Could Cervical Disc Herniation Be Causing My Tinnitus?

[hans01]

@just1morething From my blood work, I noticed that I had too much B6 and B12. Too much B6 can cause muscle spasms and a sore neck. I wasn't taking a B12 and B6 pill. I was getting lots of B6 from a water drink. I need more A & D - they complete for absorption. I must take E and C together. I must take magnesium and zinc together. Hopefully these adjustments will help with nerve deafness and osteoarthritis (wear and tear history).

https://www.ehealthme.com/ds/vitamin-b6/muscle-spasms/

Same for me Greg, but only with B6, but I remember right before my burnout two years ago I took a lot of magnesium, which had B6 as well, but didn't realize the B6 was so dangerous, and now I have waaay too much in my blood and hard to get it out. Each time I eat too much meat, fish, bananas, or any product with lots of B6 in it, I have major muscle issues, close to fibromyalgia, but it's actually the B6 and this all worsens the T experience. That said, I have been tested with too low vit D, and each time I take this vitamin it also seems to worsen the situation, not easy, why in hell the do add so much B6 in all supplements while it's actually a dangerous and neurotoxic vitamin in large amounts, much smaller then what they say, and we have tons of it in our food already.

 

[Greg Sacramento]

@hans01 Neurosurgeon. A nerve conduction velocity test is done beforehand. A NCV is an electrical diagnostic test done with electrodes. EMG should be done with the NCV to check for pinched nerves or damage nerves. Many times these tests are done at the neuro's office.

 

[just1morething]

Article talks about blood pressure and tinnitus, neck trauma etc.
https://hearinginfo.net/blog/blood-pressure-and-tinnitus

 

[Greg Sacramento]

@just1morething The link above that you provided is important information for us older ones. Blood vessel disorders, malformation of capillaries, arteriovenous malformation and turbulent blood flow with older people and having tinnitus is somewhat common. I haven't had all these non chamber tests done yet, but I'm scheduled. There are treatments that includes drugs and exercise where many have been seen improvement with the ringing.

 

[just1morething]

I've talked to these people before and even had injections into my neck by a prolotherapy doctor closer by than Chicago. They all seem to charge a lot of money with no guaranteed results.
https://www.caringmedical.com/cervical-neck-pain/

 

[hans01]

@hans01 Neurosurgeon. A nerve conduction velocity test is done beforehand. A NCV is an electrical diagnostic test done with electrodes. EMG should be done with the NCV to check for pinched nerves or damage nerves. Many times these tests are done at the neuro's office.

Thanks Greg!

 

[just1morething]

I've talked to these people before and even had injections into my neck by a prolotherapy doctor closer by than Chicago. They all seem to charge a lot of money with no guaranteed results.
https://www.caringmedical.com/cervical-neck-pain/

@Greg Sacramento - What do you think of prolotherapy? I have symptoms consistent with their descriptions. My tinnitus is horrible today but I ate green olives last night (salty) and also some other things with MSG probably in them.. It is a solid high pitched noise. Thanks.

A closer prolotherapy Dr. than Chicago or Fort Meyers, FL
https://www.tcpaindoctor.com/prolotherapy-injection-fears/

Sounds interesting:
https://www.caringmedical.com/chronic-pain/digital-motion-x-ray/

Was to this Dr. years ago for prolotherapy:
It didn't seem to help my noise (really hurt though) Unsure if he went as high as C1-C2 levels.
http://drmarkwheaton.com/

 

[just1morething]

This Dr. doesn't recommend prolotherapy: (maybe prolotherapy Dr.'s do it for the money?)

Dr. Corenman
Moderator
February 12, 2013 at 8:05 am
Post count: 5597
#7988


I do not endorse prolotherapy in the cervical spine, especially the upper cervical spine due to the potential risk of injury to the spinal cord and/or vertebral arteries.

Dr. Corenman

 

[Greg Sacramento]

@just1morething Thanks for the information. We had a few cases of patients being admitted as an emergency after getting prolotherapy. This was due to injury to the spinal cord and maybe arteries. These are situations that happened 8 or more years ago, as I retired 8 years ago. I don't believe that the procedure is any safer now than it was 8 years ago. Only highly qualified doctors should perform this treatment.

