Improvement in hearing after chiropractic care: a case series

A study on the association of cervical spondylosis severity, as indicated by cervical motions, with hearing impairment

Study aim: The present study investigates the possible relation between the limitation of cervical motion in a patient with cervical spondylosis and hearing impairment.

Material and methods: Cross-sectional research was performed based on 60 participants suffering from cervical spondylosis (CS) selected from an orthopaedic and physiotherapy department. The data collection techniques included questionnaire, electronic tools, measurements with a mechanical device including measuring the cervical range of motion (ROM) by goniometer, and physical examination including pure tone audiometry (PTA) and tympanogram.

Results: Right rotation was the most common limitation, which affected 43 patients, followed by left rotation limitation, which was recorded in 40 patients. The extension, left lateral flexion, flexion, and right lateral flexion limitation showed less effect.

Conclusions: Left rotation limitation was found to be an independent predictor of hearing impairment especially in men. Age was also a risk factor for sensory neural hearing loss (SNHL). These findings are important in the facilitation of investigating SNHL in cervical spondylosis patients.