[The efficiency of spinal manipulation in otorhinolaryngology. A retrospective long-term study].
BACKGROUND
The vertebral genesis of many functional disorders in otorhinolaryngology, such as dizziness, hearing-impairment, ear-pressure, ear-pain, foreign body sensation in the throat and dysphonia, is suggested by the success of spinal manipulative therapy, particularly of the atlanto-occipital joint. Up to now, there are no retrospective investigations which show the duration of the therapeutic effect.


METHODS
We examined 220 patients with cervical otorhinolaryngological disorders (100 patients with dizziness, 49 with hearing impairment, 47 with tinnitus and 24 with dysphonia) after cervical manipulation lasting more than 6 months.


CONCLUSIONS
The extraordinary satisfaction with the manipulative therapy in 82% of patients with dizziness (46% total relief, 36% high improvement) reflects the high efficiency of this manual therapy. In contrast to these results, only 10% of patients with tinnitus showed an improvement (P<0.001). This retrospective investigation demonstrates that a successful outcome after manual therapy is not based on a "placebo effect".
Abt. Phoniatrie, Pädaudiologie und Neurootologie, Univ.-HNO-Klinik Mannheim. manfred.huelse@hno.ma.uni-heidelberg.de
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D001269:Atlanto-Occipital Joint; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae; D004244:Dizziness / Q000534:rehabilitation; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006311:Hearing Disorders / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D020393:Manipulation, Spinal; D010038:Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013122:Spinal Diseases / Q000534:rehabilitation; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000534:rehabilitation; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014832:Voice Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation