that day, I have fluctuating tinnitus. It is very intrusive when I lie down and are sensitive to the pressure of my fingers.

Likewise, I have some little pains without any real lesion being observed (x-ray):
- headache,
- neck pain
- creaks
- palpitations
- gas in stomach

No conventional specialist can help me so I am going to try alternative treatment methods.

 

@Karine Life Note Bonjour Karine, laissez nous savoir comment sa va avec votre traitement

 

No one will ever know...

 

Keep me updated if you can hopefully you figure some good news.

 

@Greg Sacramento UPDATE: I've had about 10 appts now with the upper cervical chiro. She has improved almost all of my problems (neck/jaw) except my tinnitus.

She recommended me going to a massage therapist, what areas should he work on? Any specific muscles?

 

I went to the NUCCA chiropractor and learned that my C1 is off (4%ish). Also my EMG scan shows really long red bars next to the C1 bone. Anyone had any success with NUCCA in lowering tinnitus? I also did my first adjustment today and no change really. I'm a bit hesitant to commit due to the expense and inconvenience, and it seems like it does not lower tinnitus in most cases. When should I expect to notice results? I have very somatic symptoms on my face, head, neck, and jaw so maybe this could help?

Anyone had good results with NUCCA, or at least had their somatic symptoms reduced?

 

Anyone had good results with NUCCA, or at least had their somatic symptoms reduced?

 

I saw a Chiropractor a few times to realign my neck and it was actually making it worse. I am considering Stem Cell Therapy, but it can be very expensive.

 

No NUCCA didn't help me. Got the most help from a normal chiropractor who helped my range of motion to the left and right and slightly improved it up and down. My tinnitus stayed the same... However the last 2+ weeks my tinnitus has been more off than on, but I think (hope) its just going through a bad stretch.