The CuraListic Program Helped My Tinnitus

[Mathew Gould]

Before I started the CuraListic program, I typically experienced around 12 days each month when my tinnitus was not bothersome. After following this program for a couple of months, that number increased to 18 to 20 days per month.

The program involves removing trigger points in the neck using the Backnobber II (approximately $35), massaging the sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscles, and practicing belly breathing. I was able to eliminate many of the larger trigger points in my neck using the Backnobber II.

While performing these techniques, I sometimes experienced pain or sensations in my ear on the same side where I was massaging my trapezius muscle. This is considered normal for the program and is likely due to muscle tightness in that area.

I encourage you to check out the program. It is a nonprofit initiative. Below, I have included the program's website and a link to the Backnobber II.

• CuraListic – Heal yourself: Fibromyalgia, TMJ, Concussion, Whiplash
• Amazon.com: The Backnobber II

 

[Stuart-T]

I am glad you have had some relief from this.

It would not work for me as my tinnitus has nothing to do with any back issues.

I did actually buy something similar last year but had no good use out of it.

Back massage by an actual human hand is very beneficial I have found - but these back self massage devices I find horrible. I can actually do a better job by reaching around my own back and use the tips of my thumbs to get to problem areas and digging in where needed.

But others have obviously had benefits from these aids.

 

[Lilah]

Do your tinnitus volume/intensity increase or decrease when you press on the trigger points?

 

[Mathew Gould]

Do your tinnitus volume/intensity increase or decrease when you press on the trigger points?

Neither. I would get like warm or some pain when I would hit a trigger point because it was deactivating the trigger point or hitting the muscle. My muscle tightness is a lot better.

 

[Mathew Gould]

I am glad you have had some relief from this.

It would not work for me as my tinnitus has nothing to do with any back issues.

I did actually buy something similar last year but had no good use out of it.

Back massage by an actual human hand is very beneficial I have found - but these back self massage devices I find horrible. I can actually do a better job by reaching around my own back and use the tips of my thumbs to get to problem areas and digging in where needed.

But others have obviously had benefits from these aids.

When you did this with your hand, did you feel any sensation in any area? You know you're hitting a trigger point when you feel a sensation in another part of your body or that area.

 

[Stuart-T]

When you did this with your hand, did you feel any sensation in any area? You know you're hitting a trigger point when you feel a sensation in another part of your body or that area.

I only tend to do it when my back feels sore or knotty - and it usually works. I can't remember if I feel anything in another part of the body.

 

[ECP]

For the past two weeks, I have been spending about two hours a day doing self-massage on my neck, shoulders, and upper back muscles. I have been using videos from various physical therapists on YouTube, and it has significantly helped me with fatigue and anxiety. I also believe it has benefited my Eustachian tube.

Today, I came across CuraListic and spent some time exploring the website to learn more. I like what I see so far. The program is entirely free, and while it recommends the Backnobber tool, it is not required. I feel this could be helpful for me and anyone else with a suspected or confirmed cervical neck problem. Even if it doesn't directly improve tinnitus, Eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD), hyperacusis, or other ear problems, it will likely help with everyday muscle pain and stiffness.

I am bumping this old thread because I would like to know if anyone else here has tried the CuraListic method or would like to try it with me. I am surprised this is the only thread on Tinnitus Talk where it has been mentioned. Many people here have expressed disappointment after being treated by physical therapists or chiropractors, but I do not recall anyone mentioning starting and maintaining a daily trigger point routine like the one CuraListic advocates.

One of the main takeaways from CuraListic is that trigger points are not something you fix in just one or two sessions. You need to work on them every day, sometimes for months, before seeing significant improvement. I know that may sound discouraging, but I find it empowering. If you become skilled at identifying and treating your own trigger points, you will be less emotionally and financially dependent on others to manage them for you.

 

[momus]

I've never heard of this. Like @Stuart-T said, my tinnitus has nothing to do with my back, so I doubt it would help. I've had tinnitus for decades, and I've become accustomed to it changing. It goes up, goes down, almost disappears for a while, and then comes back without any clear reason. My approach is all about avoiding things that could aggravate it, which are typically things that are bad for me anyway.

Too many cocktails, stress, and loud noises all make it worse, but only temporarily. Weed tends to amplify it, but the lower powered Indica vapes you can get in places like Mr. Smoke (not the high potency stuff from medical weed dispensaries) do not, which is great.

