I’m Here for My Brother — Tinnitus Onset After Whiplash Injury

Hi Everyone, I’ve joined this forum in the hope to see if anyone has experienced a similar onset of tinnitus.

My brother received an electric shock from a fence to his face which resulted in a whiplash injury. Tinnitus onset was pretty much immediate. This was 2 years ago.

He has methods of turning the volume down with certain pressure points or neck positions but unable to find the ‘off’ switch. It’s severity has increased to a diabolical point where day to day function is being affected.

He no longer uses his volume reduction techniques because when he changes position or releases the point it seems to turn the volume up even further.

I would really appreciate it if anyone has had a similar experience or has any contacts that may be able to assist.

Thanks for taking the time to read my brothers story. I am hopeful someone can help!

 

Hi @Zacoli,

I would suggest you and your brother check out an upper cervical adjustment technique called AtlasProfilax. Here's a LINK to a post I made that will get you started. I just saw my practitioner last week, and he said he's had numerous cases of clients' tinnitus improving after having the adjustment done. -- All the best to your brother!

P.S. I've made a number of posts on AtlasProfilax, so if you wanted to explore it further, do a search on it, and then put in my username.

 

Lane, did an upper cervical adjustment work for you??

 

@ Hi Zacoli: I got your notification. Can you describe your brother's body movements when receiving electrical stock? Was his head extended back and forward and did he fall down?

Other questions:
Has he had hearing tests?
A complete physical exam? X rays or other tests of neck? Physical therapy exam?
Blood tests including vitamin levels?
Does he have dizziness? Headaches? Soreness around eyes?
Any shoulder pain?
Does neck crack?
Was his mandibular joint compressed - TMJ?
Any pins and needles on face or lips?
Is his throat sore and under chin?
Is his tinnitus consistent - at the same volume all the time?
Does volume change with any movement?

Whiplash or neck injuries will often affect the mandibular joint, intervertebral joints. Neck - facet joints, vertebra, disc, ligaments, deep fibers, neck muscles, roots and facial.

Treatment is possible, but the above questions need to be answered including amount of known hearing loss before any of us could comment more.

I can understand what your brother is going thru as I have tinnitus from whiplash. Besides all the pain, somatic physical whiplash tinnitus is usually very severe. I will try to provide suggestions for you and your brother to discuss with medical doctors and doctors of physical therapy.

 

Hi @Mathew Gould, -- @Zacoli

I originally had the AtlasProfilax (AP) done in 2007 and got a variety of remarkable benefits. I had it re-checked several times in the following years, and it was always in alignment. When I took the drug Promethazine in February, 2018 which gave me tinnitus, it also seriously pulled many of my muscles and joints out of alignment. I discovered a week ago this included my atlas.

After he realigned my atlas (or "repositioned" as he likes to refer to it), I again immediately noticed a lot of benefits that had dissipated since I first had it done in 2007. Regarding the tinnitus, I noticed two significant things. 1) A very big part of my tinnitus experience has been with experiencing it in my throat (besides my head, mouth, etc.). After the AP, I noticed that it had mostly moved out of my throat (this is a VERY BIG deal for me).

2) I noticed the tinnitus was initially a little louder, but that didn't concern me as the AP involves some deep massage work behind the ears, which is in close proximity to the auditory cortex(s). In the following days, I noticed that the tinnitus seems to almost be "recalibrating". It's moved out of my throat area, and seems to be trying to find some sort of new basline.

Sometimes the volume is a little louder, sometimes a little softer. But the BIG thing is that my body (and psyche) are able to deal with it much better (approx. 50% better), even though so far there hasn't been a lot of reduction in overall volume (just a bit). But it is in flux, and I do believe that once things settle out, that it will settle in at a lower level, especially since I'm also currently experimenting with daily mHBOT and regular intermittent fasting.

I think a large part of my ability to tolerate tinnitus better after the AP is because of the pressure it released from my cranial nerves. I did a writeup on this topic several years ago, which I'll go ahead and paste below in case you would want to take the time to try to get a better sense of the AP.

Just to mention, I think there are other upper cervical techniques that would likely be helpful for many people with tinnitus as well. I have a strong preference for AP, which I feel is fairly unique, VERY safe, and for the most part quite gentle. I've had a number of those other techniques done, but never got the amount of improvements I got with the AP.

