Forward Head Posture and Tinnitus

I have had T now for about three months. Left side, high-pitched hissing which sometimes fluctuates. It is worse during the night. I have a history of bruxism and neck/shoulder pain and they all seem related to my T. For example trigger point self massage to my left sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscle radiates pain all over my head and the first time I did it, it relieved my T for several days.

I have seen physiotherapists and they diagnosed me immediatelly with forward head posture (FHP), which seems to be quite a nasty condition, which can result in all sorts of pains and symptoms. FHP strains for example your neck muscles which then pull back your jaw -> overbite -> possible TMJ symptoms. One article about FHP here: http://www.necksolutions.com/blog/correcting-forward-head-posture/

One can try to correct FHP with posture changes, which is not easy. I for example have started pilates training recently to strengthen my deep middle body muscles. I also do chin tucks, i.e. make double chins and other neck / shoulder strecthes. One can find a lot of Youtube videos etc for this.

Are there any others here who are trying to correct their forward head posture? I think that T has alerted me to correct several things in my body & life, which I have now started. So regardless of my T getting better, I am now fixing other things in my body & life which are necessary.

 

Yes, I also have FHP from bad posture and sitting at the computer all day at work. I'm trying to correct my posture by sitting straighter at work...it's hard to keep my head from jutting forward, tho. I use a rolled towel behind my back (lumbar area). The therapist also told me to keep my chest up when walking, and to try to align my ears, shoulders and hips in a straight line. When I first starting doing this, it felt very unnatural and rigid, and I got a terrible neck ache. I've since become more relaxed and it is easier. Not sure it helps T, but like you said, it's better for over all health!

 

Yep, posture change is hard! If I know try to sit in front of my computer with my old bad slouching posture, my neck cranks up almost immediatelly...

 

I put a rolled up towel under my neck, lay on my back, open my mouth and go to sleep. 9 times out of 10 this keeps my from grinding. I know when I've been 'bruxing' because I'll wake up sore on the sides of my face and ears ringing.

 

That sounds like a good idea. However, I doubt I could sleep like that. If I could, I would probably snore like crazy. Worth a try still. I also find that during the day in stressful situations like presentations etc I clench my jaw muscles and maybe even bite my teeth together.

 

hey @Sound Wave after these few months, how is your FHP going ?

 

I think better. I am much more aware of my head / neck posture and I keep correcting it more and more. I haven't had that much shoulder pains anymore, so that might be a postive result.

 

How the Position of Our Head and Anxiety Responses Mutually Influence One Another

http://www.realwayoflife.com/en/201...iety-responses-mutually-influence-one-another

 

I used to be on a computer most of the day and never found it very easy correcting my posture just from willpower. What did used to make a big difference was exercise. Working out not only for upper body strength, but also 'cos it seems to just 'put everything back in the right place' in terms of posture. I also found breathing deeply/rhythmically while cycling or walking vigorously - especially uphill - seemed to increase my lung capacity and help massively with posture. Sadly I let these things slide a couple of years ago, but I keep meaning to start again.

 

Hey how did you get on with this? I am currently having cranial and am investigating neck problems and correcting my posture. We have similar symptoms.

 

This thread has got me thinking. My T is predominantly in my left ear. I suffer with terrible headaches with excruciating pain down the left side of my head, affecting my left eye, temple, neck and into my left shoulder. I wonder if my T is partly related to bad posture as well?

 

Various exercises and attempts of being aware of my posture. I suggest you visit a good physiotherapist who can give you proper guidance and exercise instructions.

 

@Sound Wave
Thanks for this topic, actually I suffer from bad posture as well and have a forward head posture.
I also have some degenerative stuff in my neck. Have you seen any improvement in your T after you corrected your posture. I also visited a TMJ specialist who told me my jaw and tongue are getting pushed forward...I do feel that I bite on my tongue at times....any idea ?

Thanks, Mita

 

No cure, but improvement yes. If my neck has problems -> my T is louder and vice versa.

 

I have forward head posture, hate it. Some times it can just be a learned habit, but other times there can be underlying problems that cause a person to have forward head posture: degenerative discs, narrowed airway, etc.

 

I have a lot of postural issues with my back and especially my neck and I have taken to sleeping on my back for the past few nights to take the stress off of one side of my neck.

Today my tinnitus is completely different. I'm feeling a little more hopeful than usual.

 

So curious what kind of treatment are you taking for this ? Are you still with the physiotherapist who diagonised you and doing the exercises ? Or going of message therapy ? Thanks, Mita

 

Both, on and off. I have been too lazy to REALLY work on my posture and my neck / shoulder issues have actually gotten worse recently. Youtube is full of great videos how to get started.

 

I notice when I twist my neck sometimes it can have an effect on my T. Something else is weird to me is when I lay on my back with my neck on my pillow it can affect the way I feel.

 

ive had tinnitus since childhood. because grandad had it, i thought it was just one of those things n coped with it. iv'e now made connection its probably due to poor posture n bruxism 30-odd years. a google search brought me here.
I'd like to add im also correcting forward head tilt. i also have me/cfs/chronic fatigue. since feb 2014 ive been pretty much housebound 75% of the time n completely unable to work, often bedbound too. I had to start correcting my posture with cranio-sacral osteopath, ive now moved onto alexander technique and am doing the exercises as much as possible. my greatest success comes from alot of lying on the floor in correct n relaxed posture, figuring out which muscles need stretching, tightening or destressing and applying appropriate techniques. however, as ive corrected my neck, i started to feel i was half-chocked all the time. this led me to discover 'mewing' its a popular youtube trend for aesthetics, but in fact, it's about correct tongue posture. We are supposed to keep our tongue on the roof of our mouths n breath through our nose unless we are eating/talking. (placement is vital, so look into it if interested, it's not easy to get it right for many) This also makes correct head/neck posture 100% times easier for me, though it kills my tongue as it has become weak after decades of resting on the floor. i do believe my tinnitus has reduced, though im also doing mindfulness meditation, which i started at the same time. there's a theory that the ans is dysregulated which i subscribe too. Dysregulated/upset/fight/flight/freeze stuck ANS causes all manner of symptoms if the body has become overwhelmed due to phys/emo/mental stress, incl T, asthma, me/cfs/fibro, IBS etc
Maybe someone else can try mewing n report back if they have any success. When i get it right, i 100% breathe easier as well as correct yet relaxed posture. it's more energy efficient than dragging oneself into correct posture. which is obvs key for me being that my main symptom is lack of energy both mental n phys
Ohh n ive been able to stop grinding now to such a degree that the muscles on my jaw have shrunk, which pleases me as i was very conscious of my masculine jaw, which was enhanced further from muscle over-use by as much as 3cm total, profile view

 

There may be something with FHP which causes Tinnitus, but im not so sure. Many people have terrible posture, dont excercise, eat badly etc - and no Tinnitus what so ever. But it doesnt hurt to improve posture anyway. Im just not sure how much it does/doesnt contribute to Tinnitus.

Peace & Love.