Quote:
Originally Posted by Dubious
I always thought my tinnitus was a function of the ole college-band days playing at one too many bars, weddings or dances that finally caught up with me. But in thinking about it, it has definitely worsened since my CRPS onset many fold, enough so, that I have had lengthly discussions about such with my PM doc. It was decided that there was a sympathetic "connection" and there was probably not much that could be done to resolve it. I have qualitatively noticed that there seems to be a reduction of the tinnitus immediately following a series of stellate ganglion blocks and a gradual return over the time between blocks. I'll have to pay more attention next time around...
After a little poking around, seems there is some association:
Kurume Med J. 1984;31(4):295-300.
Stellate ganglion block for the relief of tinnitus in vibration disease.
Matoba T, Noguchi I, Noguchi H, Sakurai T.
PMID:6543892[PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Arch Otolaryngol. 1976 Jan;102(1):5-8.
Stellate ganglion blocks for idiopathic sensorineural hearing loss.
Haug O, Draper WL, Haug SA.
Abstract
Fifty-six patients, treated with a series of anesthetizing blocks of the stellate ganglion for idiopathic sudden sensorineural loss, were compared with 20 patients of similar diagnosis who were treated by other means as to amount of pure-tone gain, speech discrimination improvement, nature of symptoms, and delay in start of surgery. Seventy percent of the stellate-ganglion-block-treated patients achieved substantial hearing improvement. Only 15% to 20% of the non-stellate-ganglion-block-treated patients achieved substantial hearing improvement in discrimination or pure-tone levels. The delay time from onset of symptoms to start of stellate block therapy appears to be important. The type of tinnitus, presence or absence of vertigo, and fullness in the ear may be useful prognostic signs.
PMID:1244832[PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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Let's see, where've I heard that before? Wait . . . don't tell me . . . oh yeah:
Efficacy of Stellate Ganglion Blockade for the Management of Type 1 Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, Ackerman WE, Zhang JM,
South Med J. 2006; 99: 1084-1088.
Sounds like I best follow my own long standing advice regarding RSD/CRPS and get on this sucker ASAP! (After all, it only stands to reason.)
And
THANK YOU DUBIOUS for that wake up call!!!
Mike