cervical tinnitus

[NJH247]

hi. New to this. Looking for links to experts about cervical tinnitus. TIA

[Happyrosie]

I’m not entirely sure what you mean by cervical tinnitus. If you look through the website of Tinnitus UK you might find something that resonates with you, or you could ring their helpline.

[NJH247 in reply to Happyrosie]

Due to neck issues. Now due to hearing loss or ear damage.

[IndieDot]

I too believe my tinnitus is caused by my worsening Cervical Spondylosis as I recently had an x-ray which showed a marked increase in the degeneration of my C spine discs. I would also be interested to find some relevant info.

[Untold]

Hi NJH. I have Cervical tinnitus. (For those not familiar with this, Cervicogenic T is a sub type of Somatosensory T, not normally causd by ear or hearing issues.)Let me say firstly that I'm not an expert in any shape or form at all and have been looking for someone with some expertise in this field for three years and have so far drawn a blank.

After discovering no issues with my hearing, or middle ear or inner ear after MRI's and CT scan I had to work it out myself. On returning to GP, Audiologists, specialists and consultants etc. and telling them of my self diagnosis they all looked at me as if I was speaking Martian and the usual response was to refer me to someone else, anyone else, to get rid of me.

I had all the symptoms. I woke up in the middle of the night with a loud ringing/hissing that came out of nowhere. Something was going on in my neck, a likely answer being that I was sleeping in a bad position, putting tension on the neck, probably affecting the Cranial nerve which if under tension can usually cause a high pitched ringing, which is what I get.

I've tried a shit load of experts to get to the bottom of this including a private ENT consultant at £400 an hour, an acupuncturist, a chiropractor, an osteopath and a physiotherapist and I'm still living with this torture, no change.

The only positive peice of information I found was a report in the NIH library about a guy, I think in Denmark who saw positive improvement with his Cervicogenic tinnitus by wearing a stiff foam cervical collar for certain periods of the day. I ordered one, it didn't work for me but I'm gonna give it another go as I've got nothing to lose.

If you find an expert to help with this torture, let us know.

Good luck my friend.

Cheers.

Love and silence to all.

[Yoga62 in reply to Untold]

Hi Untold, Thank you for a very good and helpful post, this is exactly what I am trying to get to the bottom of myself and you have explained it perfectly, think I might just show it to Neurologist because they don’t understand what I am trying to explain and just look at me as if I’m crazy.

I have had T for over 30 years and it’s getting worse, have had CT scans and hearing tests which showed no issues, I too have paid for private ENT and saw same neurologist as I did on NHS to which I got same response! , but my neck is so painful and is getting worse, so now you have explained about Cervical Tinnitus it all makes sense, so when I eventually get my ENT appointment through I will be explaining it to them and just watch them have that far away look as if they are not listening!

Thanks again for a very helpful post.

Take care.

[MAC0811 in reply to Untold]

I know it’s pathetic isn’t it - the lack of decent understanding, knowledge and even the bare facts with Tinnitus and Hyperacusis from so called health professionals is quite alarming isn’t it? and its relationship to perhaps other trauma. Like I keep saying on here - they’re going about it in completely the wrong way! They need to be researching into the “cause” and not the bloody “effect” so much!? And this entire condition needs to be properly publicised and properly funded on a par with other debilitating conditions that their are out there like; MND, Alzeihmers etc, and then we might stand a chance of unearthing a decent treatment or even a cure in our lifetime? I firmly believe that the answers lie in “stem cell therapy” and “artificial intelligence (AI)”.

[Jimbob7]

Hi fellow Cervical Injury T'ers.

I fell down an embankment and wiped out my head and neck with severe concussion and whiplash. I awoke later with severe hissing T with morse-code stuff and random blips and chirrups, etc. CT and MRI reveal severe damage to C5, C6 discs and trauma around whole Cervical Web. I also suffered severe hearing loss across very narrow frequency range for which I wear HA's - which have been transformative.

Like Untold - been around the houses of ENT, Audiology and Neurolgy and - actually thanks to Untold - I requested a 0.25mm MRI Slice though the Posterior Fossa region which also showed damage.

Next up I have MSK physio on 27th Jan to determine appropriateness of surgical intervention if relief can be had by pressure points/ etc. and to lock on to further potential MRI slices.

As others have said here - you have to become your own top research scientist - I've been in meetings with consultants who- without any sarcasm whatsoever - have said I appear to know more on that particular branch of T than they do.

Keep going - it's a wierd one - like others I have really quiet days and then really noisy days and we have to learn to roll with that. Being grateful for one and remembering when it's the other.

I tried the foam collar for a bit - I need to try it again for longer I reckon. Particularly sitting in front of desk computer, etc.

Good to know we're not alone with this type of T.

[NJH247]

thanks all for comments. Interesting that not much concrete research but suppose they focus on other stuff and classic hearing loss related tinnitus. Ultimately if there is no cash to be made with drugs or treatments then it goes to the back of the pile.

I also have left side neck pain and have tried physio but nothing works. Was told that the problem is more in my scalene muscles (I think that’s what they are) in my shoulders more than neck. Just piling everything out of alignment. Also have a super tight guitar string-like tendon just below the ear on that side, clicky jaw, and Eustachian tube which seems to be permanently open. All on the same side. Can’t be a coincidence.

I read about the case with the cervical collar working but seems to be about neck instability.

I will keep trawling the web for more info. I have come to terms with it after 5 years and have learned to habituate quite well but still have bad days.