From your links, Digital Motion X Ray (DMX) is an superior imaging test, but not many imaging centers offer that. Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) is a remarkable treatment and could be used for many with tinnitus. Circulation, blood flow and lack of oxygen not being properly carried within all systems within the body is the main cause of tinnitus.

My tinnitus neuro believes that many with tinnitus with proper team medical treatment could see their tinnitus lowered. Physical related tinnitus for sure. He said that only the rich living in status areas that can afford to pay out of pocket or have elite insurance and private doctors get the proper needed treatment. No ENT or any tinnitus treating doctor is going to established an expressive treatment plan for those without money and status.

Besides that, doctors that treat tinnitus for us small people are not qualified. I would have to travel long distances to LA, New York or Boston to get the assistance that I need for my physical somatic tinnitus. I can't travel. It would also be very expensive and since I don't work for Face Book, Apple or some power firm, I would have to pay bundles of cash out of pocket.

 

[just1morething]

Circulation, blood flow and lack of oxygen not being properly carried within all systems within the body is the main cause of tinnitus.

I would suppose exercise, better posture, and a healthier diet would help considerably. I need to improve in all those areas, as well as less stress. Easier said than done, but I will make a effort. Thanks for your detailed information.

 

[just1morething]

@just1morething We had a few cases of patients being admitted as an emergency after getting prolotherapy. This was due to injury to the spinal cord and maybe arteries.

I'm not sure if I should look into prolotherapy with the risks? I'm a bit desperate atm and need some hope though. I've had a bad neck for quite some time and thought it offered hope. My noise has not let up today at all. Maybe I should try to get xanax prescribed? I have some diazepam is all. I know Kevin Hogan recommended xanax. I would like some short term relief so I can think more clearly. I guess a break from the forum might be a good idea.

 

[just1morething]

Talked to someone at Caring Medical today. He said to wear a soft neck collar for 2 weeks and see if that helps your tinnitus. Possibly get a DMX done also. Pricing seems incredibly high for injections.

 

[just1morething]

Seen a ENT yesterday. I think he is 84 years old. He seemed nice but forgot to clean wax out of my left ear. He said there was no connection with my neck and tinnitus. He did prescribe Serax for anxiety. Not sure what to think now.

I am going to see a new TMJ Doctor, but it won't be until January unless there is a cancellation. My loud hissing is terrible atm. I may try Serax when I get it filled.

 

[just1morething]

There must be a neck connection in some cases of tinnitus....maybe indirectly through muscle spasms and possibly affecting TMJ. I fell asleep and woke up with a solid noise which is better than a static hiss which I had earlier. My neck doesn't feel weak and sore anymore after the rest.

 

[Greg Sacramento]

@just1morething All I can say is that I know in my case that I have somatic cervical neck tinnitus from muscles spasms of forward head and neck bending. I went to a specialist in my medical group and he didn't know anything about tinnitus, never mind somatic tinnitus. He offered meditation instead of muscle, c spine and blood flow testing that I thought was going to offered.

All the other health groups in my area have somatic cervical neck tinnitus specialists. Their practice is busy in this area. I can't see these other specialists because I'm not a member of their patient medical group. I can't get a referral or even pay cash to them.

 

[Greg Sacramento]

@hans01 @Gman @just1morething @Sonic17

I can't live like this anymore. I decided that I'm going to do 22 Atlas cranial treatments with a doctor after my dental surgery. What made me not carry this out after consultation is the risk of stroke - age - heart disease. The other thing was the loudness of the table being dropped during a demo. I recently talked to 5 of his clients and 3 said that their T is 90% gone and that they had blasting high pitch T. One only had a 25% improvement. The other had a 50% improvement who got T from ear syringing 10 years ago, which was my first onset before the dental whiplash.

Muscle therapy just has not been working. Trying to place a curve back isn't working or it will take forever. My neck only cracks a little now, but I still think that lower C nerves need tension taken off them. After a few adjustments, I'll get motion x rays and a MRA. I may be doing just another idiot thing, but I'm an idiot anyways.

How is everyone doing? Have you seen improvement?

 

[just1morething]

How is everyone doing? Have you seen improvement?

I have small/medium amount of static hissing mainly left ear. I did a lot of Dr. Mandell's ear lobe pulling and and valsalva plus EarPopper. Drained a lot of mucus. I was horrible yesterday so maybe it stirs things up quite a bit doing those 2-3 things? I'm going to TMJ clinic tomorrow for impressions for new appliance and cold laser, electrical stimulation, etc. I hope you have some great improvement @Greg Sacramento and keep us updated.