When I was in Arizona, they fully legalized cannabis. We had a store right down the street, but the potency and the prices were way too high. I used to spend around $200 a month there. Here in Arkansas, though, a $30 vape from Mr. Smoke lasts me an entire month. That is impressive, and so far, it has never caused a tinnitus spike (yet, LOL).

 

[ajc]

I am bumping this old thread because I would like to know if anyone else here has tried the CuraListic method or would like to try it with me. I am surprised this is the only thread on Tinnitus Talk where it has been mentioned. Many people here have expressed disappointment after being treated by physical therapists or chiropractors, but I do not recall anyone mentioning starting and maintaining a daily trigger point routine like the one CuraListic advocates.

One of the main takeaways from CuraListic is that trigger points are not something you fix in just one or two sessions. You need to work on them every day, sometimes for months, before seeing significant improvement. I know that may sound discouraging, but I find it empowering. If you become skilled at identifying and treating your own trigger points, you will be less emotionally and financially dependent on others to manage them for you.

This is likely the issue. It's challenging to stick to a routine for months.

I will let you know if I end up trying it.

 

[ECP]

@momus, I'm glad you found something that helps relieve stress without worsening your ear symptoms.

My tinnitus and noxacusis didn't result from somatic causes, but last year, I noticed that one of my Eustachian tubes tends to tighten up at the same time as the shoulder and neck muscles on the same side. This observation led me to explore self-massage techniques.

On a good day, if I successfully release tension in the affected area, I can actually feel the Eustachian tube opening and allowing a stream of cool air to pass through.

@ajc, most of the self-massage techniques I use involve just one hand, so I can perform them while browsing the web or watching a movie. Since I already spend six to ten hours a day at my computer, these techniques are not really a burden on my time. This is quite different from other forms of exercise or physical therapy, where multitasking is not an option.

 

[RichardT]

@momus, I'm glad you found something that helps relieve stress without worsening your ear symptoms.

My tinnitus and noxacusis didn't result from somatic causes, but last year, I noticed that one of my Eustachian tubes tends to tighten up at the same time as the shoulder and neck muscles on the same side. This observation led me to explore self-massage techniques.

On a good day, if I successfully release tension in the affected area, I can actually feel the Eustachian tube opening and allowing a stream of cool air to pass through.

@ajc, most of the self-massage techniques I use involve just one hand, so I can perform them while browsing the web or watching a movie. Since I already spend six to ten hours a day at my computer, these techniques are not really a burden on my time. This is quite different from other forms of exercise or physical therapy, where multitasking is not an option.

What exactly did you do that affected the Eustachian tube? Did you massage the SCM, or the upper part of the trapezius?

 

[ECP]

What exactly did you do that affected the Eustachian tube? Did you massage the SCM, or the upper part of the trapezius?

Both of those, as well as the levator scapula, scalene muscles, and many others—basically, the entire neck—are involved. It's also helpful to try some intraoral massage techniques for the pterygoids and the tensor veli palatini, as those can help release tension in the ear.

I wanted to post some YouTube links for you, but they didn't work. If you're interested, look for videos by Painotopia (a physical therapist with many helpful videos on self-massage) and Priya Mistry (a dentist who shares exercises for massaging your neck and the inside of your mouth).

Sadly, I'm no longer doing well. I went to physical therapy with an actual physical therapist, and after just one session, I developed cervical radiculopathy from the exercises he prescribed. I was in pain all summer and even had a second episode of cervical radiculopathy when I tried to resume physical therapy.

Later, I got a referral to a physical therapist who specialized in TMJ, not because I had TMJ, but because I wanted help with ear-related issues. That therapist prescribed a jaw exercise that seemed very gentle, but when I went home and did it, I felt stiffness and a trembling sensation in my face, and about an hour later, my jaw popped explosively. So now I have TMJ. I never saw that coming.

I'm still trying to process, both emotionally and intellectually, what went wrong. Since then, I've read that people with whiplash-type injuries are prone to developing TMJ. I can only conclude that the injury to my neck caused instability that extended all the way up into my jaw. I wish I'd never gone to physical therapy and had just continued doing the Curalistic massages and various exercises I found on YouTube. I was actually making very good progress that way.