Eustachian tube anatomy and chiropractic adjustments

[shoredivr]

Reference was made in the recent Chiropractic adjustments and diving thread to a previous thread
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=38067
where a chiropractor was suggesting that cervical adjustments could relieve equalization problems. Another SB poster noted that his daughter had in fact been able to clear her ears after a series of adjustments. The chiropractor's theory for this was something to do with the effects of adjustments on the nerves, IIRC. It was pointed out in the thread that the eustachian tubes are supplied by cranial nerves, which do not exit in the cervical spine, so adjustments could have no effect on the tubes.

My take on it is different: perhaps the daughter could clear her ears after cervical adjustments due to eustachian tube anatomy and head position during adjustments.

*anatomy nerd alert*

The eustachian tube connecting the middle ear with the nasopharynx is opened by several muscles - tensor veli palatini and levator veli palatini, for example. These muscles attach and blend into the soft palate, which in turn attaches to portions of the base of the skull -eg, palatine bones - and posteriorly to the front of the cervical vertebrae, and laterally to the mandible (jaw). Are you with me so far?

We know that there are several ways to clear the ear, including wiggling the mandible. Wiggling the mandible stretches the soft tissues and muscles surrounding the eustachian tubes, allowing the tube to open.

In a cervical adjustment, the head is initially rotated to the left or right before the adjustment occurs, and a stretch occurs on the muscles and soft tissues of the cervical spine. Perhaps this initial position also pulls on the tissues surrounding the inferior portion of the eustachian tube, such as tensor veli palatini, thus opening the tube by mechanical means alone, rather than through the chiropractor's idea of ennervation playing some part.

Any thoughts?

*anatomy nerd alert off*

 

[Thalassamania]

I think your stretching for an explaination.<G>

 

[DocVikingo]

Hi shorediver,

I like the way you think.

However, I suspect that Eustachian tube patency achieved by the passive mechanical retraction of tissue would provide only very transient benefit. I can see nothing in a cervical adjustment procedure that would reconfigure the inferior extent of the tube over the long term.

But, perhaps I'm missing something.

Thanks for your considered contribution.

Regards,

DocVikingo

 

[fisherdvm]

Supposedly, Dr. Palmer, the father of chiropracty, performed a cervical adjustment on his first patient. The man was deaf, but was able to hear after the adjustment. This incident is the first cure by a chiropractic doctor.

In the similar quest, after being disgusted by traditional medicine, the father of osteopathic medicine (an M.D.) at the similar time, founded osteopathic medicine. It is currently the equivalent of allopathic medicine in training, but encompasses spinal adjustments as well. Unfortunately, most of my colleages who are DO's do not perform any adjustments.

I think there is much to be learned from cervical and spinal manipulation. All I know is, if I sprain one ankle, pretty soon my knee, hip and back starts to mess up. I have never received chiropractic or osteopathic manipulation, but I would not be surprise if it would not help.

I think regular excercises and stretching will do much to prevent alot of our symptoms. Chiropractic adjustment is not a replacement for regular exercises.

 

[Thalassamania]

Supposedly, Dr. Palmer, the father of chiropracty, performed a cervical adjustment on his first patient. The man was deaf, but was able to hear after the adjustment. This incident is the first cure by a chiropractic doctor.

In the similar quest, after being disgusted by traditional medicine, the father of osteopathic medicine (an M.D.) at the similar time, founded osteopathic medicine. It is currently the equivalent of allopathic medicine in training, but encompasses spinal adjustments as well. Unfortunately, most of my colleages who are DO's do not perform any adjustments.

I think there is much to be learned from cervical and spinal manipulation. All I know is, if I sprain one ankle, pretty soon my knee, hip and back starts to mess up. I have never received chiropractic or osteopathic manipulation, but I would not be surprise if it would not help.

I think regular excercises and stretching will do much to prevent alot of our symptoms. Chiropractic adjustment is not a replacement for regular exercises.

I routinely use Chiropractric for appropriate situations, the trick is in knowing what's appropriate. If I recall properly, Palmer believed that you could cure infectious disease with manipulation, a concept that I reject.

 

[fisherdvm]

I think the problem with chiropractor is that they believe that spinal manipulation alone will cure infectious diseases. I purchased a couple of general chiropractic texts while I was stationed in Davenport, IA, and was very disturbed at the pediatric chapter that talked about manipulation in the treatment of tonsilitis.

The author spoke of results with manipulation, with no mention of the risk of rheumatic heart disease, renal failure, and other complication of strep pharingitis.

About the same time, a local chiropractor was sued for complications following the delivery of a child, because he was performing all the prenatal visits for the mom. I am sure he has little understanding of gestational diabetes, pregnancy induced hypertension, and complications of pregnancy.

The more mainstream chiropractic medicine becomes, and the higher standard set for their education, I think we will see the less of these occurences.

As much as I hate malpractice attorney's, after enough chiropractor lose their livelihood from lawsuits, the field will need to change.