Below is my original writeup from 2007:

I went for a walk within a half hour of getting my atlas aligned, and felt like I was walking like a “crooked dog”; the kind that trots along looking like it’s out of alignment. I thought for sure I was doing the same, but then noticed that I was walking perfectly straight. It was then that I realized how I had been walking “crooked” for so many years, and came to accept it as my normal gait.

As I walked in the following days, it felt like my chest and diaphragm were "pulled" up much higher in my body. Even my wife noticed how much “taller” I seemed to be walking as we strolled along. A short while after I measured myself for the first time in years, and contrary to most people getting shorter over time, I was actually a 1/4" taller. Others who have received the AP have reported the same.

Now a bit of the downside: I woke up the next morning with a horrible headache, and a brain fog that was about as thick as I had ever experienced. It felt like I was in a daze that I’d never really experienced before. So I called Michael, and he recommended a homeopathic remedy. The homeopathic remedy helped, but the headache hung on for several days. It was also during the next several days that the heavy dense brain fog lifted.

I also noticed in the following days that I felt much hungrier than normal. When I sat down to eat, it felt almost sort of “primal” as I seemed to dig in or devour my food in a much different way. I felt sort of “piggish” as I ate, but I also noticed that I didn’t really eat more than I normally did. It was just the experience of eating that was so much different.

Here’s what I believe happened. The 12 major cranial nerves exit the brainstem through the opening in the atlas. If the atlas is out of alignment, these nerves can become impinged, and nerve flow to the rest of the body is inhibited. The vagus nerve is the longest of the cranial nerves, traversing through the TMJ, through the thyroid, the heart, stomach, GI system, and ending in the colon. If these organs/areas aren’t receiving enough nerve energy because of a crimped vagus nerve, they’re not going function properly or efficiently.

Here’s my theory as to why some people notice significant improvements from AP, and others don’t. — The opening in the atlas through which the cranial nerves go through is different in size from one person to the next. If the opening is large, the atlas can be out of alignment by quite a bit without impinging on the cranial nerves. If the opening is small, only a small alignment can cause significant cranial nerve dysfunction. — A former NFL football player was temporarily paralyzed from a rather insignificant blow, and it was determined that the opening in his atlas was much smaller than normal, which significantly raised his potential for a serious injury. He promptly retired.

I feel certain most, if not all of my cranial nerves became impinged from a serious head injury/whiplash I experienced at age 15, which corresponded with the decline in my overall health. I am even more certain that at least my vagus nerve was majorly impacted. To have all this pressure relieved from a single treatment felt almost miraculous to me. I can easily see why others wouldn’t have a similar experience, because even if they had a seriously misaligned atlas, they may not have had seriously crimped nerves. The following is a list of improvements I jotted down a few months after receiving my AP treatment in the summer of 2007:
...............................................................

Symptom Improvements since Atlas Profilax Treatment 7-9-07

Primarily Neurological Symptom Improvements

Sensory Overload - 25-50%

Excessive Neuronal Firing - 25-50% (I feel Perque B-12 is very good for this also)

Anxiety – 25-50% (Didn’t even fully realize my levels of anxiety until they lessened significantly)

Vertigo / Neurally Mediated Hypotension – 25-50%

Environmental Illness (EI) / Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) – 25-35%

Cognitive Function / Ability to take make mental notes – 25-35%

Ability to Organize - 15-20%

TMJ (Moderate to begin with) - 20%-25%

Ability to relax – 25-35%

Severe adrenal exhaustion / dysfunction – approx. 25%

Sense of Balance – 25-50%

Sleep – approx. 15-20%

Primarily Physical Symptom Improvements

Physical / muscle strength – 25-30%

Viral overload symptoms – 50-75%

Digestion – 50%+

Generalized Pain and Headache reduction - 25-50%

Detoxification Capabilities – 25-50%

Postural Corrections, from my neck, down my entire spine to my hips, knees and even feet – I can’t even put a percentage on this – A growing sense of wholeness seems to pervade my entire postural structure. My chest cavity seems to have risen. When I walk these days, I feel like I’m almost gliding.

Overall energy level – approx. 10-25%

I feel taller and I am taller by 1/4"-1/2"

Spiritual/Energetic Improvements of Note

Overall Sense of Well Being – 25-50% (I especially notice this when I’m walking)

Greater sense of patience

Greater sense of rhythm

Feel less dense, a greater sense of fluidity

 

Hi @Greg Sacramento ,

Thank you for your response!

