Evaluation and Treatment of Cervical and Postural Alterations in Patients with Sensorineural Hearing Loss.

Introduction: Patients with hearing loss who undergo auditory rehabilitation with hearing aids or cochlear implants may experience skeletal dysfunctions and postural maladjustments to achieve a better balance.

Objectives: The aim of this study is to assess the effectiveness of a manual therapy treatment and the improvement of quality of life in a sample of patients with similar clinical diagnosis.

Method: The study is an uncontrolled trial based on a therapeutic treatment lasting 5 weeks with 5-week follow-up. A survey was administered to 101 subjects to evaluate the presence of skeletal disorders; Six of these subjects underwent a specific treatment with Autobalance Exercises, Myofascial Treatment, Respiratory Treatment, and Cervical Treatment.

Results: The primary outcome of the study is the score obtained on the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) for reported pain, while the secondary outcome is the administration of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scale, and the Neck Disability Index (NDI) questionnaire. At T0, the average score on the NRS scale was 6.2; the average score on the NDI was 19%; 33% showed altered sleep quality. Moreover, 83% showed a rotational pathology component in the mobilization of the cervical region, 67% reported trapezius pain, and 100% reported headaches.

The sample undergoing treatment benefited from the results obtained at the final follow-up stage: regarding the primary outcome, the NRS scale showed an improvement of 2.8% with an average value of 3.4%, and a decrease in headache episodes; regarding the secondary outcome, the NDI percentage decreased by 14% on average; the improvement in sleep quality had positive feedback with a reduction or disappearance of trapezius pain.

Conclusions: If the medical focus is on overcoming hearing impairment with the most suitable aid for the individual, musculoskeletal and postural dysfunctions cannot be neglected. It is important to emphasize that postural symptoms are not a consequence of the hearing rehabilitation but rather due to poor adaptation of the musculoskeletal structure, which implements compensatory patterns over time.