Are Your Ear Problems All in Your Neck?
Meniere’s Disease, Cochlear Hydrops, Tinnitus, hearing loss, chronic ear infections, and even vertigo can be linked to trauma affecting the nerves in the upper neck (lower brain stem area) that connect to the ears. Upper neck trauma can contribute to a variety of ear-related issues due to these neurological connections.
Dr. Michael Burcon of Michigan has researched the relationship between the upper neck and conditions such as Meniere’s Disease, tinnitus, vertigo, and others.
Burcon has identified a connection between these conditions and whiplash injuries that misalign the base of the skull with the top of the neck, creating a lesion that affects the Eustachian tube. Approximately half of these traumas result from car accidents, while the other half stem from head injuries caused by falls or sports-related incidents. Burcon suggests that this correlation has often been overlooked because symptoms typically take fifteen years to appear after the initial injury.
Most patients are diagnosed with these conditions in middle age, even though their injuries often occurred during their high school or college years due to car accidents, sports injuries, or falls. Many patients do not report these old injuries on medical forms, as they have either forgotten about them or assumed they were not significant since they did not require hospitalization. It is possible to experience fewer than the four classic symptoms of Meniere’s Disease (hearing loss, fullness, tinnitus, and vertigo) and still receive a diagnosis. This is sometimes referred to as “atypical” Meniere’s Disease. Some individuals with Meniere’s Disease experience hearing loss, fullness, and tinnitus without vertigo, sometimes labeled as “cochlear hydrops.”
When the root cause of these conditions is identified and addressed, remarkable recovery can occur. However, pinpointing the cause is essential for effective treatment.
NUCCA and Meniere’s Disease
Have you been diagnosed with Cochlear Hydrops, Meniere’s Disease, vertigo, or other ear-related conditions? Have you ever had your upper neck thoroughly evaluated to determine if the underlying cause lies there?
Today could be the day to take the first step toward relief.
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