Unfortunately he doesn't remember much from the incident; he went from bending forward to picking himself off the ground as he was thrown back onto his bum/back. He didn't lose any conscious but it all happened very quickly.

In answer to your questions;
1. His hearing tests were normal. They tried to measure his level of T but it was higher than they have ever had through their offices.
2. XRAY - mild disc narrowing C5/6 and multilevel minor uncovertebral osteophyte formation
MRI - NAD apart from generalised paranasal sinus mucosal disease.
I completed a physical (I am a qualified physio but not MSK; ICU trained); at the time he had tenderness and tightness in the SCM, scalenes and Cx Extensors. He also had restrictions in Cx movement.
3. No blood tests
4. Nil Dizziness or soreness around the eyes but he does have an ongoing headache.
5. He has experienced shoulder pain but I have managed to rectify that
6. No neck crack now but initially following the incident (approx for 6months yes neck did crack). He did receive treatment from a Chiro where he did have improvement but only for a short period.
7. TMJ... possibly. Normal movement was present but I am not a TMJ specialist and until reading recent literature was not aware at how much the TMJ can impact Tinnitus.
8. Nil P&N
9. Nil Sore throat
10. Yes it is consistent. It has recently increased in volume.
11. Relief (reduction in volume) could be achieved with full Cx Rotation or with sustained isometric contraction of the lateral flexors (resisted). It would increase when touching toes but this couldn't be recreated with a lumbar slump test. He no longer uses these techniques as he finds that when the volume returns it is worse.

Another history to note is that he was involved in a car racing accident back in '97 and 2001 in both cases he suffered whip lash accidents where he did experience unconsciousness for 4mins.

Thanks for your time Greg it is greatly appreciated.

 

Hi @Lane
Thanks for the information. I will do some reading and will get back to you with any questions if that is okay? Thanks again.
Billie

 

Hi @Zacoli I was thinking while reading your reply that I might have some answers until I got to your brother's whiplash cases in 97 and 01. Certain injuries may not cause tinnitus for up to fifteen years. This is sort of rare unless vertebra has been damaged. The mild disc narrowing hypertrophy at @C5-C6 wouldn't be a cause of tinnitus. Even with development of facet arthritis in mid and distal with neural forming narrowing would not cause tinnitus. So with this, I'm going to go with thoughts before reading about past whiplash.

Cranial cervical tinnitus is associated with the ipsilateral dorsal cochlear nucleus. 95% of cervical tinnitus includes the jaw, at least the vertical fibers of the jaw. So both sentences connect. Abnormal function and malposition of the cervical spine has interrelation to some part of the mandible process. With physical tinnitus just one part can effect the positions of many other things. Cervical vertebra has two points of support - teeth and the right dental arch, but it's the left dental arch that causes whiplash tinnitus as when the head collapses forward. When this happens neck muscles spasm and facet joints and sub occipital nerves will be effected. Headaches will happen. As you mention the sternocleidomastoids, scalenes, trapezius and semispinalis capitis will show tightness.

For the jaw area, all your brother will need is some slight gentle pulling of the skin above the adam's apple and digastric treatments. Any treatment on neck (whiplash) will require the jaw/mouth to be closed. One problem with whiplash tinnitus is in trying to achieve greater muscle flexibility, more injury can happen to joints. Source - Surbery 1983. Active treatment as you know can help maintain flexibility for inactivity decline due to age or injury. With inactivity, compression can effect muscles and joints - which can increase tinnitus.

First I would go a neurologist and ask for consideration to check thoracic outlook - nerves, arteries and veins of the neck. EMG for this - or maybe a NCV or SSEP. If the results are good, then I would ask the neurologist if he would approve a program of light gentle neck stretching therapy without weights. This would be for sub occipital and occipital nerve release. It would also slow compression and increase flexibility with any relationship to inactivity. It will help with everything. The therapy that you have given is always important when tinnitus is present. All of this with your knowledge guidance should hopefully lower your brother's tinnitus.

Update: You might what to research cranial manipulation.

 

@Greg Sacramento
Great. I’ll follow up on all of this you have provided and I’ll look into the cranial manipulation. Thanks again. Your advice is like gold to us at the moment.

 

This is the EXACT same thought I have been having for many months.
And the exact same feeling.