Do I Need a NUCCA? If So, Where Do I Find It?

Ho guys,

By default I hear my tinnitus coming from my right ear OR some other times it's some sort of "disturbed sound" (like a broken TV) somewhere behind my right ear at the base of the neck. My tinnitus is somatic "with resistance". As in, if I apply pressure with a hand to my jaw and let my jaw adjust naturally (rag-doll style to be clear) nothing changes. On the other side if I apply resistance with my jaw (like to counter the pressure applied by my hand) to keep the jaw in place then my T goes through the roof. It does increase in loudness and frequency.

This happens to both ears. Depending on which side I push my jaw towards, I can control which ear gets the temporary tinnitus (which fades as soon as I release pressure).

Also if I just stretch the nerves around my neck (without touching anything) just by contracting the neck muscles, I also get increased and much louder tinnitus. Only to my right ear though, which is the one that has tinnitus by default.

Another area that affects my tinnitus is the area around my ear lobes. This way I can easily generate tinnitus on my "good" left ear/side.

In the evening when I am in bed tinnitus seems to be more equally distributed to left and right.
I also notice that since tinnitus came around, it's easier for me to get a headaches. Not strong ones but they are annoying.

My theory is that left and right ear have the same problem - only difference being that the left ear/side isn't as messed up as the right one, hence in standard conditions I only perceive tinnitus in the right ear. Something must have changed that's causing these problems, not sure what, perhaps a trauma whose effects only showed up long time later?

I am now reading that some drugs can also affect your muscles and joints (yes I got a pill as in ecstasy when my tinnitus came around, go figure that's the culprit.). Then I got very sick with a strong flue and at the same week I had to catch four flights. During those day my T settled and never changed a tiny bit.

After spending a lot of money on Neural therapy and acupuncture, I was thinking that a NUCCA might make sense. Do you guys agree? Chances are my insurance doesn't cover it so I'd like to hear from you beforehand.
Also I am in Berlin DE and here NUCCA does not even seem to be a thing yet.

Many thanks if you've made it so far.

 

Hi there Francesco and welcome to the forum.
@Greg Sacramento thought I might tag you here, this seems something you know a lot about.

 

I've had about 10 adjustments with a NUCCA chiropractor and no improvement so far. Should I know by now or do I need to wait a bit longer to see if my neck is affecting the tinnitus?

 

Thanks @Manny - @Francesco and self have been having conversations that extend beyond this time period.
Francesco

I still think that hypertension and or twisting of neck maybe while sleeping with mouth open is cause. Your MRIs and CTs would have shown any complications. From everything that you mention in your history, it may be that pressure was placed to your right carotid from muscle strain causing pressure to the glossopharyngeal nerve, your jaw and the facial nerve. There are hundreds of articles that discuss main arteries of the neck that lead to your and mine problems. I have read hundreds of them in association to my problems where yesterday I posted my cause of neck, jaw and facial tinnitus. Neck artery flow is complicated as to how it leads to jaw area pain and the face, but I described it in my post yesterday as to how my tinnitus was caused and it very common.

The tympanic plexus is formed by several nerves, namely the glossopharyngeal nerve, the facial nerve, and sympathetic fibers coming from the internal carotid plexus. However, it also communicates with the trigeminal nerve via the otic and pterygopalatine ganglia as well as the vagus nerve via the glossophargyneal nerve. It supplies the mucosa of the middle ear, the mastoid cells, the auditory tube, and parotid glands. – Barral & Croibier, Manual Therapy for the Cranial Nerves, 2009

It would be interesting to see a scam of your C1 and C2.
In this article focus on sections at bottom of article - Treatment and Conclusion.
If you control posture as discussed in treatment and use a mouth guard, your tinnitus should improve hopefully within another year. Improvement within the face and lips should be seen first.
If you need a mouth guard use it and maybe a thin upper one is best that does not cover wisdom teeth.
When not wearing a guard try to keep lips together.

This is just one article on the subject of hundreds, but you should not have any of the problems mentioned as any artery trauma is probably over and would had shown on testing, but you still probably have a c spine and C1 and C2 that is off balanced. I would not get a neck adjustment if an artery was involved.

Read Treatment and Conclusion section at bottom of article.

https://trainingandrehabilitation.com/vestibular-impairment-and-its-association-to-the-neck-and-tmj/

 

@Lilah I still think that you should discuss this with your doctors, taken from a link that I previously posted to you.

The temporal bone studies examined in the present review confirm the aetiopathological mechanisms of SLE - (Lupus) in inner ear structures. Two mechanisms are undoubtedly involved at this level: the autoimmune response, supported by the presence of polymorphonuclear leukocytes in the inner ear and the deposition of immune complexes in the vessels, as demonstrated by the presence of vasculitis in the inner ear and by atrophy of the stria vascularis. An understanding of the aetiopathology of SLE through temporal bone findings is certainly helpful in identifying the most effective treatment for SLE in patients with auditory and vestibular disorders. If we assume that temporal bone findings are an exact representation of SLE mechanisms, it appears clear that corticosteroid therapy is still routinely used for hearing disorders, future research will show that monoclonal antibodies are the gold standard treatment for systemic and specific SLE-related alterations such as inner ear damage.

I know that locally that monoclonal antibodies have been used with Lupus tinnitus and patients did get some relief. Proof is still very limited for others that don't have Lupus. It's very expensive and your health insurance probably won't pay.

 

I went to two different rheumatologists and not much help. They are most interested in my inflammation level (Sed rate) which is slightly elevated which is my normal usually. I am taking the six day pack of prednisolone, on day 2 now. However not noticing much of a difference but the muscle spasms inside my ear have stopped. They said I should check with the ENT.

 

@Greg Sacramento I thank you a lot for elaborating in such detail. I'll go through an MRI in a few days, if you like (and sure I would not mind) I can send them to you!

 

@Gman The tympanic plexus is formed by several nerves, namely the glossopharyngeal nerve, the facial nerve, and sympathetic fibers coming from the internal carotid plexus. However, it also communicates with the trigeminal nerve via the otic and pterygopalatine ganglia as well as the vagus nerve via the glossophargyneal nerve. It supplies the mucosa of the middle ear, the mastoid cells, the auditory tube, and parotid glands. – Barral & Croibier, Manual

Therapy for the Cranial Nerves, 2009
https://mxdoc.com/manual-therapy-for-the-cranial-nerves-2009-jpbarral-acroiber.html
For many, this is cause and treatment of tinnitus. To read both sections would take time.

@jeas
Sinuses
The mucosa of the sinuses is very sensitive
and reactive. It is the cranial nerves that
provide its sensitivity. And here too, without
prejudice, we detect the hand of the trigeminal
nerve. With its three branches, it innervates
the frontal, sphenoidal, ethmoidal and
maxillary sinuses.

@Francesco Yes please send.

 

@Greg Sacramento I've uploaded what i have so far. MRI of my TMJ and xray of my spine. Had to zip the entire content of the CDs, meaning you have to unzip and launch the viewer

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1qnxfcOPKnGmHq942Bq550pkRCLnjtrSb?usp=sharing

Hope to hear from you soon