NUCCA Chiropractor for Tinnitus — Experiences and Questions

Hello fellow Tinnitus Talk people. At the suggestion of a member on this forum, I decided to check out a NUCCA/upper cervical/upper atlas chiropractor. I had seen a regular chiropractor many months ago, but it was a waste of time and money, tinnitus never changed, but my back feels great though. I’m probably chasing a dragon here, but since tinnitus is the symptom/not the disease as I’m always told, I’m always searching for some treatment to hopefully do… something.

Has anybody here ever had any experience with a NUCCA specific chiropractor? What can be expected of the adjustments, vs. a regular chiropractor? Good/bad experience? Am I just throwing time/cash away as before? I believe my tinnitus is head injury related..

I did go for an intake and examination session. The NUCCA chiropractor did have interesting things to say relating to tinnitus, but being the permanent cynic I am, I take everything with a grain of salt.

I will say the gentleman that examined me was extremely sympathetic to my tinnitus plight, refreshing compared to the dismissive ENT I had last month. The exam was extremely thorough, way more than any regular chiropractor I’ve been to. He emphasized that NUCCA is very different from regular chiro, and if I’m taking that based on the exam, he’s probably right. After all of the tests and x-rays, it was determined the left side of my body/upper cervical area is out of balance compared to the right side, which possibly creates the tinnitus as the tinnitus is dominant (very dominant) on the right side of my head/ear.

The guy seemed confident, a little too confident, that he could help me (exact words: "We can definitely help you Mr. Carzatto). I understand this is a business as well, not part of Canada's public health insurance. I’m at the point where I am sort of habituated to my tinnitus, sleeping is no issue, and my anxiety has been quite low lately; much progress made compared to February. I have my ups and downs, but who doesn't?

Anyways, sorry for the rambling, anyone with NUCCA experience, I’d love to hear what you have to say. Bless y’all!

 

Going to see a chiropractor to I've seen him before I don't think it's anything to do with the neck ENT doctor telling me it's all in ears and the Brain don't know what to try anymore

 

I had good experiences, listed many places on this site - by having postural issues worked on.

 

I am visiting one tomorrow for my first treatment. He did x-rays and my spine and atlas are totally unaligned. I am willing to try anything.

 

@RonnieCarzatto
Hello, I am pretty sure that I chatted with you a couple of months ago. Any progress with the NUCCA chiropractor?

 

@ChrisfromCanada
I hope he or she is able to help you, Chris.

 

@Sonic17 Hey, I went regularly, for a good solid 3 months, no change to tinnitus.

 

@RonnieCarzatto "The exam was extremely thorough, way more than any regular chiropractor I’ve been to. He emphasized that NUCCA is very different from regular chiro, and if I’m taking that based on the exam, he’s probably right. After all of the tests and x-rays, it was determined the left side of my body/upper cervical area is out of balance compared to the right side, which possibly creates the tinnitus as the tinnitus is dominant (very dominant) on the right side of my head/ear."

My NUCCA said that my left side of my body/upper cervical area is out of balance compared to my right side. For me, this is due to my left leg being shorter than my right.

The NUCCA that I went to has appeared on The today Show and other TV programs, but his treatment didn't help me. I have loud somatic T from dental trauma that can be in both ears and head, but often more so in my left ear.

When going to bed, my entire head turns into a sonic electrical blast. So I'm in and out of bed several times a night. I also place pressure on my teeth and gum on my left side, but my gums on that side will swell in minutes without pressure when laying down. I have several mouth guards, soft and hard. One is a professional guard and others I molded in particular ways. They don't help, so I'm training myself thru the TMJ Healing Plan. I don't think that my mouth problem effects my T. It's my neck.

I've watched all the many cervical area therapy videos and tried many of the techniques. None seem to help over the entire summer and fall. Recently I talked to a doctor that specializes in body motion. She felt that massage for the neck is best for a beginning point of therapy. She said when one side of the neck is off balance which often is, it's a problem where cervical manipulation can be useless or dangerous.

She pointed out several massage techniques and they do temporary work. My tinnitus will go up right after the massage that my wife was trained to do, but within a few hours my T will drop for a few hours. The massaging is gentle touching in circular motions beyond the ears, mostly on the unbalance side with up with down movements on the back and sides of neck. Then light touch starting from the back side of the top of the head to the about C2. One massage period is 20 minutes.

She also said to move to sleeping on the back as soon as possible after laying down. I like to start off laying on my sides. Use one pillow with support under the neck. To drink plenty of fluids during the day.

 

I was wondering how it went. I think massage and exercising the muscles is the best way. I did chiro for about 3 months. He got my neck back in place, but I think it left my muscles worse off. Finding a smart massage therapist was the best thing for me. My tinnitus started from a neck injury, then got worse when my jaw re-popped out. I notice my muscles are what really makes my tinnitus crazy.

 

@Shera There's posts on this forum and elsewhere where neck surgery has cured tinnitus, but for many of us massage and soft exercising may help. I have several conditions including loss of normal lordosis due to muscle spasms and pain. Plus spondylosis. Common conditions like this can cause joint hypertrophy and facet arthritis. With this most of the time soft tissues are within normal limits even with narrowing of C4 thru C7.

The massage techniques that I mention above helped a little today for a short period of time with a lowering from 10 to 8.5. For the exercises to give real benefit, I need to get back into the soft exercises in the link below. These exercises could help anyone with tinnitus. It's not a cure, but I will take anything. B12 injections is very important for those with neck problems. @Sonic17 Thank you for your notice and kindness, it's appreciated to my present small world.

https://www.epainassist.com/back-pain/upper-back-pain/cervical-lordosis

 

I just had my 2nd appointment today and so far my tinnitus is still the same. He says my neck is misaligned and he wants to see me 2 times a week for 5 weeks. Has anyone had any good experience with NUCCA?

 

I wouldn't do NUCCA. Chiropractors can cause more damage than help.

It never helps anyone's tinnitus.

 

They "supposedly" help with tinnitus. But now I think it is just a lie. Do you think my spike will go down?

 

Hi. I've had severe tinnitus since 2015. My left ear was always the worst one with multiple tones. My right ear was always the one that felt plugged up and had a whooshing sound whenever I moved my head or laid in bed.

Well I've been seeing a NUCCA chiropractor for a couple of weeks now and the plugged up feeling and whooshing sound in my right ear is gone.

But I'm having a new tone. It's like a high pitched sound. It's not as loud as my left ear and it's not there all day.

Will this be a permanent tone or does it mean my right ear is healing from the NUCCA chiropractor?

 

Fact: Nobody has a magic 8-ball and can tell you if it's permanent or not.
Fact: It's always good news when a tinnitus tone isn't there all day long.
Fact: NUCCAs are, generally speaking, scammers, I doubt they are doing anything positive for you, especially for tinnitus.
Fact: You have no other recourse but let time do its magic. Either you get better, stay the same, or get worse.

 

That's just an absolutely untrue, irresponsible statement, and does a disservice to forum members who might think you actually might know what you're talking about.

 

I can say you are wrong from personal experience. In fact the chiropractor is the ONLY thing I have found to give relief from this tormented hell thus far. I do believe however I have some weird shit going on, but if it helps. One thing that for sure won't help is wasting money with an ENT.