Newbie to TinnitusTalk with a Few Questions...

Hi All
I'm a newbie to this site but it looks really great, with loads of information. I've had progressively worsening Tinnitus in my right ear for 2 years now. No real hearing loss but plenty of headaches and a few dizzy spells, been to several doctors and consultants and have been helpfully told that it's nothing serious. The MRIs confirmed that they couldn't find anything so their response has been pretty much 'you'll just have to learn to live with it'. To be honest I was starting to find it bearable after the first 9-12 months but since then every 2-3 months it get's noticeably worse and now is definitely challenging my quality of life.

The doctors still can't see anything obvious though I do have a couple of bulges on neck vertebrae (can't remember which ones). I am particularly interested whether this could be causing some sort of hypertension (as the back of my head always feels pressurised) which could then be leading to the Tinnitus becoming worse. Also one article on the site mentioned teeth clenching which I don't but bizarrely I do find myself constantly pushing my tongue up against my upper teeth so was wondering if that could be somehow involved.

Regards
Michael

 

@Michael Fleming What would ready help is do you have any arm pain?
This would mean that disc material is pinching or pressing on a cervical nerve. If so, C6 is most likely.

I would guess that your bulging vertebrae is C3 - C4 as it does seems that you are having some otalgia from tongue placement. C1 and C2 is more connected with teeth clenching which you don't do and does not bulge.

A CT Myelogram is needed.

Then:
Physical therapy
hot/cold compression
and maybe - steroid injections

 

Yes arm pain in upper left arm and just under left clavicle but intermittent in that it comes and goes week to week. Usually I take some an painkillers and it settles down and is fine for a few weeks but always comes back. I guess my big questions is could this be linked to my Tinnitus and the headaches I have. Thanks.

 

@Michael Fleming Hi Michael Your last response would make sense to what you you said in starting post and my response. I do have two more question before I should comment more. Was your MRI for head and brainstem, and not for your entire cervical neck? Also could you tell me if you are young, middle age or older?

I do think upfront that physical therapy will greatly help you.

 

Hi Greg
The MRI covered the neck as he showed me the affected vertebrae on the images but it was primarily about the brain as they were checking to see if there was anything there that might be causing the dizzy spells (which thankfully there wasn't). It was more an aside for the consultant neurologist to say that you may have a bit of a problem there with your neck at some stage in the future. 49 years old so hopefully that still fits into middle aged category!
Regards
Michael

 

HI @Michael Fleming,

You may want to check out THIS GUY on youtube, where he talks about tinnitus and neck issues.

Also, you may want to check out ATLASPROFILAX.​

 

@Michael Fleming I would ask your neurologist to have a phone conversation with the radiologist that noted your testing. It's possible for some bone spurs to be present, as I though and said in response that disc material is pressing on a nerve. It does appear to be a spinal nerve causing tinnitus and dizziness. It's likely that this is at C6 and this would be why you have upper arm discomfort at times.

There are ways to treat cord compression. Use correct posture. Permission from your neurologist for use of heat and gentle muscle therapy from a therapist with a Ph.d in upper cervical. If this doesn't help then consider discussion with your neurologist for reabsorb injections. All this should help, and maybe close to completely - tinnitus included.

Please stay in touch. All the best.

 

Thanks Greg (and Lane)
Glad I joined this site, extremely helpful to talk things through.