Thank you for giving me my hearing back!!

They said it could be a virus or tumors or an arterial bleed. An MRI ruled out the latter two.  I was perfectly healthy with no vertigo, etc. However, I had hit my head (while wearing my ski helmet) 4 times in 5 weeks. Perhaps my spine may now be misaligned (subluxated).

After living with sudden hearing loss in one ear for a just few days, that was confirmed by an audiogram ( a hearing test), I knew that the diagnosis I was given ( a virus) wasn’t good enough for me or my life style … skiing, motorcycling, horseback riding, work, future grandchildren, and personal safety etc. I now understood the reclusiveness, intolerance and irritation of those who cannot hear or hear well.

I now had less than two weeks, for the best results, to get my hearing back, before the auditory nerve died. Two knowledgeable people came to mind, Dr. Dave Jensen at the W.I.N. Health Institute in Basalt and Kirk Hanley of the Colorado Hyperbaric chamber, also of Basalt in the mid valley Health Institute.

I called Dr. Dave for his opinion. He explained that chiropractic medicine started by the founder curing the hearing loss of his janitor with a misalignment of C1 and C2 (cervical vertebrates 1 and 2), just at the base of the skull). This made more sense to me… a diagnosis of a virus did not. After a week of total hearing loss in my left ear, my first adjustment, gave me a “portal of sound” which continued when I massaged the area (C1) and the Eustachian tube, per Dr. Dave.  Sound continued to return as I continued my spinal realignments with Dr. Dave and the anti-inflammatory hyperbaric treatments and steroids.  After one particular adjustment, I had a huge immediate increase in my hearing, I thought, what a gift to be able give someone back their hearing.

In addition, Kirk Hanley of Colorado Hyperbaric explained that hyperbaric oxygen treatments have been shown to reverse sudden hearing loss. He explained that oxygen is the best anti-inflammatory on the market, giving 150 times greater oxygen, to the body, compared to the oxygen we breathe. So, I went “diving” in the chamber for 14 sessions. This same chamber is used to treat scuba divers with the bends. Each session lasted approximately 2 hours. This gave the nerve a safe oxygenated environment, while I pursued chiropractic care. Our body’s cells need oxygen to heal and perform their duties, especially at altitude where we lack oxygen tension compared to our friends at sea level. Hyperbaric treatments enhance the healing of cancer radiation sites, migraines, seizures, nonunion of orthopedic surgical sites, etc. We are lucky to have this rare healing modality in our valley, yet many are unaware of the healing power of oxygen.

Many friends and family were praying; and I was guided to Dr. Dave Jensen and Kirk Hanley. So, tell those active athletes and those courageous cowboys and cowgirls who hit their heads occasionally or regularly….don’t settle for hearing loss….seek treatment and do not delay!

My follow up audiogram showed 100% recovery of my hearing! Thanks to Dr. Dave and Kirk!  I don’t believe I would have regained 100% of my loss, with long term steroids alone, due to the short two week window to save my nerve.  Thank you! I am very grateful for the prompt, professional and caring treatment I received.

Sincerely,

Alice Kaniff, DDS, PC

Tags: cervical misalignment, hearing loss