I think T more likely from TMJ disorder than neck personally. Of course my opinion is free for a reason. If it's inner ear of course not much you can do. Last ENT said tinnitus was a million miles away from neck. HF hearing loss caused. I ran out of Vanilla Coke so trying Vanilla Zero. Aspertame in that may cause spike.

 

[just1morething]

but I'm an idiot anyways.

No, well then I'm a dumber idiot than you. You just want relief like us all.

 

[just1morething]

@Greg Sacramento, Talks about dental and jaw:

http://positivemed.com/2015/06/01/jaw-pain-the-symptoms-and-treatments/

http://www.tmj.org/site/page?pageId=272

 

[Greg Sacramento]

@just1morething It's Tommy's fault. I think there's a lot of dentist named Tommy, but of course they will say I didn't do anything. I think @Bill Bauer said that he paid his dentist an extra $400 to takes brakes from drilling, but he still had to remind him of that.

This Dr. doesn't recommend prolotherapy: (maybe prolotherapy Dr.'s do it for the money?)

Yes, unfortunately that is another area where a professional can mess you up. To save this so beautiful wonderful informative thread from being one of those defensive scary disasters, we just must do our homework before receiving treatment.

That would be finding a caring dentist that doesn't work at the speed of a mad scientist and that's as gentle as possible. Not getting your ears syringed by a tech or having the procedure done by the old method of using loud forceful pressure. Not to have the threatening ear tests just after an acoustic shock. To always have an X ray before first starting neck therapy and to consider a CT if your neck hurts away from the c spine. To have a list of extremely non friendly tinnitus drugs in your wallet or purse in case you ever end up in the ER or hospital. All these no no's happened to me, except not getting neck testing beforehand.

I remember that Columbo episode just1morething. It's too bad we're not always as wise as Lieutenant Columbo. We're just human, so no kicking thyself.

 

[just1morething]

remember that Columbo episode just1morething. It's too bad we're not always as wise as Lieutenant Columbo. We're just human, so no kicking thyself.

Yeah it was " an exercise in fatality" with Robert Conrad. He doesn't have the best health after his car accident in 2003 I believe.

 

[Dilshaad]

@Greg Sacramento hello... I have mild bulge disc at C4 and C5 and diffused bulge disc at L5 for lumbar as shown by MRi cervical spine and MRI lumbar spine. I had bad posture, neck, shoulder pain since two years.

Could this give me tinnitus. I have observed that my tinnitus is on the right side if the right side pain. It is on the left side if my left side pain. It goes hand in hand. I have no hearing loss. Please advise.

Thank you for helping.
Kind regards
Dilshaad

 

[Greg Sacramento]

@Dilshaad I see that you used antibiotics for otitis media. I received a L5 lumbar diffused bulging disc 5 years before tinnitus. This can mess with walking posture which then can mess with shoulders and neck muscles. From this muscles spasms can pressure nerve bundles that surround the ears.

Could you give me time dates:
Date that you think L5 bulging disc happened? Was it from lifting or accident?
Date that you received tinnitus?
Date that you ended antibiotics?

Do you have TMJ?

 

[Dilshaad]

@Greg Sacramento thanks for replying.

It starts like this:

I had jaw pain for some 4 years now. It started some 4 years ago. I was told it was wisdom teeth that caused that. Had it removed but pain continues. Then had splint. And was well. No jaw pain. But pain restarted after some 9 months to 1.5 years. Had some little unbothered noise for some seconds..which I did not care about at that time.
2. Had flu may 2016 and considerable stress at work.. had to fly. So flied with flu and ears closed. When back to home country, had ear pain. Doc said otitis media gave me Augmentin and a high dose of Ibuprofen. Then tinnitus started and never stopped.
3. Had also changed seating places at work since february 2016. Could not find a good sitting posture at work since Feb 2016. Had pain one side of body from neck to toe.
4. Pain continued these 2 years. Had an MRI cervical spine done 2 years ago in 2016 when pain started. Showed mild cervical disc bulge
5. Also had respiratory problem. One nose blocked. Had ct scan done two weeks ago.. showed deviated spectrum and bone spur in the right nos..had septoplasty two weeks ago. Now able to breathe well. But no change in tinnitus.
6. One week ago has lumbar spine mri done. Showed disc bulge to the right. Doc advised to do percutaenous disc surgery and epidural injection in neck. Which i did. But my legs are weak than before. My pain still here.

