Cervicogenic somatosensory tinnitus: treatment options?

Only a handful of publications have focused on (cervicogenic) somatosensory tinnitus and manual therapy. Management of tinnitus by manual therapy is only supported by limited evidence.

The conceptual phase of this study aims to uncover underlying mechanisms linking the auditory and (cervicogenic) somatosensory systems in relation to subjective tinnitus through: 1) review of the literature (part 1), and; 2) through design of a practice test (part 2).

Broadening the current understanding of somatosensory tinnitus would represent a first step towards providing therapeutic approaches relevant to manual therapists.

Treatment modalities involving the (cervicogenic) somatosensory systems, and particularly manual therapy, should be reassessed in the subgroup of patients with cervicogenic somatosensory tinnitus.

The results of the pilot study were promising, and provided valuable information on both the prevalence of cervicogenic somatosensory tinnitus patients as well as on the potential effectiveness of manual therapy.