Tinnitus

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Tinnitus is the medical term for ringing in the ears, a neurological phenomenon associated with the sense of hearing. Affected people perceive symptoms as a buzzing sound, without there being any external audio source. This sound is of different nature and intensity, depending on the cause. Researches have shown that as many as 17% of Australia’s population have some degree of tinnitus. In the age group over 60 years this increases to ca. 30%. Tinnitus may occur periodically or chronic. Most people who suffer from chronic tinnitus often also suffer from sleep deprivation. This can affect everyday life in terms of fatigue and concentration problems – which may in turn reinforce buzzing.

Common causes of tinnitus:

  • Muscle spasms in the ear.
  • Damages in the inner ear canal, often on hair cells.
  • Calcification ear canal (close meatus).
  • Ear infection.
  • Underlying psychological reasons such as anxiety and depression.

How can treatment by chiropractor reduce tinnitus?

When tinnitus occurs, most seek an Otorhinolaryngology specialist. If there is no detection of any other cause for the symptom, for example, calcium carbonate crystals in the ear canal, which is associated with crystal ill, there are many who choose to try conservative treatment with a chiropractor.

Unfortunately, there are few and weak studies on the effects of manual therapy for tinnitus, this includes unfortunately also chiropractic. We can not say with certainty that this type of treatment works as effectively as we can with back, neck, and headache disorders. But there are still several hypotheses on why treatment by a chiropractor can help with tinnitus. One of them is interference in the nerve impulses from the neck to the ear canal, providing muscle spasms in the ear. By performing a treatment, including joint corrections of the spine, it will help the brain to communicate optimally with the body again. In a few cases, we have seen that the treatment of TMJ has yielded results. Optimal communication between the brain, nervous system and body is always very important for the body to function!

How does our chiropractor treat tinnitus?

Treatment by a chiropractor seeks to restore the normal function of the musculoskeletal system and the nervous system to reduce pain, promote overall health, and increase the quality of life. Chiropractic treatment will mainly focus on the neck, then research hypotheses have suggested a correlation between neck and tinnitus. When the body is very complex, it is still necessary to function in the neck in the context of other areas. Therefore, it may also be necessary to treat areas other than the neck to achieve results, here the chiropractors use their clinical experience in the choice of treatment.

Our chiropractor will initially examine to rule out serious causes. While finding a reason to treat, a series of conservative treatments will be conducted. If necessary, our chiropractor will then possibly refer to another form of treatment such as physiotherapy, osteopathy, acupuncture, or massage, or to a specialist for further investigation if this has not already been tried. In addition, it is advantageous to remove wax and any other sources of irritation of the ear.

Chiropractors at Chiro & Sports Med have experience in treating tinnitus and similar head ailments and will examine and treat gentle and effective. In cases where it is necessary, our chiropractors consult with Otorhinolaryngology specialists.

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