The role of the cervical spine and the craniomandibular system in tinnitus
The role of the cervical spine and the craniomandibular system in the pathogenesis of tinnitus. Somatosensory tinnitus
From: HNO. 2008 Jul;56(7):673-7 Article in German
The causes of tinnitus, vertigo, and hearing disturbances may be pathological processes in the cervical spine - neck and temporomaxillary joint. In these cases, tinnitus is called somatosensory tinnitus. For afferences of the cervical spine, projections of neuronal connections in the cochlear nucleus were found. A reflex-like impact of the cervical spine on the cochlear nucleus can be assumed. The tinnitus treatment concept of the Charité University Hospital in Berlin involves the cooperation of ENT specialists with many other disciplines in an outpatient clinic. A standardized examination protocol has been established, and physical therapy has been integrated into the interdisciplinary tinnitus treatment. For tinnitus modulating therapy of muscular trigger points, local anesthetics as well as self-massage or treatment by a physiotherapist or osteopath are useful.
This is a first post in a new category - Tinnitus. There has been evidence of a relationship between tinnitus and the neck along with temporomadibular dysfunction (tmj or tmd), which will also be a new category in the near future.