All pain was on right side. I even have eye floaters more apparent on the right side.

But when left shoulders and left neck pain..then tinnitus in the left.

I do not know. I feel lose. ENT cannot help. I am somehow sure that the tinnitus and eye floaters are linked to my pain in neck shoulder and lumbar. But how to make doctors understand...

Sorry for long post

 

[Greg Sacramento]

@Dilshaad Your jaw has two small nerves that connect to the ears. You jaw placed your ears on alert. So then everything that followed - flu, flying added to sensitive ears, but this isn't how it all began. First, your tinnitus isn't mainly an ear problem, it caused from a pathway to your brainstem. The nerves and maybe muscles in your ear are sensitive and that's probably all.

It began with your neck and back. Muscles spasms from this created a posture problem. The jaw and cervical spine are inextricably linked. A bad neck will cause jaw disfunction and facial problems 87% to 96% 0f the time and any dental problems will add to the problem. Your bad back with muscle spasms created bad posture and then muscle spasms that lead to your neck. This is why one side of your body hurts and legs are weak. Your respiratory problems are caused by neck and back muscles. Mainly your SCM and trapezius muscles. The SCM muscles can cause jaw and facial problems on their own. Your cervical disc bulge has also placed pressure that may be unnoticeable on a MRI to your C1 and C2 which also connects to your jaw. There's no doubt that your facet joints, deep nerve fibers and occipital nerves are also in play.

You probably do have some hidden hearing loss, but careful neck treatment should help. You may have one leg shorter than the other from your back problem. Look into a mirror standing straight to see if one shoulder is lower than the other. From knowing this, I can give you some proper posture exercises. Start with a light shoulder massage. You will then need stretching exercises and finally soft trigger point therapy on your SCM muscles and other muscles.

 

[Dilshaad]

@Greg Sacramento it all makes sense. Thanks a lot. I really appreciate someone understanding and connecting everything. I have gone today for physio and should follow up like 15 sessions. Yes, i do feel like one leg is short than the other but feared to mention to doctors in case they think i am mad. But once,, an oestepath did tell me that. I will try re mention same to the doctor tomorrow. I would really appreciate that you advised me on the exercises needed...

May God bless you.

 

[Greg Sacramento]

@Dilshaad I don't want to interfere with your physio person, but a few things in regard to your back and shorter leg should be taken into consideration. First any physical treatment should be done either lying down or sitting. Next with a disc bulge to the right - your right shoulder leading into your neck - the trapezius muscle needs to loosened. Then your sternocleidomastoid muscles on that side will need gentle pulling. Both of these are to regain proper posture balance. Respiratory can be effected from everything mentioned above.

So a combination of breathing and stretching exercises are needed. This would also be important for your occipital nerves from the C1 and C2 area into the brainstem. Plus the C1 and C2 needs relief because that directly associates to the jaw. On top of all this some deep fibers and facet joints will need relief and that also can be done by a breathing and stretching exercise. It all ties in together. Professional studies always say that the occipital, facet joints and deep fibers are involved in neck trauma and in situations such as yours.

The exercise:
Maintain good and relaxing posture while sitting. Slightly tilt your head backwards while inhaling and then bring your head up while exhaling. Don't push your head into a forward direction. This exercise should take 9 seconds. Do this 4 0r 5 times - 5 or 6 times a day - or more if you wish.

Stay in touch and lets know how everything goes.

 

[Dilshaad]

@Greg Sacramento thanks a lot. It does make a lot of sense. I really appreciate your advice. Yes currently doing the exercise sitting. Will keep you posted. How I wished that doctors understood too but I do understand it's complicated as it's spanned under various medical field.

 

[Dilshaad]

Hi @Greg Sacramento have told the physio about legs being not same length. He checked and confirmed my doubts. Left leg was longer than right one. Doing exercises to correct same. Now am thinking that all being connected ...might also have given me eye floater... seen people suffer from TMJ, tinnitus and eye floaters on forums online.

Have you read any research articles about all these being connected to eye floaters? Can you share.

 

[Greg Sacramento]

@Dilshaad Mostly what I know about eye floaters relate to blood vessels so I can't help you with this.