As an upper cervical chiropractor, I'm confronted with a lot of conditions that patients are seeking relief from. Some are caused by dysfunction of the neck, some are related to dysfunction of the neck, and some have nothing to do with dysfunction in the neck. Labyrinthitis is one of those conditions that has nothing to do with the neck, and yet I've seen chiropractors on social media advertising that they can help with this condition with upper cervical adjustments.
Let's clear up the confusion so that patients can seek appropriate medical attention, and the knowledgeable upper cervical chiropractors can be differentiated from those that claim to have a cure for every condition.
The labyrinth of the inner ear contains important sensory organs related to balance and hearing. Labyrinthitis is an inner ear disorder that involves inflammation of the labyrinth (itis = inflammation). The condition can cause a range of symptoms, including:
Key Symptoms:
Vertigo: A sensation of spinning or dizziness.
Hearing Loss: Often in one ear, though it may improve as the inflammation resolves.
Tinnitus: Ringing, buzzing, or hissing noises in the ear.
Nausea and Vomiting: Often associated with the dizziness.
Difficulty with Balance: Problems with coordination or feeling unsteady while walking.
Causes:
Labyrinthitis is often caused by:
Viral infections: Such as colds, flu, or herpes viruses.
Bacterial infections: Less common but can occur as a complication of middle ear infections.
Autoimmune disorders: Rarely, the immune system attacking the inner ear may result in labyrinthitis.
Diagnosis:
A healthcare provider diagnoses labyrinthitis based on:
Medical history and symptoms.
Physical examination, including balance and hearing tests.
Occasionally, imaging like MRI to rule out other conditions.
Treatment:
Medical treatment focuses on managing symptoms:
Medications:
Antivertigo drugs: Such as meclizine to reduce dizziness.
Antiemetics: For nausea and vomiting.
Corticosteroids: To reduce inflammation in some cases.
Antibiotics: If a bacterial infection is suspected.
Rest and Recovery: Avoiding sudden head movements and allowing time to heal.
Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy (VRT): For persistent balance problems.
Prognosis:
Most people recover fully within a few weeks to months, but some may experience lingering balance issues or hearing loss, particularly if the condition was severe. or appropriate treatment was not administered in the acute phase.
If you're experiencing symptoms like severe vertigo, hearing loss, or persistent dizziness, it's important to consult a healthcare provider for proper evaluation and treatment. A multidisciplinary treatment plan is recommended in chronic cases.
why would an upper cervical chiropractor think they could help with labyrinthitis?
Many upper cervical chiropractors have helped patients with dizziness, and as such think that they can help with every condition that relates to dizziness. This is mostly due to a lack of knowledge, training, and understanding of conditions beyond the musculoskeletal system (i.e. labyrinthitis).
In these social media videos that I mentioned earlier, the upper cervical chiropractors will claim that a misalignment of the upper neck can "pinch" or "compress" the vestibulocochlear nerve, thereby creating symptoms that mimic labyrinthitis. Often, their "pitch" is that if you've been diagnosed with labyrinthitis and you're not finding relief with conventional medical treatment, that you must have been misdiagnosed. While misdiagnosis does occur in all of healthcare, these claims of a pinched cranial nerve being the source of your symptom are not plausible or scientifically accurate mechanisms.
So why would I take the time to write this article, as an upper cervical chiropractor, about how my treatment DOENS'T help with this condition? In short, to help you as the patient understand when something sounds "too good to be true", and is.
Upper cervical chiropractic helps with a lot of things, and through valid scientific mechanisms that are able to be tested objectively in a clinical setting. I've personally worked with hundreds of dizzy patients, and have learned that in situations like vestibular neuritis, labyrinthitis, and other conditions related to the inner ear - simply adjusting the upper neck is not a comprehensive course of action. These are medical conditions that need to be assessed and managed by the appropriate doctors (ENT/otolaryngology) to prevent further insult to the inner ear.
you may still benefit from upper cervical chiropractic
Here's the thing - you can have an inner ear problem, AND a neck problem. Appropriate care of any condition requires and accurate understanding of the patient presentation, the correct diagnostic testing, and targeted treatment. Although upper cervical chiropractic is not a "natural cure for labyrinthitis" (despite what some social medical doctors might claim), it IS a safe, gentle, and effective method for dealing with many of the conditions related to the upper cervical spine including:
cervical dizziness
headaches/migraines
TMD
neck pain
and more.
Wishing you the best in life and health, John Stenberg, DC