Ménière’s Disease
Ménière’s disease, Cochlear Hydrops, Tinnitus, hearing loss, chronic ear infections and even vertigo can frequently be related to trauma to the nerves from the upper neck (lower brain stem area) that go into the ears. Upper neck trauma can lead to a variety of different ear problems due to the neurological connections.
Dr. Michael Burcon in Michigan has done excellent work in researching the connection between the upper neck and conditions like Meniere’s Disease, tinnitus, vertigo and others.
Burcon has established a link to these conditions with whiplash injuries that misalign the base of the skull with the top of the neck creating a lesion affecting the Eustachian tube. About half of these traumas are caused by car crashes and the other half from injuries involving head trauma. Burcon believes that the correlation was not made because it takes an average of fifteen years from the time the patient was injured until the onset of symptoms.
Patients typically get diagnosed with these conditions in middle age. Their injuries most often happened during high school or college years from a car accident, sports injury or fall on their heads. Few patients list these old injuries on their doctor’s admission paper work. In fact, they have often forgotten about them, believing they were not hurt if they were not admitted to the hospital. It is possible to have fewer than the four classic symptoms of Meniere’s Disease (hearing loss, fullness, tinnitus, and vertigo) yet be diagnosed with Meniere’s Disease; this is sometimes said to be “atypical” Meniere’s Disease. Some Meniere’s Disease patients experience hearing loss, fullness, and tinnitus with no vertigo at all, a condition sometimes described as “cochlear hydrops.”
When the cause is addressed amazing recovery can take place. But the cause has to be identified and addressed.
Have you been diagnosed with Cochlear Hydrops, Meniere’s, vertigo or other ear related conditions?
Have you ever had your upper neck thoroughly evaluated to see if the underlying cause could be there?
Today could be your day.
What to Do Next
Dr. Reanna Plancich of Discover Health Chiropractic in Seattle, Washington is an Upper Cervical Chiropractor trained by the National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association (NUCCA). Her upper cervical clinic also serves the Northwest Seattle area of University District, Wallingford, Wedgwood, Montlake and Capital Hill. She is uniquely trained to correct problems in the upper cervical spine (upper neck). This vital area is intimately connected to the central nervous system and problems in this area have been shown to be an underlying cause of a variety of different health problems, including migraines and other headaches, fibromyalgia, vertigo, whiplash and auto injuries. More information can be found on her website at https://www.discoverchiropracticinseattle.com/