Can Dry Needling help Tinnitus?

Can Dry Needling help Tinnitus is a common question we get as neck health experts?

What is tinnitus?

There are two kinds of tinnitus, subjective and objective.

Objective tinnitus accounts for less than 1% of cases and involves the perception of an internal sound.

Subjective tinnitus is the most common type and is audible only to the patient.

Somatosensory Tinnitus is a subtype of subjective tinnitus. Jaw or neck movements and even pushing on myofascial trigger points can change the loudness or intensity of this type of tinnitus.

What is dry needling?

In trigger-point dry needling, practitioners insert a fine needle into the skin and muscle as part of an invasive procedure.

Typically, it aims at myofascial trigger points, which are hyperirritable spots in skeletal muscle associated with a hypersensitive palpable nodule in a taut band.

Many experts believe that somatically induced tinnitus responds well to somatosensory-based treatments such as joint mobilization, exercise, and dry needling.

Dry needling is typically applied to trigger points of the bilateral upper trapezius and cervical muscles including the splenius capitis, semispinalis capitis, sternocleidomastoid, levator scapula, and suboccipitals.

Can Dry Needling help Tinnitus?

Dry needling’s effectiveness for tinnitus is a subject of ongoing research but a 2021 study found it to be effective. While some individuals report improvements, we find it varies from person to person.

A combination of many therapies is what our patients get the most relief from instead of just dry needling.

It’s essential to consult with a healthcare professional for personalized guidance on tinnitus management.

Conclusion